In March, the Breakthrough Energy organization founded by Bill Gates disbanded its energy policy team, resulting in dozens of staff members being cut. Now, several of those former employees have established a new nonprofit called the Clean Economy Project.
Similar to its predecessor, this new organization believes that clean energy can compete with fossil fuels on cost, if not immediately, then in the very near future. According to a New York Times report from March, Gates decided to cut the lobbying group after concluding it would not make significant progress with the Trump administration.
Informally known as CleanEcon, the new project is supported by an undisclosed group of more than ten funders, including philanthropists and venture capitalists. The team, which consists of ten people, has stated three primary goals. These are building energy projects more quickly, accelerating innovation to reduce costs, and reducing the risk for private investment in clean industries.
Aliya Haq, who previously served as the vice president of U.S. policy and advocacy at Breakthrough Energy for nearly six years, is the president of the new organization.