With the Biden Administration looking to focus on clean energy and decarbonization, 2021 will be a big year in green hydrogen, EV/EV infrastructure, and carbon capture. Who are the key energy influencer groups you should know?
Of course, everyone will be focused on one thing to start: who will be the next Department of Energy Secretary (and top public affairs officer)? The Hill has already offered some names of potential candidates, looking primarily at Obama Administration alums Ernest Moniz and Arun Majumdar.
Beyond the Administration, there are many thought leaders and influencers working at the intersection of energy and sustainability. Our experts have experience working with energy and environmental organizations in Washington, D.C., and beyond to generate discussions among, host events for and share innovative ideas with key policymakers, target customers, other thought leaders and the public. These conversations can lead to new policies to mitigate climate change, improve resiliency to extreme weather events, and create market and investment opportunities.
Some of our picks for top influencer organizations to watch may surprise you because these organizations often work in opposition to each other. You also may not know all the organizations listed below, because much of what is communicated (particularly on policy) happens behind the scenes. To give you a sense of the energy landscape and help jumpstart your influencer outreach efforts, we have put together a list of energy and environment organizations to watch in 2021.
Top 5 Energy Influencer Groups to Follow
- Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance: Launched officially in 2019, REBA has brought together some of the best known companies, such as Google, VMware, Disney, and Walmart, in an effort to leverage their renewable energy buying power to impact policy and educate other corporate leaders on the “how tos” of purchasing renewable energy. Why? Because deploying renewable energy is not as easy as it should be. More importantly, the private sector has influence. It is, after all, responsible for over 60% of electricity consumption and a major driver of economic and political change. The commercial and industrial sector is also the largest emitter of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
- Generate Capital might be a surprising choice as an influencer organization to watch. It’s not an advocacy organization. It’s in the business of investing in decarbonization. But when you raise $1 billion to invest in clean energy and the outspoken Jigar Shah is your founder, you have influence.
- Media: We could do an entire post on the energy and environment reporters who are changing how we understand climate change and resiliency. That said, they are a force that spurs action, causes us to question policy and more. Some reporters to follow are Julia Pyper of Greentech Media, Katherine Blunt of Wall Street Journal and Coral Davenport of The New York Times. They create industries and take down executives.
- Carbon Capture Coalition: Every big name in oil and geothermal are part of the coalition. Will they be successful in pushing for policies that secure the carbon capture market? Should be interesting to watch in 2021.
- Energy Storage Association: Under the leadership of Kelly Speakes-Backman, ESA has influenced policy that has opened the energy storage market. What’s more: in a year that has hurt many associations’ ability to convene their members, ESA had thousands of attendees for their (virtual) annual conference.
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RH Strategic is a Seattle and D.C.-based communications firm with a nationwide presence and additional global reach via membership in the Worldcom Public Relations Group. We provide strategic public relations for innovators in the technology, government, healthcare and energy markets.
