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| RE+ (formerly SPI) | |
|---|---|
| Name | RE+ (formerly SPI) |
| Formation | 1974 |
| Type | Trade association and conference organizer |
| Headquarters | Anaheim, California |
| Region served | United States; global |
| Leader title | CEO |
RE+ (formerly SPI) is a major trade association and conference organizer in the renewable energy and clean technology sectors. It acts as an industry convenor, advocacy group, and market platform connecting corporations, policymakers, investors, and researchers. Founded in the 1970s, the organization has influenced policy debates, supply-chain development, and workforce training across solar, wind, storage, and related industries.
Founded in 1974 amid the oil shocks that influenced energy debates, the organization emerged alongside actors such as Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon, Amory Lovins, Energy Policy and Conservation Act-era initiatives, and advocacy groups including Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council. Early collaborations involved stakeholders from Department of Energy (United States), National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and technology firms like SunPower and First Solar. During the 1990s and 2000s the group intersected with regulatory developments tied to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission decisions, California Energy Commission programs, and state-level mandates such as California Solar Initiative. Post-2010 the organization expanded global ties with entities like International Renewable Energy Agency, multinational developers including NextEra Energy, and corporate buyers such as Google and Microsoft. Key historical milestones include alignment with major industry events influenced by markets driven by companies like Tesla, Inc., policy episodes connected to Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 debates, and partnerships with trade groups such as American Council on Renewable Energy and Solar Energy Industries Association.
The organization is governed by a board comprising executives from utilities, manufacturers, and finance firms, including representatives from Southern California Edison, Duke Energy, Iberdrola, ABB Group, and Siemens. Executive leadership interfaces with standards bodies such as Underwriters Laboratories, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and regulatory agencies like Environmental Protection Agency (United States). Member categories span multinational corporations, small businesses, startups incubated alongside Y Combinator and Greentown Labs, investor groups like BlackRock and Carlyle Group, and nonprofit partners such as Rocky Mountain Institute and World Resources Institute. Governance structures reference nonprofit law frameworks mirrored in organizations such as Chamber of Commerce (United States) and trade associations like National Association of Manufacturers.
RE+ organizes large-scale conferences and trade shows that bring together exhibitors, delegates, and speakers from firms including Vestas, GE Renewable Energy, Siemens Gamesa, Enphase Energy, and LG Electronics. Events feature panels with policymakers from U.S. Department of Energy, legislators from United States Congress, and international delegates from European Commission, Asian Development Bank, and African Development Bank. The exhibitions showcase technologies from module suppliers like JinkoSolar and Trina Solar, battery firms such as Panasonic Corporation and CATL, and software providers including Enphase-comparable firms and analytics companies like Aurora Solar. Conference content cross-references standards from International Electrotechnical Commission, financing mechanisms via International Finance Corporation, and procurement frameworks used by corporations like Amazon (company) and Walmart. Past keynote participants have included leaders from Bloomberg New Energy Finance, IEA, and high-profile executives resembling those at Shell plc and BP.
The organization administers awards recognizing innovation, deployment, and leadership, honoring projects alongside entities such as National Grid, Tesla Energy, Ørsted, and pioneering research from institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and University of California, Berkeley. Prize categories commemorate achievements in grid integration referenced in work by California Independent System Operator, storage milestones associated with Hornsdale Power Reserve, and community programs modeled on initiatives in Puerto Rico post-disaster recovery. Award juries have included members affiliated with NREL, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and philanthropic funders such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Through advocacy, convening, and market development the organization has catalyzed collaborations among supply-chain actors including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and project developers like Sunrun and Vivint Solar. Initiatives have targeted workforce development in partnership with training programs at Ivy Tech Community College, apprenticeships aligned with Building Trades Union affiliates, and standards adoption promoted with ANSI. The group has participated in policy discussions with state commissions such as California Public Utilities Commission and influenced procurement commitments similar to corporate renewable PPAs executed by Facebook. Its events and market reports have informed capital allocation by institutional investors including CalPERS and influenced corporate sustainability reporting practices akin to frameworks developed by Sustainability Accounting Standards Board and Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.
Critics have alleged industry capture and conflicts involving corporate sponsors like major utilities and fossil-fuel companies resembling ExxonMobil and Chevron Corporation, raising concerns paralleling controversies faced by organizations such as American Petroleum Institute. Debates have arisen over transparency and lobbying tactics in interactions with lawmakers in United States Congress and regulatory bodies such as Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Environmental advocates from groups like Greenpeace and 350.org have occasionally boycotted events, citing perceived privileging of large developers over community solar and low-income programs championed by organizations like GRID Alternatives. Legal and policy disputes implicating tariff and trade issues have connected to cases involving firms like Trina Solar and remedies pursued at venues such as World Trade Organization panels.
Category:Energy industry trade associations