AMERICAN COUNCIL ON RENEWABLE ENERGY

By aligning sustainability disclosures and metrics to fully reflect the deep impact and climate value of renewable energy, ACORE is enhancing the attractiveness of renewable energy investments and facilitating the increased deployment of renewable energy solutions.

Companies have the opportunity to improve their sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies by engaging in the clean energy transition. We work to ensure that those who invest in, purchase, or generate renewables receive ESG-related recognition for their important roles in avoiding climate risks and creating climate opportunities. We do this by collaborating with investors, corporates, and companies across the renewable economy to provide policy recommendations to federal regulators and international standard setters on sustainability disclosures and reporting, ESG policies, and renewable energy claims.

For over 20 years, ACORE has been a respected leader in shaping the course of U.S. renewable project finance. Working collaboratively with tax equity providers, lenders, private equity firms, project sponsors, and advisors, we strategically engage with policymakers and other key decision-makers to guide the project finance marketplace needed to drive renewable sector growth.

Through curated executive programs, ACORE advances changes to policy incentives, regulatory actions, accounting standards, and international developments to both maintain existing and attract new investors to the sector. We assess how capital stacks are evolving in response to shifting policy and market environments, and take actions to build opportunities for new financing vehicles like transferability and direct pay, address the impacts of new regulations on tax equity, and build financing pathways for emerging technologies.

ACORE works with Congress, the Administration, the federal complex, state lawmakers, and the nation’s power markets to promote and defend policies that accelerate the transition to a renewable energy economy. Through impactful advocacy and industry-leading analysis, ACORE strategically engages in the legislative and regulatory pathways that help shape renewable sector growth and expand the marketplace.

The Macro Grid Initiative promotes investment in a 21st century transmission network that will drive job growth, reduce pollution, and save American consumers money. Antiquated transmission infrastructure and a balkanized electric grid are limiting America’s ability to meet changing demands on the electric system. Investment in more interregional transmission through a U.S. Macro Grid that better connects our largest population centers with our lowest-cost renewable energy resources will enhance grid reliability and resiliency, save consumers billions of dollars, deliver significant job creation, and dramatically reduce carbon emissions. Power system operators confirm that a larger geographic footprint for the nation’s power grids decreases variability in energy supply and demand while also improving system performance. As extreme weather events increase in frequency and severity, more interregional transmission lines will be critical to prevent deadly power outages and grid failures.

ACORE’s events set the standard for connecting clean energy industry leaders with up-to-the-minute insights on the policies, financial trends and grid issues most pertinent to the renewable energy sector. ACORE is committed to ensuring that our events, including speakers and attendees, are inclusive and represent the broad spectrum of people, perspectives, and programming needed to ensure an equitable and just transition to a renewable energy economy. ACORE holds three signature events annually, the ACORE Policy Forum, Finance Forum, and Grid Forum, as well as public webinars throughout the year.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) presents U.S. clean energy with an unprecedented opportunity for expansion, but meeting the increased demand spurred by the IRA will involve tripling the current annual private investments in clean energy projects. Investors are ready to scale their involvement, yet barriers are limiting potential.

ACORE's American Renewable Investment Campaign champions policy reforms and market incentives to facilitate the necessary project financing to advance the expansion of renewable projects and build out emerging clean technologies. The campaign engages the nation’s leading capital contributors and project sponsors, and educates new entrants to catalyze the next wave of sector growth. We benchmark progress on the campaign and identify priorities through our annual Expectations for Renewable Energy Finance report.