Clean Energy and the Austin Chamber

Cleantech Friday by Steve Guengerich

If you are in to clean energy in Central Texas, chances are you’ve met Jose Beceiro.  Jose is the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s economic development point man.  With the demeanor of a collie and the tenacity of a pit bull, Jose rides herd over the Chamber’s support and leadership of the clean energy sector for Austin.

One of his chief resources, of course, is the strength of the informal and formal business networks – especially chamber members – who are motivated to put their time, money, and passion into collectively growing the clean energy sector.  One of the Chamber’s formal networks is the Clean Energy Council, or CEC for short.  CEC members reflect the broader DNA of the Chamber:  real estate companies, policy-oriented groups (including public sector and non-profit interests), energy-related firms, service providers, investors, and other cleantech eco-system companies.

For 2008, the CEC’s work is divided into 6 main areas of focused interest, illustrated by the figure.  These interest areas (sub-committees, if you will) are all about ultimately getting results that fuel economic development for the community:  that’s the bottom-line. For example, in the most recent quarter, that CEC’s PR team – in partnership with Lois Paul Partners – got strong coverage and story-line interest from The Washington Post, CNET, The Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, and others.

Interested in getting involved?  This is the point where membership, as they say, has its privileges.  CEC members are primarily Chamber members/supporters (with a very few exceptions)…providing you another good reason to write that check for your Chamber renewal!

But, what’s driving the agenda for the CEC’s work?  What’s the broader context for clean energy in Austin – the play book or roadmap, if you will, looking ahead?  More about that next week.