Because the U.S. renewable vitality economic system expands, intentional commitments for equitable financial and workforce improvement can be essential to attaining the nation’s simply transition aims and constructing a various home manufacturing provide chain. A report launched by the American Council on Renewable Vitality (ACORE) and BW Analysis Partnership identifies current minority- and women-owned enterprise enterprises (MWBEs) inside the utility-scale wind, photo voltaic and battery storage manufacturing provide chains; assesses current provider choice practices; and highlights alternatives to foster the expansion of MWBEs and enhance sector range.
“Because of the enactment of the Inflation Discount Act, we will develop an enhanced home clear vitality manufacturing base and do it in a approach that meaningfully advances the renewable trade’s range, fairness and inclusion priorities,” mentioned ACORE president and CEO Gregory Wetstone. “Whereas diversifying our provide chains would require daring funding and help, we provide a roadmap on this report that features a multi-pronged technique throughout authorities insurance policies and private-sector practices.”
The brand new report, Alternatives to Diversify the U.S. Renewable Vitality Manufacturing Provide Chain, outlines three units of alternatives to reinforce provide chain range within the renewable vitality and battery storage sectors:
- Rising the quantity and measurement of MWBEs within the trade to make sure there are satisfactory suppliers for downstream purchasers
- Connecting MWBE suppliers to downstream purchasers within the renewable and battery storage sectors
- Addressing market challenges by offering key help for MWBEs already within the provide chain
“Because the world’s largest company purchaser of renewable vitality, we acknowledge the vital have to develop inclusion of Black, Latino, Native and communities of colour within the clear vitality workforce and actively advocate for the success of companies owned and operated by ladies and other people of colour all through the provision chain,” mentioned Blair Anderson, director of Public Coverage at AWS. “This report highlights vital steps to handle a number of limitations to entry for companies owned and operated by ladies and other people of colour and AWS will proceed to help ACORE applications like Speed up to handle these suggestions.”
ACORE will proceed to work with policymakers, utility-scale builders and MWBEs to comprehend the report’s suggestions. To obtain a duplicate of Alternatives to Diversify the U.S. Renewable Vitality Manufacturing Provide Chain, click here.
Information merchandise from ACORE