American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE)
Founded in 2001, the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is a 501 (c)(3) national nonprofit organization that unites finance, policy and technology to accelerate the transition to a renewable energy economy. We are the focal point for collaborative advocacy across the renewable energy sector, supported by hundreds of members spanning renewable energy technologies and constituencies, including developers, manufacturers, top financial institutions, major corporate renewable energy buyers, grid technology providers, utilities, professional service firms, colleges & universities and allied nonprofit groups. ACORE’s long track record of international work has focused on encouraging information exchange, providing documentation and analysis of policy and financial mechanisms that can help grow countries’ renewable energy sectors, and promotion of a global business environment conducive to renewable energy growth.
Company details
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- Business Type:
- Nonprofit organization (NPO)
- Industry Type:
- Renewable Energy
- Market Focus:
- Internationally (various countries)
- Year Founded:
- 2001
About Us
ACORE accomplishes much of its work by convening leaders across key constituencies, facilitating partnerships, educating senior officials on important policies, publishing research and analysis on pressing issues, and undertaking strategic outreach on the policies and financial structures essential to renewable energy growth.
Our annual forums in Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco set the industry standard in providing important venues for key leaders to meet, discuss recent developments, and hear the latest from senior government officials and seasoned experts.
Programs
ACORE’s members are engaged in initiatives, programs, and working groups to expand demand and develop targeted opportunities in the renewable energy market.
The U.S. Partnership for Renewable Energy Finance is the leading coalition of financiers and investors who unite to confront market barriers and unlock capital for renewable energy. PREF members meet with policymakers to provide their perspectives on how renewable energy finance policies affect the market.
The Power Generation and Infrastructure Initiative identifies and develops the policies and market reforms necessary to facilitate expansion of the U.S. renewable energy markets, and address challenges in grid expansion, and promote ancillary service technologies, and new business models in the electricity marketplace.
ACORE’s Corporate Procurement Working Group is a collection of renewable energy companies, financiers and corporate end users that work together to deliver clean energy more effectively to the Fortune 500 and other large consumers of power, and fulfill the growing interest in renewables from businesses across America.
The Transportation Initiative exists to grow the market for cutting-edge electric vehicle technology and renewable, low-carbon fuels. Working with the biggest companies in the clean transportation business, and with top non-profit organizations, ACORE provides leadership on policy, financing mechanisms and offers networking opportunities to help grow this market.
The National Defense and Security Initiative is the industry’s home for engagement with the Department of Defense (DOD). ACORE partners with DOD to help smooth the transaction space for renewable energy procurement and increase sales in support of the military’s mission. Many of the best practices for the military’s use of renewables have emerged through ACORE meetings, workshops and other activities.
ACORE's Leadership Council is a group of senior executives representing leading companies from all sectors of the renewable energy industry. Leadership Council members convene regularly to shape ACORE's policy agenda, discuss strategy, and network with fellow members.
ACORE’s Conferences
On a regular basis, ACORE hosts annual convenings for the leading players from across the renewable energy industry to discuss issues of finance and policy.
The National Renewable Energy Policy Forum convenes in Washington D.C. to bring industry and policymakers together to discuss energy and tax policy, debate key issues in the changing electricity marketplace, and identify priorities for Congress, the states, and the relevant agencies. ACORE offers a platform so that industry leaders can make their voices heard as decision makers in Washington and across the country consider issues that impact the future of the energy industry.
REFF-Wall Street is the premier renewable energy financing event in the U.S. The event draws an especially senior audience, typically including more than 600 executives, investors, and other top professionals in renewable energy finance. Regular topics for coverage include tax issues, the state of the debt and equity markets, M&A trends and investment opportunities like the growing corporate procurement market.
Member Benefits:
Join hundreds of organizations that are creating a leadership forum across all renewable energy sectors, building a greater sense of common purpose, developing a better understanding about renewable energy issues, and initiating national outreach about the benefits of putting renewable energy to use in the U.S.
- Gain : Accurate, in-depth, and timely information for your whole team on the latest developments, trends and opportunities in renewable energy
- Collaborate : Professional collaboration in ACORE's Initiatives, working on key issues
- Network : Meet top companies, organizations and leaders in renewable energy at ACORE's national conferences
- Impact : Shape public policy at the federal and state levels through ACORE's National Renewable Energy Policy Forum, the weekly Capitol Energy email to the Hill, EnergyFactCheck.org, the ACORE.org blog, and op-ed opportunities
- Highlight : Maximize your organizations' role in renewable energy through a host of sponsorship, marketing, communications and public relations opportunities
- Connect : Reach out to the global renewable energy community through ACORE's International Initiative, ACORE's involvement in the International Renewabel Energy Agency (IRENA), REN 21 global policy network, REEEP, and through major global events
- Utilize : Member discounts for events and publications
History
ACORE was founded in 2001 to bring together leading proponents and innovators in all facets of the renewable energy sector for the purpose of moving renewable energy into the mainstream of America's economy.
Our membership has grown to several hundred companies, including renewable energy industry associations, utilities, end users, professional service firms, financial institutions, educational institutions, nonprofit groups and government agencies.
ACORE serves as a forum through which diverse parties work together on common interests. Our primary vehicle for sharing information is convening: we organize and hold five major annual conferences attended by hundreds of industry leaders. We also have established committees and working groups which meet regularly to work on specific industry issues. Since 2007, we have also organized and hosted monthly webinars on the legal issues faced by the industry. Additionally, ACORE serves to inform and keep our membership current on trends and opportunities.
On an annual basis, ACORE has convened conferences in New York, San Francisco and Washington to focus on the three major areas that shape and advance renewable energy innovation and development in America: Policy, Markets and Finance.
Focus on Finance : In 2004, REFF-Wall Street was created to assist in the scale-up of renewable energy by educating financiers and developers in the space on how to get renewable energy projects financed and built. We bring together the organizations interested in financing renewable energy companies and projects with those in the industry who are innovating or wishing to scale up their operations in this space. These conferences attract hundreds of participants over two days: speakers come from across the country and represent the leading venture capital firms, bankers, entrepreneurs, and senior financiers. The topics covered range from project finance, venture capital and public capital markets to technology-specific financing issues and innovative financing for renewable energy projects.
In 2008, we extended this historically east coast conference to the west coast by creating REFF-West, a two-day finance conference that covers issues specific to project developers and financiers in the fast growing renewable energy market in the western United States.
Additionally, in 2011, we produced the first REFF-Latin America and Caribbean (REFF-LAC) conference. This event focuses on developing and scaling renewable energy in the Americas.
Focus on Policy: Our annual Washington Conference, Phase II of Renewable Energy in America National Policy Forum, is held on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. The conference name derives from the sense that Phase I of renewable energy was the period between 1975-2000, centered on research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) programs. Phase II is where we are today commercializing and scaling renewable energy project and products for global consumption. Federal government policy and decision makers come to hear industry thought-leaders lay the groundwork for a renewable energy policy agenda.
Focus on Markets: ACORE developed collaborative partnerships with the U.S. government to co-produce a global meeting of over 8,600 officials, business executives and technical and industry professionals, known as WIREC. ACORE subsequently created the RETECH Conference and Exhibition as a successor to WIREC, with the goal of linking the renewable energy marketplace to the financing and policy elements.
ACORE has also established a US-China Program, the goals of which are to increase market understanding, and promote partnerships between the U.S. and Chinese renewable energy sectors. Additionally, much of our research has been centered on the identification of market opportunities for renewable energy, including the Kansas Study which was done under a grant from the Energy Foundation; the Joint Outlook on Renewable Energy, published in 2007 in conjunction with the various renewable energy trade associations; and our 50-State Report, which was first published in 2008, and updated in 2010 and 2011. This report is now being published on a digital platform and is updated yearly by our staff and interns.
Mission
ACORE is a national nonprofit organization that unites business, policy and finance to accelerate the transition to a renewable energy economy.
ACORE is a national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the renewable energy sector through market development, policy changes, and financial innovation. With a savvy staff of experts, fifteen years of experience promoting renewable energy and hundreds of member companies, non-profits, and other organizations from across the spectrum of renewable energy technologies, consumers, and investors, ACORE is uniquely well-positioned to strategically promote the policies and financial structures essential to renewable energy growth. The organization’s annual conferences in Washington, D.C., New York and San Francisco set the industry standard in providing important venues for key leaders to meet, discuss recent developments, and hear the latest from senior government officials and seasoned experts.
ACORE Internship Program
The ACORE internship program is designed to mentor rising seniors and graduate students, as well as recent university graduates who are interested in making a career in the renewable energy industry. The focus of the program is to assist young professionals along the path of professional development, gaining the knowledge, resources and experience they need to join the renewable energy industry, whether it be in professional services, research, communications, market development, finance or policy.
Program participants engage in research, writing and program assistance based on their interests and ACORE's current programmatic needs, therefore excellent reading and writing skills in the English language are required. Interns are assigned to assist staff for the three ACORE Initiatives and the functional teams of President/CEO's office, Policy/ Finance, Communications, Research, Biomass/Biofuels, International, Events and Membership for approximately 50% of their time.
The principal activity during the internship is an individual research project meant to focus the intern's attention and knowledge of a niche or aspect of renewable energy, preparing them to seek a job in that area. Interns work on their papers by researching the renewable energy industry, delving into publications and reading lists provided to them by ACORE staff, and interviewing members of the renewable energy community, as well as potential employers though personal introductions by ACORE staff and ACORE networking opportunities. Once reviewed and accepted by the intern's respective academic organization, intern papers are posted on the ACORE website.
Internship applications are welcome from rising seniors and graduate students personally committed to making renewable energy the focus of their future career. We welcome applications from many majors, and from all U.S. universities. [ACORE does not assist with obtaining visas to work/study in the U.S.]
Where will you intern? Internships are based in our Washington, DC office. Remote or web-based internships are not currently available.
When do internships take place? New applications are reviewed three times a year, roughly in line with the academic calendar. Interviews are conducted in the one to two months before each internship term begins. These terms are generally from September to December, January to April and May to August.
Are the internships full-time or part-time? Internships are customized to individual interns' schedules. Most internships are 2 or 3 full days per week for 3 to 4 months. Based on your individual academic schedule and availability, full time internships are available. The internship program is unpaid. Many participants who are not currently enrolled in school choose to work part-time alongside a part-time internship.
What is expected of you as an ACORE intern? As an ACORE intern you expected to work with ACORE staff to identify, define and pursue a project of interest that will form the core content of you work at ACORE. Some interns know what project they want to pursue before starting; others define the project after arriving at ACORE. The core project or projects are designed to help you gain specialized knowledge in one area of the renewable energy industry. Most interns will spend 50% of their total time at ACORE focused on their core project. In addition to the project, you are expected to delve into the information resources provided to you by ACORE staff to gain a broad based understanding of the industry.
In the space of networking and industry exploration, you are expected to take advantage of all opportunities to attend lectures, briefing, and conferences and networking events to gain a broader understanding of the numerous organizations and viewpoints in the space. Keeping your job search in mind, you will be expected to work out a personal informational interviewing plan, identifying individuals working in your areas of career interest, to gain a better understanding of future opportunities. Lastly, as a team player in a fast-paced office, we hope you are willing to pitch in with tasks such as stuffing envelopes or working conferences with the rest of the ACORE team, when that kind of work is necessary.