Advanced Energy Economy Institute (AEEI) is a branch of the left-of-center Advanced Energy Economy (AEE). AEEI performs research to support its advocacy for environmentalist policy in coordination with AEE.

AEEI’s board of directors overlaps with the boards of directors for AEE and Advanced Energy Works (AEW). As AEE’s affiliate, AEEI helps advocates for environmentalist policy that subsidizes the expansion of businesses using environmentalist energy or operating in environmentalist energy sectors.

Background

Founded in 2009, Advanced Energy Economy Institute was originally named the Clean Economy Network Education Fund until it became affiliated with the business league Advanced Energy Economy as its charitable arm. ¹ It is also affiliated with AEW, the lobbying branch of AEE. Before becoming an affiliate of AEE, Clean Economy Network Education Fund worked with businesses to become members of the fund and coordinate advocacy for environmentalist policy. ²

Tom Steyer founded AEE in 2011 with about 700 companies as the first trade group that includes multiple environmentalist energy sectors. It was created so there could be more environmentalist policy advocacy by trade groups that included multiple sectors as opposed to one. ³

Resources and Advocacy

Advanced Energy Economy Institute’s website offers various resources that provide information about environmentalism and how it envisions environmentalist energy could replace conventional energy. AEEI’s resources all link to Advanced Energy Economy’s website and sponsored resources, including reports, webinars, a program called PowerSuite, and a blog. ⁴

AEE’s reports, webinars, and blog provide information advocating for the economic benefits for using environmentalist energy. As a business league, AEE provides resources that support its advocacy for government spending on environmentalist energy sectors in which its members operate. ⁵

In 2017, then-State Senator Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) cited an AEEI report in a speech to support the argument that there are 10 times as many environmentalist energy workers in California as there are coal miners in the entire country. The left-of-center fact-checking organization PolitiFact found that the report provides an “elusive” number, is problematic, and needs further clarification based on which workers it includes in the statistic. ⁶

PowerPortal

Advanced Energy Economy Institute’s website directs users to its “PowerPortal” as one of its resources. ⁷ PowerPortal links to Advanced Energy Economy’s website page for PowerSuite. PowerSuite is AEE’s SaaS database platform that automatically collects legislation data related to energy policy at the regional, state, and federal agencies, including both houses of the United States Congress. ⁸ It contains over 80 million regulatory filings, 1 million legislative issues, and 200 regulatory and utility profiles. ⁹

People

Melanie Nakagawa is a board member for Advanced Energy Economy Institute. ¹⁰ Nakagawa serves as special assistant to President Joe Biden and Senior Director for Climate and Energy for the National Security Council. She formerly served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Transformation for the Department of State. ¹¹¹²

Heather O’Neill works as the CEO of Advanced Energy Works and as president for Advanced Energy Economy and AEEI. She also serves as a council member for Earthjustice and board member for Climate Action Reserve. She previously served as a program officer for the Robertson Foundation. ¹³

Alison Ingram is the treasurer for AEEI. ¹⁴ She also serves as senior vice president of finance and operations for AEW and AEE. Ingram has prior experience as a finance executive for other business leagues. ¹⁵¹⁶

Nat Kreamer is the CEO of AEE, AEW, and AEEI. ¹⁷ He is the founder and CEO of Fairtide Renew, an environmentalist-focused investment firm, and has previously worked for other environmentalist investment companies. Kreamer has also worked as an environmentalist energy business consultant and served as the chairman for the Board of Directors of the Solar Energy Industries Association. ¹⁸

Financials

In 2009 and 2010, Advanced Energy Economy Institute reported $1,750,027 in combined revenue. ¹⁹ After becoming an affiliate of Advanced Energy Economy, AEEI reported an average annual revenue of $4,546,537.33 between 2011 and 2019. ²⁰

In 2019, AEEI reported paying $3,181,819 in salaries and other compensation out of its $4,466,549 in total expenses. ²¹

1. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Clean Economy Network Education Fund. 2009. Box F.
2. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Clean Economy Network Education Fund. 2009. Part III, Section 4.
3. Jaffe, Mark. “Alternative-Energy ‘Chamber of Commerce’ Launched in Denver.” The Denver Post. The Denver Post, November 7, 2011. https://www.denverpost.com/2011/11/07/alternative-energy-chamber-of-commerce-launched-in-denver/.
4. Advanced Energy Economy Institute. (n.d.). Resources. AEEI. https://www.aeeinstitute.org/digital-resources.
5. “Advocacy: Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Infrastructure.” AEE. Advanced Energy Economy. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.aee.net/manufacturing-infrastructure.
6. Nichols, Chris. “PolitiFact – Do California’s Clean Energy Jobs Equal 10 Times the Nation’s Coal Mining Jobs?” @politifact. Poynter Institute, June 2, 2017. https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2017/jun/02/kevin-de-leon/does-california-have-10-times-many-clean-energy-jo/.
7. Advanced Energy Economy Institute. (n.d.). Resources. AEEI. https://www.aeeinstitute.org/digital-resources.
8. “PowerSuite Data Coverage and Update Frequency.” AEE PowerSuite Help Center. Accessed February 23, 2021. http://help-powersuite.aee.net/en/articles/702563-powersuite-data-coverage-and-update-frequency.
9. Fitz, Eric. “Eric Fitz.” LinkedIn. Accessed February 23, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehfitz/.
10. Hanis, Monique. “Energy Policy and Investment Leaders Join Advanced Energy Economy Institute Board.” Advanced Energy Economy, September 1, 2020. https://www.aee.net/articles/energy-policy-and-investment-leaders-join-advanced-energy-economy-institute-board.
11. Nakagawa, Melanie. “Melanie Nakagawa.” LinkedIn. LinkedIn. Accessed May 24, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-nakagawa-2781505/.
12. “Melanie Nakagawa.” U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State. Accessed May 24, 2021. https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/bureau/211193.htm.
13. O’Neill, Heather. “Heather O’Neill.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 22, 2021. https://www.linkedin.cn/in/heatheroneill1?trk=people-guest_people_search-card.
14. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Advanced Energy Economy Institute. 2019. Part VII, Line 6.
15. Ingram, Allison. “Allison Ingram.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 22, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-ingram-008b592/.
16. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Advanced Energy Works. 2018. Part II.
17. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Advanced Energy Economy Institute. 2019. Part VII, Line 4.
18. “Nat Kreamer: Chief Executive Officer.” Nat Kreamer | Chief Executive Officer. Accessed February 24, 2021. https://www.aee.net/about/team/nat-kreamer.
19. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Clean Economy Network Education Fund. 2010. Line 12.
20. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Advanced Energy Economy Institute. 2011-2019. Line 12.
21. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Advanced Energy Economy Institute. 2019. Lines 15 and 18.