In 2012, Bryan Garcia is tasked with building an industry.
As president and chief executive of the Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority, Garcia and his staff are charged with using incentives and programs to transform the state into a leader of the clean energy industry — including installations, manufacturing, technology, and research and development.
“The task with these programs is how you design the industry so it doesn’t rely on subsidies,” Garcia said. “Our main goal is to attract and deploy capital to help Connecticut meet its clean energy goals.”
In June, Gov. Dannel Malloy signed a comprehensive energy policy reform bill into law. Among many other items, the bill changed the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund into the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority.
The main change between CCEF and CEFIA is while the former program directly funded renewable energy projects, such as residential solar, CEFIA is a facilitator spurring private investment and financing in the industry. The purview expanded to include energy efficiency initiatives; alternatively fueled vehicles and their fueling infrastructure; fuel cells; energy storage; and clean energy manufacturing
Garcia took leadership of the organization in May. He worked for CCEF from 2000 to 2006 before becoming the program director of the Yale University Center for Business and the Environment, preparing business students for careers in sustainability.
After Malloy created CEFIA in June, the organization spent much of the remaining year preparing programs and filling out its board of directors. But 2012 will see the launch of the significant, long-term initiatives to turn Connecticut into a clean energy leader.
In January, the state’s electric utilities will unveil the plan to fund $1 billion of zero-emission and low-emission energy credits over the life the program. These ZRECs and LRECs will pay for renewable power projects; the first round of credits will be awarded in the third quarter.
CEFIA’s role is as a catalyst, matchmaking utilities with projects and consulting with businesses on how to receive funding. By getting end users such as municipalities, schools and businesses informed and excited about the program, the industry will compete to install projects for the end user.
“It is clearly Connecticut displaying a sign of ‘Open for business for clean energy,’” Garcia said. “The level of interest in Connecticut has risen dramatically because of that change.”
CEFIA has a variety of other programs coming in 2012 as well: a residential solar program; a solar thermal program; training the installation workforce; community competitions for clean energy; standardizing permitting and licensing procedures for residential installations; and incentives for using hardware manufactured in Connecticut, particularly distressed municipalities.
In addition to the funding CEFIA receives from the state government and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Garcia wants to pursue federal grants, such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s money to fund development of standard practices for the industry. CEFIA received $481,000 in December to work with 11 Connecticut towns and wants a second grant of $1.8 million statewide and throughout New England.
To achieve his task, Garcia plans to make Connecticut the top state in the nation in energy efficiency, deploy as many renewable energy projects in the state as possible; and helping clean energy entrepreneurs through development support in the initial stages followed by incentives to deploy and manufacturer their goods in Connecticut.
“It takes time to develop strong programs,” Garcia said.
