Founded only last year, the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association is nearly a 60-strong member organization that is already making its mark in our state. CCIA is dedicated to promoting Colorado’s cleantech industry, and, according to Executive Director, Christine Shapard, it is the only industry-led, industry-focused cleantech group in the state.

The organization defines CleanTech as helping consumers or industries use natural resources such as energy, water and waste more efficiently - and, while do so, lessen their environmental footprint. With this definition in mind, CCIA’s mission is to provide advocacy, public policy leadership, development and education in the cleantech sector.

CCIA represents entities in Colorado involved in developing and delivering products and technologies that help generate energy from renewable sources and reduce fossil fuel consumption, carbon emissions and negative environmental effects. Specifically, the association serves industry participants involved in:

Renewable Energy
Biofuels
Low Carbon Transportation
Smart Grid
Energy Efficiency
Utility Scale Energy Storage
Efficient Electricity Transmission
Environmental Mitigation

Why Colorado and Why Now?

Clean technology is becoming a large and rapidly growing industry sector worldwide. It is being driven by several forces including efforts to mitigate climate change, concerns over dependence on foreign energy sources and focused government policy.

Hundreds of billions of dollars of public and private capital will be invested in clean technology over the next decade. Funding from the ARRA is already trickling into the state, with much of it destined for clean tech applications and projects.

Colorado makes sense for becoming a leading location for cleantech “clusters.” for several reasons. For one, the state possesses all the raw materials to lead in cleantech. It is home to many established and emerging innovative companies, world class laboratories and research instiutions, abundant sources of renewable energy, a supportive state government and a growing pool of management, technical and entrepreneurial talent.

CCIA’s Shapard says cleantech has the potential to capture a large portion of availabe capital and become a leadership sector in the state for job and economic growth. “Our organization was formed to help the Colorado cleantech industry realize this potential.”

“We are not a consumer or activist-driven organization, nor are we a branch of a national organization. The Colorado Cleantech Industry Association is soley focused on providing leadership to improve the cleantech business climate in Colorado,” adds Shapard.

Members who join the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association prior to June 30, 2009 will be designated as Founding Members.

Time will tell if all this plays out according to plan. One thing is for sure, the CCIA is off to a terrific start.