CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CTSI today announced that more than forty-five clean technology executives joined forces in Washington DC last week as part of the Clean Technology & Sustainable Industries Organization annual policy tour. CTSI, the non-profit industry trade association for clean technology companies, organized two days of meetings with thirty-five Congressional offices and the Department of Energy, to provide a forum for participants to seek assistance with the common challenges affecting clean-tech start-up companies.

The 2009 coalition brought together a diverse set of clean technology companies and investors, working to commercialize smart grid, solar, bioenergy, energy efficiency, carbon sequestration, nuclear, CHP, transportation, battery, water, and building/construction technologies. Policy tour participants provided first-hand examples of how clean technology companies can add to the economic recovery with green jobs, local manufacturing, and measurable return-on-investment for their customers.

Issues discussed during the meetings included: the funding environment for early-stage technology development; first-project technology implementation; and industrial/utility scale pilot testing. Tour participants asked their Representatives and Senators for assistance with the following:

• Quick implementation of ARPA-E, the advanced energy agency modeled after DARPA, which was only recently funded with $400 million in the Recovery Act.


• Development of pilot/testing grant programs to help clean technology companies develop and test their products at the scale necessary to demonstrate technology success.


• Modification of current DOE loan guarantee programs to reduce application costs, funding timeframes and increase availability to small and medium size enterprises.

"The time is right for clean technology companies to work together, because congressional support is high -- yet the administration and congress are seeking knowledge from companies working in the trenches to drive the development and adoption of sustainable energy, water, and environmental technologies," said Patricia Glaza, CTSI's Executive Director. "CTSI bridges the policy/technology gap by connecting the companies developing sustainable solutions with the policy makers that influence the market through legislative decisions."

Results of the policy tour and next steps will be discussed at the CTSI Executive Roundtable, being held May 4th at the annual Clean Technology conference in Houston, Texas. The annual event offers more than 2,000 presentations and educational workshops covering the business, policies and technologies of cleantech. For more information on the Clean Technology Conference & Expo, visit www.csievents.org/Cleantech2009/. And to learn more about CTSI programs, or to become a member, please visit www.ct-si.org.

"The passion that this year's coalition brought to Washington was exceptional," added Glaza. "Our meetings resulted in concrete follow-up actions for our members, and direct offers of support for CTSI legislative priorities. Helping members and the clean technology community gain access to policy makers and increasing government/industry collaboration are two important services the organization offers."

K&L Gates, an international law firm and one of Washington DC's largest lobbying organizations, was the key sponsor of the tour and assisted with meeting scheduling, messaging, and lobbying education for tour participants.

About CTSI
The Clean Technology & Sustainable Industries Organization, a 510c6 non-profit industry association, advances the commercialization and global adoption of clean technologies and sustainable industry practices. Industry, organizations, and communities are seeking ways to create new jobs, to find new business opportunities, and to reduce environmental footprints. Clean technologies offer much needed solutions to growing sustainability concerns and are important to maintaining global competitiveness and resource stability and security.

CTSI brings together global leaders to grow the clean technology and sustainable sectors through policy advocacy, community building, networking, and information sharing. Founding members include: Austin Energy, Applied Materials, Lockheed Martin, NSTI, and Jackson Walker LLC. Visit www.ct-si.org for more information.

CTSI

CTSI

More from CTSI