One week after the election, we can confidently say that Americans from all walks of the political spectrum were energized to vote. It was the largest turnout in a midterm election in 50 years, with over 110 million ballots cast across the country. As we look to what this means for the industry, it is clear that Americans want their elected leaders to prioritize advanced energy policy at both the state and federal level. New market and policy opportunities emerge at the state and federal level from the election results. Here are AEE’s top five takeaways on the election and what it means for advanced energy.

AEE and our member companies were busy meeting with gubernatorial candidates in nine states this fall. In Nevada, AEE and our member businesses sat down recently with Democratic nominee Steve Sisolak and his campaign staff to talk about the growth of the advanced energy industry, workforce development opportunities, and how Nevada can continue attracting businesses to the Silver State.

Last week, AEE took a big step toward localizing and personalizing the advanced energy industry in nine states where we are engaged with the campaigns for governor. On web pages for each of the nine states, we posted profiles of employees of AEE member companies in the state and a scorecard where we show the stances of major-party nominees on the advanced energy policy priorities we shared with the campaigns previously, along with fact sheets on advanced energy jobs in the state. With less than two weeks to go in campaign season, this latest step in AEE’s Gubernatorial Engagement effort provides a voter’s guide for all those who work in advanced energy, or care about the economic opportunity advanced energy represents, with updates based on candidate platforms and public statements right up to Election Day.    

Yesterday, AEE Members met with Chris King, Democratic nominee for Florida lieutenant governor, and Chris Lipson, policy director for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum to discuss policies that could accelerate the adoption of advanced energy resources and growing the number of advanced energy jobs in Florida. The business representatives discussed policy mechanisms and regulatory initiatives that a Gillum administration could utilize to ensure that Floridians reap the economic benefits and cost savings of advanced energy technologies – such as growing the 160,000 jobs now supported by the advanced energy industry in Florida. AEE member companies met with Republican nominee Ron DeSantis in August, prior to the primary election.

In September, AEE’s Ohio team met with Secretary of State and Republican nominee for lieutenant governor Jon Husted and Michael Hall, policy director for Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike DeWine, as a part of a series of conversations with the gubernatorial campaigns aimed at raising awareness about the economic benefits associated with the advanced energy industry. Ohio AEE met with candidate DeWine himself in March.