The world’s premier energy efficiency conference returns to the heart of American policy today. Headlined by the Secretary of the U.S. Navy Ray Mabus, Whirlpool CEO Jeff Fettig, and Senator Mark Warner, the Alliance to Save Energy’s sixth annual EE Global Forum opens this morning at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Attracting more than 500 energy leaders from six continents, this year’s EE Global spotlights the next generation of energy efficiency and how it can power the 21^st century economy as well as the Alliance’s Energy2030 report and its goal to double U.S. energy productivity by 2030, which was embraced by President Barack Obama earlier this year.

“With a forward approach to this year’s forum, we will be putting forward new ideas and discussions that can compel real, lasting action,” Alliance President Kateri Callahan said. “Future global energy challenges are coming and energy efficiency must be a large part of any solution.”

Featuring 113 speakers from leading global businesses, the World Bank, the United Nations, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the White House, the Forum’s wide diversity of attendees offers a major chance to set a clear path forward for global energy efficiency.

U.S. Groups Set Example Before Conference Opens

If the attendees and speakers are looking for how such diverse groups can advance policies, they won’t have to look far.

Leaders from the Alliance, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), Business Roundtable (BRT), the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy (the Chamber) joined together to hold a press conference this morning before EE Global urging the president and Congressional leadership to advance energy efficiency in a joint letter.

The groups write, “The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S. 761/H.R. 1616), now working its way through Congress, enjoys strong, bipartisan support and should serve as the foundation for comprehensive national energy policy. There is no reason to wait. Start with energy efficiency and build from there.”

Visionary Awards Announced at EE Global Forum

This year’s EE Global Forum also recognizes prominent global contributions to energy efficiency. The 2013 EE Visionary Awards, presented by the Alliance, will be awarded at the annual EE Visionary Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, May 21. Senator Warner, who co-chairs the Alliance’s Commission on National Energy Efficiency Policy, will offer the keynote address. 

Based on the three Energy2030 key strategies - investment, modernization, and education - this year’s visionary award winners are:

• For Education: Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)  
• For Modernization: The city of Suzhou, China
• For Investment: Heinz Dürr, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Energy Efficiency in Production (EEP)

Dr. Yumkella received the Education award for the Sustainable Energy for All initiative, which targets 40% energy efficiency improvements by 2030, focusing on advocacy and education of global economies. Minoru Takada will accept the award on the behalf of Dr. Yumkella.

The city of Suzhou of the Jiangsu Province in Eastern China received the Modernization award for its commitment to implementing energy efficiency with the “Energy Efficiency Star” voluntary rating system. Co-founder and President of the China-U.S. Energy Efficiency Alliance, Ms. Barbara Finamore will accept the award on behalf of Suzhou Mayor Naixiang Zhou.

Mr. Dürr won the Investment award for his personal and professional contributions to the advancement of energy efficiency and his work with the EEP objective to influence stakeholders about energy-efficient technologies and policy.

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