Southeast Energy Innovation Collaborative

A Plan for National Leadership Recognition

E4 Carolinas, the North Carolina Office of Science, Technology and Innovation (OSTI), part of the North Carolina Department of Commerce, and more than fifty other energy organizations are collaborating as the Southeast Energy Innovation Collaborative whose objective is to have the Southeast recognized as the nation’s energy innovation leader. The Carolinas and adjoining areas in the Southeast are regarded as home to the largest energy economy in the eastern United States and this initiative will give national visibility to the area’s energy innovation.

In late 2017 and early 2018 E4 Carolinas and OSTI surveyed the region’s energy innovation professionals and in April 2018 issued the study, “Carolina’s Energy Economy Survey: Findings and Recommendations“. Respondents believed the region’s energy innovation assets to be nation-leading, but promotion of and connection to those assets lacking.

The study lead to an “Issues Summit” held on October 25th where more than 50 energy innovation executives convened in Raleigh. Tasked with identifying issues keeping the Southeast from being recognized as the nation’s energy innovation leader, the Summit was the first step in creating formalized recommendations for the regions leaders to enact. The resulting “Issues Summit Summary” produced a significant foundation for the Collaborative to advance to a solutions stage.

The January 31st “Solutions Summit” will result in a plan whereby the Collaborative will implement various solutions identified to establish the Southeast as the nation’s energy innovation leader.

Inquiries may be directed to David A. Doctor, E4 Carolinas’ President & CEO, at daviddoctor@e4carolinas.org and 704-661-8131 or Dr. John Hardin, Executive Director, North Carolina Office of Science, Technology and Innovation, at jhardin@nccommerce.com and 919-715-0516.