This is a great article that I read today. At the bottom is a link to the complete report. Please read the full article as it has what I think is great leadership insights to what we need to do in Texas and Austin in regard to moving clean energy forward and being competitive for our future growth. The Catalyst Project
Thought I’d pass it along to you from Austin Haciendas.
If Texas is going to win a significant share of the emerging clean energy industry, it’s going to have to increase its competitiveness—starting with the upcoming 2009 legislative session, according to a report released Tuesday.
The white paper report, which culls interviews with state and national experts together with research on how Texas stacks up against other states, suggests that clean energy is the sector most likely to propel Austin and Texas into the 21st Century, just like transistors, semiconductors and computer manufacturing have done in the past.
“There is a palpable level of excitement about the opportunity here for Texas,” says Colin Rowan, the report’s author and founder The Catalyst Project, a collaborative effort of business, policy groups and others trying to propel the clean energy sector in the state. The white paper is the first product of The Catalyst Project and was funded by Rowan’s Austin-based public affairs firm, I&O Communications, and Environmental Defense Fund.
But Rowan says other states like New Mexico, Florida and North Carolina could beat out Texas for the lion’s share of clean energy business because their efforts to attract such businesses are more targeted.
“People understand how quickly this industry is moving and the sectors are developing,” says Rowan. “If we don’t do something as a state in 2009 to let the world know that we’re going to fight for this industry and do whatever it takes to attract it, then it’s going to be very hard to do so in 2011. The hill will be exponentially steeper then.”
Rowan says Texas lawmakers should start developing a clean energy strategy that will help the state compete for such companies when the session opens in January. Rowan says to see real results, several big picture things the state should do to improve are:
• hone in on a comprehensive economic development approach that brings together stakeholders at all levels;
• increase access to the available clean energy market through measures such as more-aggressive tax incentives that will engage the consumer directly;
• improve Texas’ brand in clean energy, making it something the state is known for by changing the way Texans talk about clean energy—more of an opportunity and less of a necessity.
The report also suggests that the Legislature should consider measures like convening a blue-ribbon commission to create a long-term clean energy strategy for the state and the appointment of a clean energy czar to help coordinate the state’s efforts.
To download the full report, click here.
