NEWARK—Delaware’s effort to build a clean energy economy has plenty of supporters. Senator Tom Carper, former Senator Ted Kaufman, Governor Jack Markell and members of his Cabinet, corporate executives including DuPont CEO Ellen Kullman, and a wide range of energy entrepreneurs and academics participated in a two-day conference, “Creating the Clean Energy Economy,” at the University of Delaware this week. Delaware officials express optimism that wind power, energy efficiency, and other clean energy initiatives can grow into an economic engine that creates jobs and stimulates Delaware’s economy.
Mike Klein, director of the University of Delaware’s Energy Institute, says the conference was not about the science of clean energy, but rather “the intersection of the economy and energy—clean energy in particular.”
Klein spoke about the importance of bringing “the right sort of people together” to address the issue. “It’s not just a science problem. It’s not just a policy problem. And it’s not just an economics problem. It’s all of these—and that’s the collection we’ve brought here in the right balance, with a focus on the State of Delaware.”
More from the conversation with Klein on Delaware’s efforts to create a clean energy economy are below.
UD Energy Institute director Mike Klein:
