There are numerous opportunities for policymakers and elected officials at the state and local levels to encourage clean energy, and doing so could spur economic development, according to a new report by David Hart, a senior fellow at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and a professor of public policy at George Mason University. As state and local leaders pursue these strategies, Hart focuses on five non-exclusive tracks to pursue: offering incentives to clean energy manufacturers and other investors; nurturing technology-based start-up companies; deepening existing clusters of related industries; substituting indigenous for imported energy resources; and, stimulating market demand for clean-energy products and services.
In addition to providing examples of actions across each track, Hart also notes that there is a role for federal policy to complement these efforts by supporting economic development strategies, improving technology transfer at federal labs, and expanding investment in R&D programs such as ARPA-E and Manufacturing USA.