In March, Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy organization dissolved its energy policy team, resulting in the layoffs of numerous staff. Subsequently, several of these former team members came together to launch the nonprofit Clean Economy Project.
Much like Breakthrough Energy, the Clean Economy Project aims to prove that clean energy can outcompete fossil fuels on cost—if not today, then in the very near future.
The decision to dismantle Breakthrough’s lobbying group was influenced by the belief that significant progress would be unlikely under the Trump administration, as reported by the New York Times.
Known informally as CleanEcon, this new initiative receives support from an undisclosed array of over 10 philanthropists and venture capitalists. The organization, comprised of a dedicated team of 10, has articulated three primary objectives: “expediting the development of energy projects; accelerating innovation to drive down costs; and enhancing the security of private investment in clean industries,” as stated in their recent press release.
Leading this new venture is Aliya Haq, who previously served as the vice president of U.S. policy and advocacy at Breakthrough Energy for nearly six years, now taking on the role of president.
