I’m an Energy Policy Analyst at NRDC’s new Center for Market Innovation, focusing on federal and state policies that drive clean technology innovation, investment and deployment, with a concentration on renewable energy – especially solar and algae biofuels. My recent projects include developing a federal deployment mechanism to encourage large-scale penetration of distributed generation, analyzing impacts of climate legislation on renewables investment, and managing a year long project to understand the sustainability of algae biofuels production. I joined NRDC in May 2008 after graduating from Columbia business school. I went to undergrad at UC Santa Barbara, and have eight (eclectic) years of strategy, research and marketing experience in a variety of industries.
Posted April 18, 2012 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
Experts from Brookings, Breakthough Institute and WRI released a report today with some insightful and thought-provoking conclusions. In it, they quantify the amount of government funding provided to clean energy from 2009-2014 and the rate that funding will fall off...continued→
Posted March 27, 2012 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
Last week, Rep. Paul Ryan, the Republican Budget Committee chairman, released a federal budget proposal that doubles down on the idea that we should subsidize fossil fuel companies at the expense of clean energy. I’d love to be more impartial...continued→
Posted March 22, 2012 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
The new Green Jobs study from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), the most credible and nonpartisan source for this type of data, shows us two things: First, with 3.1 million green jobs, this sector is alive and extremely...continued→
Posted March 13, 2012 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
An important vote took place today on a critical bill to extend renewable energy and energy efficiency incentives in the Senate today. Many of these policies either have expired or are about to expire at the end of this year,...continued→
Posted February 13, 2012 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil, U.S. Law and Policy
Today, the Obama Administration released its annual budget proposal, outlining spending priorities for the upcoming year. For supporters of renewable energy, it demonstrates a strong commitment to boosting investments in energy science and innovation, while supporting critical policies that level...continued→
Posted November 17, 2011 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
Wanted to pass along a great new Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) report on clean energy jobs. They’re tracking clean energy job announcements, to correct any misperceptions about the strength and growth of the clean economy. This report looks at the 118...continued→
Posted October 28, 2011 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
This is a guest post from 2011 NRDC MAP Fellow Lauren Kubiak. With policy makers tied up in largely irrelevant arguments about clean energy, I turned my attention to a different area of energy: research and development. Showcasing the most...continued→
Posted September 14, 2011 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
Last week, Representatives Fred Upton and Cliff Stearns stated the following regarding the Solyndra bankruptcy: "President Obama's signature green jobs program went from a darling of the administration, to bankruptcy, to now the subject of an FBI raid in a...continued→
Posted September 8, 2011 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
In the last few weeks, it seems like every other day there’s been a different negative story about jobs in the new clean economy. I responded to an especially bad one in the Times, but I’ve seen several more since. ...continued→
Posted August 25, 2011 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
The most recent Green Scissors report is out, recommending hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies that could be cut to reduce the budget deficit and improve our environment. Green Scissors provides a host of useful proposals to save tens...continued→
Posted August 19, 2011 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
Having just gotten back from a quick tour of Michigan and Ohio, and seen some of the early returns from our growing clean economy, I find this recent NY Times piece frustrating. In it, the author uses a few local...continued→
Posted July 25, 2011 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
This is a guest post from 2011 NRDC MAP Fellow Lauren Kubiak. ****** On July 13, the Brookings Institution, in collaboration with Batelle’s Technology Partnership Practice, released its highly anticipated green jobs evaluation. The report, “Sizing the Clean Economy: A...continued→
Posted July 3, 2011 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
The recently released Google/McKinsey clean energy innovation study is a great way to lose a few hours (if, you know, wonky energy analyses are your thing). In it, Google sets out to fill in one of the rather sizable data...continued→
Posted June 9, 2011 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
The environmental impact of electricity generation is an incredibly complicated issue. Each electricity generation option, be it fossil fuel, nuclear or renewable, brings with it environmental costs and challenges. Some of these same energy technologies (such as renewables) also have...continued→
Posted May 6, 2011 by Cai Steger in Moving Beyond Oil
According to a huge new Pew Study, support for renewables exists across nearly all of the political spectrum. Energy and climate were one small component of the survey (which featured a large 3,000 person sample, plus 1,400 person follow-up), but...continued→
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