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Tech CEOs lobby US policymakers on energy efficiency

Tony Chan | April 25, 2008 | 0 Comments

The CEOs of some leading technology companies have called on US policymakers to leverage tech solutions to enhance energy efficiency and combat climate change.

As part of Earth Day, the Technology CEO Council (TCC) sent Congress a broad framework to guide government policy and private sector priorities on energy use. TCC also released a new interactive tool called, ‘Greenville,” which provides a visual demonstration of energy efficiency solutions and their impact on a town.

“Energy efficiency is our nation’s greatest renewable resource,” said Mike Splinter, president and CEO of Applied Materials, Inc. and chair of the Technology CEO Council. “The environmental challenge can be daunting, but there are simple steps we can all take and Greenville helps policymakers and others understand the impact that technology and energy efficiency measures can have on a typical town.”

“Our customers are looking for energy-efficient technologies to better manage power consumption, reduce operational costs and minimize shortages or even outages,” said Joe Tucci, EMC Corporation’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “The TCC’s national energy efficiency framework will help guide governmental policy and private sector priorities, so that we can all work towards reducing our environmental footprint.”

Key points from TCC’s framework include:

- Private-sector leaders need to lead. Companies that talk green need to walk green and not wait for government mandates or bailouts. And all businesses should develop holistic energy efficiency strategies that include robust deployment of efficiency-enhancing information and communications technologies

- Government must lead by example. As the nation’s largest user of energy, government must expand its own use of energy-efficient technologies, including smart ICT solutions. The President should select a federal agency as the “Center of Energy Efficiency Excellence,” the preeminent model for system-wide deployment of the best solutions.

- Government should encourage innovation and recognize excellence. Government should invest in research initiatives seeking newer and more transformative ICT solutions that further drive energy efficiency and innovative renewable energy sources. National educational programs to expand awareness, Presidential awards for excellence in applying ICT to energy efficiency and extension agent programs to help small and medium-sized businesses are all valuable.

- Governments at all levels should use policy levers to encourage efficiency and discourage inefficient uses of energy. Trade and tariff barriers, capital depreciation and tax incentives all influence market behavior and should be considered as policy levers.

“In a year where America is focused on the future direction and leadership for the country, addressing our energy needs is among the biggest challenges we face,” said Bruce Mehlman, Executive Director of the Technology CEO Council. “Energy efficiency is a critical component of our energy strategy and therefore our policymakers in Congress and on the campaign must develop a national framework to achieve our goals.”

TCC members also include CEOs from Dell, HP, IBM, Micron Technology, Motorola, Unisys, NCR Corporation, and Intel.