DC Green Scene

Speakers are:

• Dr. Georg Maue, First Secretary, German Embassy

• Osha Gray Davidson, Author, Clean Break: The story of Germany's Energy Transformation and What Americans Can Learn from it, InsideClimate News

• Sabine Miltner, Group Sustainability Officer, Deutsche Bank

• Ethan Zindler, Head of Policy Analysis, Bloomberg New Energy Finance

Despite financial doldrums and economic challenges, American investment in clean energy went up 42 percent in 2011, reaching $48.1 billion and putting America back in first place after having dropped to third in 2010. Analysts are doubtful, though, that this pace can be maintained in 2012, with five major clean energy initiatives expiring, and the Production Tax Credit-critical to wind energy's development-coming up against adversity.

In this uncertain policy climate, investors are reluctant to take investment risks. Contrast this situation to Germany's, which has had stable policies promoting renewables for several years. Germany now obtains more energy from renewable energy than it does from nuclear power, hard coal, or natural gas. Germany invests 1 percent of its GDP in clean energy technologies, compared to 0.33 percent for the United States. Though not renowned for its sunny skies (Berlin is higher up north than all of Canada's major cities and comparable with Alaska's solar radiation), Germany has become the world's biggest solar market.

Its secret? Strong, stable policies that give businesses and individuals a clear incentive to invest. This briefing is part of the Transatlantic Climate Bridge initiative, launched by the German government in 2008 in the belief that the common challenge of climate change and energy security is best tackled together. Americans and Germans working in concert can be a powerful engine for broader global cooperation on climate and energy policies.

This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required.

For more information, contact Amaury Laporte at alaporte@eesi.org or (202) 662-1884.

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