Edison Electric Institute
| Formation | 1933 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters |
701 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20004-2696 |
| Location | |
Chairman | Tom Fanning |
President | Thomas R. Kuhn |
| Website | http://www.eei.org/ |
The Edison Electric Institute is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Its members provide electricity for 220 million Americans, operate in 50 states[1] and the District of Columbia, and directly employ more than 500,000 workers.
EEI has 70 international electric companies as Affiliate Members, and 250 industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members.
Organized in 1933, EEI provides public policy leadership, strategic business intelligence, and essential conferences and forums.
Issues
Electric vehicles
On June 8, 2015, U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and the Edison Electric Institute signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). The MOU sets up a collaboration between the government and EEI to make PEVs, by the year 2022, as affordable as regular gas-powered vehicles were in 2012. The Department of Energy runs an initiative called the "EV Everywhere Grand Challenge", which put forth the 2022 affordability goal. The program coincides with the popularity of electric vehicle sales, which have increased by 128 percent between 2012 and 2014.[2]
EEI runs a program called the Employee PEV Engagement Initiative. The goal is to "increase electric vehicle readiness, especially in the workplace," according to the Department of Energy. According to the Department of Energy, Kate Brandt, Federal Chief Sustainability Officer at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said, "Today’s Memorandum of Understanding with the nation’s electric power industry allows the Department of Energy to tap into the experience and scale of an industry that is truly leading the way in moving the electric vehicle market forward."[2]
In pursuing the initiative, EEI and the DOE will work with other federal agencies including Department of Transportation (DOT), General Services Administration (GSA), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), and the White House.[2]
Unmanned aircraft
EEI supports the use of drones (unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS) by electric power companies to maintain electric grids and restore downed service. In July 2016, Congress passed legislation (H.R. 636) that "includes provisions supporting electric power companies utilizing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for energy grid maintenance and service restoration."[3]
Foundation
The Edison Electric Institute runs a foundation called the Edison Electric Institute for Electric Innovation, which is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The foundation's main activities are research, holding conferences, giving grants, and doing outreach to outside parties and organizations. The foundation's three main goals are to educate the public about how electric power is produced delivered, and used; help make the environment clean and safe; and improve the quality of life for all people. The governing structure of the foundation is a board of directors made up of CEOs from the electric industry. The chairman is Thomas Craver, Jr. who is the chairman, president and CEO of Edison International.[4]
References
- ↑ http://www.eei.org/about/members/uselectriccompanies/Documents/memberlist_print.pdf
- 1 2 3 "Energy Department and Edison Electric Institute Sign Agreement to Advance Electric Vehicle Technologies." U.S. Department of Energy, June 8, 2016. Accessed August 19, 2016.
- ↑ "EEI Applauds Passage of FAA Reauthorization Legislation for Drones." Transmission and Distribution World, July 20, 2016. Accessed August 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Edison Foundation." Edisonfoundation.net, 2016.
External links
- Official website
- Troops to Energy Jobs Energy industry employment for veterans
- The Electric Generation People who support electricity as a vehicle fuel