An Overview of the SA Clean Tech Forum

Vision

The San Antonio Clean Technology Forum will serve as a catalyst to significantly contribute to our region’s economic development and quality of life via the
advancement of Energy Efficiency practices and Alternative Energy investments.

Mission

1. We inform and educate ourselves and share that knowledge through alliances and partnerships with other entities seeking to support and accelerate initiatives to save money, reduce energy consumption, and improve our environment while advancing the economic development of our region.
2. We, in collaboration with our partners and alliances, seek to contribute helpful and informed knowledge to key policy makers in government, education and industry.
3. Given the quality and capability of our participants, we can and will facilitate the process of funding and financing Clean Tech programs and investments, expediting high priority projects, and attracting entrepreneurial and business talent to our region.

We will implement our Mission and realize our Vision through:

1. Information/ Education
• Serve as a gatherer, clearinghouse and provider of information and understanding in partnership with San Antonio’s major media.
• Develop partnerships/alliances with other local, regional, State and national organizations to avoid the need for replicating their good work and to leverage and capitalize on it.
2. Leadership
• Advise government and utility decision makers on appropriate policies & programs, initially in Energy Efficiency.
• Advise Universities and Technology Centers on appropriate research
• Advise SA Universities and ACC on appropriate education and training
• Support and promote major Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy projects.
3. Facilitation
• Assist in the development and staffing of private and public funding mechanisms.
• Identify and communicate the availability of grants, subsidies, rebates and incentives.

Our Recent History and Plans for the Future

The San Antonio Clean Technology Forum is a grass roots, all volunteer organization that has grown from five members in March 2008 to over 300 Participants in August 2009 with minimal funding and relatively little cost to members. Many have stated that few organizations have contributed so much to San Antonio and taken so little. We intend to maintain that tradition.

Over the past year, we have established a track record of:

• Attracting many of the most accomplished leaders in our community as active Participants.
• Providing exceptional monthly forums that educate in a most effective manner
• Sharing important and timely information consistently several times a week
• Strongly supporting Mayor Phil Hardberger’s Sustainability initiatives in general, and Mission Verde, in particular.
• Initiating an important alliance with Austin and regional communities to work together with San Antonio for our common benefit.
• Including a diverse group of active, enthusiastic participants and working diligently to operate in a fair, unbiased, and non-political manner.
• Serving as a catalyst and collaborator in bringing our educational, business, political, public utilities and community leadership together for a number of important discussions.
• Hosting an outstanding San Antonio Mayoral Forum/Debate with 450 attendees that help push Sustainability as a top priority of each of the major mayoral candidates.
• Initiating strong, informed public support on critical issues. Most recently we have been instrumental in the city council approval of CPS Energy’s STEP Energy Efficiency program and Congressmen Mike Villareal’s HB 1937 to allow municipal financing of home solar installation.

As we now step-out to seek financial support for a full time professional staff, our commitment is to continue to function as a strong volunteer organization. The most valuable resource of SACTF is the high quality of it’s membership (Participants). The Executive Director must be especially adept and skilled at assisting the Chair and the Advisory Board to effectively utilize the talent, expertise, and key connections of this special group of Participants The future ED must have the ability to work well with a diverse group of accomplished leaders and individuals to achieve consensus, establish priorities, and set focus relative to Clean Technology and Sustainability initiatives.

We strongly agree with: Thomas Friedman that the world is very quickly becoming “hot, flat and crowded” , with Jeremy Rifkin that we have entered a critically important “Third Industrial Revolution.”, and with Mayor Phil Hardberger that San Antonio will become a major leader in this revolution. Mayor Phil has stated publicly on numerous occasions that he considers SACTF a critically important entity in achieving that Vision.

Our community is blessed with two of the best led, managed and governed public utilities in the nation: CPS Energy and the San Antonio Water System. We look forward to working with them, the next Mayor and City Council; and our educational entities to establish San Antonio as a one of the leading cities in the nation in Clean Technology and Sustainability. This opportunity and challenge is incredibly important. We are up to the challenge and we will realize the opportunity.

We intend to become a major player in helping to contribute to the elevation of our community’s education and work force development, creation of good paying jobs, and the improvement of the quality of life in our community while serving as a model region for the rest of the world.

Substantial funding for the San Antonio Clean Technology Forum is critical to our community’s future. The establishment of a highly competent, professional staff is our most important next step.