Exploring new options for energy efficiency financing

Culminating the celebration of two years in Washington DC, Ecologic Institute held a policy development workshop with Worldwatch Institute entitled "Sustaining Energy Efficiency Investments in Challenging Financial Environments." The workshop gathered energy efficiency policy experts from NGOs, research organizations, and federal and local government.

The workshop explored current innovative efforts to fund scaled-up energy efficiency investments and started a dialogue on new possibilities for funding energy efficiency projects as federal, state, and local governments face increasing budgetary constraints. Christopher Flavin, President of Worldwatch Institute, and Michael Mehling, President of Ecologic Institute, provided introductory comments. Alexander Ochs, Director of Worldwatch Institute’s Climate and Energy Program, moderated and gave an overview of global energy efficiency challenges. Dominic Marcellino, Fellow at Ecologic Institute, helped initiate the dialogue by providing a sketch of several potential options.