Clean Energy Council

The Clean Energy Council is based in Melbourne and represents 550+ companies nationwide in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. Companies active in all forms of renewable energy are accepted into the association, including wind, hydro, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wave and tidal, geothermal, bioenergy and cogeneration.

The core activities of the CEC include:

• Achieving and exercising thought leadership for the renewable energy industry.
• Promoting the interests of the industry on the local, state and federal levels of government and lobbying for forward-thinking, stable and sustainable policies.
•  Supporting the development and deployment of clean energy technologies as a workable alternative for unclean fossil fuels.
• Providing accreditation for solar panel installers.
• Publishing reports, fact sheets, newsletters, papers and consumer information relating to energy efficiency and renewable energy.
• Organising events, forums and conferences to spread awareness about the industry, as well as to provide networking opportunities for participating companies and interested parties.

Funding for all these activities primarily comes from membership fees, though the various CEC events and the solar accreditation program provide additional funding for this peak body.

• Vision: The official renewable energy targets state that at least 20% of Australia’s energy consumption must be generated by renewable sources by the year 2020. The CEC pledges its complete support for these targets and for a more sustainable future in general.
• Philosophy: Representing the Australian clean energy industry, the Clean Energy Council’s activities (see above) promote and create awareness about clean energy and energy efficiency on the one hand and support the development of relevant technologies on the other. The intent is to reduce the cost of these technologies and improve their efficiency. Additionally, the CEC engages in political lobbying in an attempt to clear (or at least minimise) the legislative and administrative hurdles in the path of clean energy development and to make the inevitable transition from a grey to a green economy as smooth as possible.
• Sustainability: The position of the CEC is that the Australian population supports a more sustainable approach to energy generation. Along with most experts, it also believes that clean energy technologies are indispensable to make a greener Australia possible. The Clean Energy Council therefore supports and promotes all renewable energy sources and technologies, designed to improve sustainability. Consequently, the CEC is not a lobby for a specific industry or company, but rather for sustainable energy in general. Finally, CEO David Green made it very clear in his opening speech in July 2013 that sustainability does not constitute a cost to the Australian consumer according to the CEC, but rather “a new source of economic progress.”
• Social: The Clean Energy Council organises an impressive amount of events, conferences, workshops, receptions, meetings, forums and trade shows on a very regular basis. These events bring the issues of energy efficiency and clean energy closer to the community and give executives, representatives and potential business partners together to network and lay contacts.
• Social: The Clean Energy Council organises an impressive amount of events , conferences, workshops, receptions, meetings, forums and trade shows on a very regular basis. These events bring the issues of energy efficiency and clean energy closer to the community and give executives, representatives and potential business partners a chance to network and communicate new business opportunities.