Providence, RI – Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressman Jim Langevin, and Congressman David Cicilline today hosted U.S. Secretary of Energy Dr. Ernest Moniz and dozens of energy stakeholders for a roundtable conversation on clean energy innovation.
“Accelerating innovation in clean energy is crucial to ensuring America’s global economic competitiveness and meeting our climate commitments. Collaborations that build on regional strengths, institutions and industries are proven tools for supporting innovation and driving economic growth,” said Secretary Moniz. “I was pleased to hear about how Rhode Islanders are already hard at work developing and deploying innovative energy solutions and to discuss possibilities for future cooperation. I thank the Senator for hosting me today, and for his consistent leadership across clean energy and climate change.”
Participants from academia, non-profit organizations, state and local government, and the business community discussed the latest in local and regional clean energy initiatives. Attendees included representatives of Commerce RI, the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, Brown University, the Slater Technology Fund, and VoltServer. The event took place at Brown University’s Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM).
“Secretary Moniz is leading our nation’s most ambitious energy efforts. Today he heard firsthand how Rhode Island is leveraging our state’s unique capabilities to plan for a cleaner, more energy-efficient future,” said Senator Whitehouse. “From building the nation’s first offshore wind farm, to leading on energy efficiency improvements, and setting ambitious goals for the state’s renewable energy usage, Rhode Island is rapidly growing its green economy.”
Secretary Moniz also delivered Brown University’s 92nd Stephen A. Ogden Jr. Memorial Lecture on International Affairs earlier today. Titled “The Iran Deal, Non-Proliferation and Global Nuclear Security,” the secretary’s presentation discussed President Obama’s nuclear security agenda and the role of the Iran deal in improving U.S. national security. Moniz also highlighted the unique role that Department of Energy scientists and technical experts played in ensuring unprecedented scientific verification in the deal.
“The threat of climate change remains one of the greatest political and policy challenges of our time, and meeting this challenge requires hard work and investment in critical research and development,” said Congressman Langevin, who serves as Energy Task Force Chair for the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition. “I’m proud of the work being done at Brown University, and I’m so glad to have Secretary Moniz in Rhode Island to see our vibrant culture of research and technology, cultivated by a joint commitment from academia, the public and private sectors. Rhode Island will continue to tackle clean energy issues as we work to make this a more sustainable world for ourselves and for future generations.”
“Developing and expanding our capacity for clean energy production through technological innovation is a tremendous economic opportunity for Rhode Island and one of our best strategies for addressing global climate change,” said Congressman Cicilline. “Rhode Island is already home to many entrepreneurs working on long-term energy innovation strategies and I was glad to join with my colleagues in the delegation to showcase that work to Secretary Moniz. I look forward to continuing to partner with him and the U.S. Department of Energy as we work together to develop the effective clean energy strategies that will meet our region’s energy needs and also preserve our planet for the next generation.”
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