Clean Energy EXPO 2025: Clean Energy Means Business

The 28th Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum was held on Thursday, July 24, 2025. The event was hosted by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), with the House and Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (REEE) Caucuses serving as honorary co-hosts. It featured eight panels, including Clean Energy Means Business.

Allison Hull, Chair of the Board, Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE)

Natasha Shah, Senior Vice President of Government Strategy, National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO)

Sapna Gheewala-Dowla, Associate Vice President of Policy and Research, Alliance to Save Energy (ASE)

Highlights

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In 2024, 93% of new U.S. power capacity came from wind and solar. Continued investment in these technologies can help the country keep pace with its competitors, and form the foundation of a resilient, affordable, and sustainable energy future.
Energy savings performance contracting helps the federal government, municipalities, hospitals, universities, and other institutions increase their energy efficiency while reducing their utility bills—with no upfront costs and at no cost to taxpayers.
Energy efficiency efforts can be improved through digitization to bolster performance and reliability, expansion into rural and tribal areas to increase accessibility, job training to grow the industry, and market certainty and continued appropriations to turn innovation into implementation.

Affordability and reliability are key to meeting today’s energy realities and an opportunity to demonstrate the industry’s ability to innovate. Meeting this moment requires significant investment, but the solutions are quick acting and cost effective.
The United States invested $338 billion into sustainable energy in 2024, largely in clean power and grid-related spending, but further investment in energy efficiency and grid enhancement is needed.
In 2024, 93% of new U.S. power capacity came from wind and solar. Continued investment in these technologies can help the country keep pace with its competitors, and form the foundation of a resilient, affordable, and sustainable energy future.

Natasha Shah, Senior Vice President of Government Strategy, National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO)

Energy savings performance contracting (ESPC) helps the federal government, municipalities, hospitals, universities, and other institutions increase their energy efficiency while reducing their utility bills—with no upfront costs and at no cost to taxpayers.
ESPC works through a “leveraging effect,” which takes advantage of resources like utility rebates, tax incentives, and grants to attract more public buy-in and support for energy efficiency projects.
Renewable energy and energy efficiency are often addressed independently. ESPC takes a holistic approach, considering how every component—from EV charging and upgraded HVAC systems to rooftop solar and water efficiency—can work together to maximize the output of clean energy sources.

Sapna Gheewala-Dowla, Associate Vice President of Policy and Research, Alliance to Save Energy (ASE)

Energy efficiency is applicable to all energy sources, whether they be renewable energy, nuclear, or fossil fuels.
Energy efficiency reduces homeowners’ utility bills.
Energy efficiency efforts can be improved through digitization to bolster performance and reliability, expansion into rural and tribal areas to increase accessibility, and job training to grow the industry.
Market certainty and continued appropriations are crucial to turning innovation into implementation—pulling projects out of the research and development phase and bringing them to scale.

Compiled by Jasmine Wynn and edited for clarity and length. This is not a transcript.