IREC Impact @35Years Report: Top 8 Results
“These transformative results are built upon IREC’s foundational work in nearly every state,” said Board Chair Larry Shirley, with the release of the report at a Washington, DC event commemorating IREC’s 35th anniversary on March 8, 2017. “And our work continues, increasing access to sustainable energy and energy efficiency through independent fact-based policy leadership, quality workforce development and consumer empowerment.”
“In the 2017 political environment, it is perhaps more important than ever that we bring together diverse stakeholders in support of the state-by-state work IREC does to ensure that our state energy policies and practices continue to make clean sustainable energy accessible and affordable for more Americans,” writes IREC President/CEO Larry Sherwood in a perspective column in the report.
“We cannot assume that federal policies will encourage clean energy. Instead, state actions will determine the future growth of these technologies. This makes IREC’s historical state-based focus more critical than ever. Ultimately, individual states will make the rules and regulations that determine how easy it is for consumers to use and benefit from clean energy,” says Sherwood.
Jane Weissman, who stepped down as IREC President in 2016 after 22 years, offers a retrospective column in which she writes: “I have yet to see IREC shy away from any barrier or battle. . . tackling long-term, entrenched brick walls, as well as easier-to-fix corrections to move renewable energy from the sidelines into the mainstream.”
The report, which lists and supports with detail eight key results of IREC’s thought-leading independent work over the past 35 years, includes highlights of landmark publications and resources, and a complementary timeline.
