The New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC) today announced that GE Ventures, Schneider Electric and Northeast Utilities have joined NECEC’s Strategic Partner Network (SPN), aimed at helping leading global corporations grow their roles as strategic partners in energy innovation. SPN, which also includes founding members Shell and National Grid, launched in 2014 as an exclusive network of leading global corporations looking to expand their strategic roles and open innovation strategies in the cleantech industry.

“As clean energy, clean technology and energy innovations accelerate around the world, more and more large corporations are expanding their roles as strategic partners, customers, investors and beneficiaries of open cleantech innovation,” said NECEC President Peter Rothstein. “SPN is the only network of its kind bringing together energy executives to collaborate in this space to help drive and expand markets for cleantech innovations.”

Leveraging its position as the largest cleantech business organization in the Northeast and the only organization actively connecting players in the cleantech community to accelerate the sector’s growth, NECEC formed SPN to help leading global corporations seeking to grow their energy innovation strategic roles, build relationships in the cleantech community and develop new practices for open innovation, investment and strategic partnerships.

Mark Wight, Director of Strategy, Marketing & Operations at GE Energy Ventures added,“NECEC’s Strategic Partner Network is a key organization in accelerating cleantech entrepreneurship and innovations. GE Ventures is excited to take part in the growth and development of NECEC and the Strategic Partner Network.”

“Collaboration is essential for driving innovation in key growth areas such as energy and sustainability,” said Alistair Pim, Vice President, Business Development & Alliances, Smart Cities, Schneider Electric. “Through NECEC’s Strategic Partner Network, Schneider Electric looks forward to further developing the cleantech market in this region.”

“Shell is in Boston for inspiration – to engage with non-obvious innovators to think differently about the challenges that our industry and the world is facing,” said Chris Laurens, Vice President Future Energy Technologies at Shell. “We are pleased to work with the New England Clean Energy Council and its partners at an industry level to support and further shape the emergence of clean energy solutions.”

“Innovative technologies and industry relationships are crucial for National Grid’s mission to create the energy networks of the 21^st century,” said Edward White, vice president of Customer Strategy and Environmental, National Grid. “That’s why we became founding members of the SPN, and we’re excited to work with our newest partners to lead the way toward more sustainable, reliable energy.”

In 2014, NECEC convened dozens of executives at large corporations for quarterly workshops, which focused on case studies and best practices in open innovation, cleantech investment and strategic partnerships. Workshop participants and SPN members are now exploring topics such as advanced materials manufacturing, electricity system innovations and smart buildings through SPN’s exclusive working groups, which explore regional market, resource and innovation opportunities in these areas.

Other benefits of SPN membership include:

• Semi-Private, Invitation-Only Sessions and Workshops connecting SPN Members with NECEC Members to explore new opportunities
• Private services to identify and engage with NECEC Member companies of interest
• Leadership in SPN events and sessions open to the entire NECEC Membership and Community
• Seminars and Workshops developed with NECEC's academic, sponsor and strategic partners
• Participation in Working Groups and events with international delegations or New England delegations traveling to other countries

About NECEC (New England Clean Energy Council and the NECEC Institute)

NECEC is a regional non-profit organization representing clean energy companies and entrepreneurs throughout New England and the Northeast through programs and initiatives that help clean energy businesses at all stages of development to access the resources they need to grow. NECEC includes the New England Clean Energy Council, which is the lead voice for hundreds of clean energy companies across New England, influencing the energy policy agenda and growing the clean energy economy, and the NECEC Institute, which leads programs that support Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Cluster and Economic Development and Workforce Development. NECEC’s mission is to accelerate the region’s clean energy economy to global leadership by building an active community of stakeholders and a world-class cluster of clean energy companies.