“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”
― Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Lenin’s famous quote speaks volumes about the U.S. renewable energy sector, which debuted with the 1970s global energy crisis and President Jimmy Carter’s White House solar panels, only to languish for decades before experiencing renewed and exponential growth in recent years.
Today, renewable energy has left Carter’s leaky panels in the dust and is moving at breakneck speed. Advances in solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, geothermal, hydrogen, energy storage and smart grids are proceeding at a dizzying pace, with several factors driving growth, including:
- Rapid technological advancements and economies of scale have made renewable energy sources cheaper than fossil fuels. Think Moore’s Law on solar panel steroids.
- Government policies and incentives, like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, are driving what Goldman Sachs calls a “renewable energy revolution.” .
- Explosive demand from individual households and corporations, with many companies committing to 100% renewable energy targets.
- The urgent need – and desire – to take stronger action to combat climate change and environmental degradation by adopting cleaner energy sources.
Tapping Thought Leadership
Against this backdrop, companies need to keep pace with increasing competition and innovation, and they need to establish and cement credibility in the face of both greenwashing and political backlash. One of the most effective ways to do this is via thought leadership, which enables companies to differentiate themselves, influence policy, and build trust with stakeholders.
It’s not just about waxing eloquent on turbine blades or biodigesters. Thought leadership also has bottom-line business implications—from increased brand awareness among your target audience, to lead generation and enhanced credibility through earned, owned and paid media.
And you don’t have to be a major player in the global transition to sustainable power generation like NextEra Energy, a symbol of youth-led thought leadership in renewable energy and climate action like the Sunrise Movement, an investment powerhouse like Impax Asset Management, or 1% for the Planet, which has certified and facilitated more than $600 million in philanthropic giving.
Your knowledge and expertise matter—both to your company and to the broader industry. Here are five steps to establish your firm as an authoritative voice:
Pick your lane and focus: Effective thought leadership starts with identifying the specific areas within renewable energy where you will thrive. Are you an engineer that understands the intricacies of wind turbine nacelles? An evangelist seeking to democratize access to renewables? Whatever the niche, focus on what you know best to ensure your content is authoritative and insightful. And don’t forget the golden rule of thought leadership. By regularly producing your cutting-edge content and staying focused on your area of expertise, you will strengthen your brand’s connective tissue to these topics.
Produce high-value content: When producing thought leadership content, work to your strengths, whether it’s writing educational content, such as white papers, research reports, or insights on analyzing industry trends. Few, if any, organizations do this better than RMI, formerly known as the Rocky Mountain Institute. It focuses on research, publication and consulting, with a focus on profitable innovations for energy and resource efficiency. They are the definition of a renewable energy thought leader that is able to distill complex concepts into clear and compelling language that educates and inspires change.
Participate in industry conversations: Thought leadership doesn’t stop with great content. You need to get out there and actively participate in industry conversations. Whether it’s attending and speaking at conferences or taking to social media to amplify your research or point of view, be an active communicator to ensure your brand is visible and active within the industry. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, is a great example of an organization that has spent decades driving the conversation and advancing policies that create jobs and shape fair market rules in promotion of competition and the growth of reliable, low-cost solar power.
Proliferate and cross-promote across multiple channels: Effective thought leadership meets audiences where they are. That means adopting a multi-platform strategy to share content across blogs, social media, podcasts, video content, and traditional media. This ensures you are able to influence a broad and diverse audience and reinforce thought leadership across multiple channels. It also means tailoring content to be consistent with each platform and audience. GE Vernova deploys a rich multi-channel strategy. The company, which spun off from GE and aims to decarbonize and electrify power, recently posted a guided wind turbine meditation on Instagram, while LinkedIn featured earnings reports and other hard news. Its website houses an extensive research and policies hub for wonks that want to go deeper in the weeds.
Partner to build community: Thought leadership is a soft sell, but a sell nonetheless and it creates opportunities for dialogue and community building with prospects and potential partners. If you can foster a sense of community that creates a deep connection, you can transform passive followers into active brand advocates. SunRun, which provides clean energy as a subscription service, is connecting with customers through a series of campaigns on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or YouTube. A long-running partnership features Drew Scott, co-host of the HGTV show “Property Brothers,” sipping a drink as he floats in a pool and talks about the benefits of solar power. The company’s “one of the million” campaign highlights surpassing 1 million customers; social media features real customers and some have even posted their own tweets promoting their solar power system.
There are many other ways to build thought leadership in the renewable energy sector, but these five steps can get you started on helping to influence and shape the industry’s future. Renewable energy is on the cusp of overtaking fossil fuels, and it is clearly the future of energy. As it continues to grow and mature, the role of thought leadership will only become more important, providing companies with the insights, influence, and trust they need to garner to thrive in this dynamic environment.
RF|Binder’s commitment to sustainability communications, energy and climate policy dates to 2010, when we were engaged to work on the launch of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). In the 14 years since, sustainability communications have grown into a pillar of our practice. RF|Binder’s client roster includes ESG investment managers, solar and wind power generators, fuel cell and battery companies, trading firms and product developers in the global carbon credit markets, alternative fuel suppliers, and companies building the circular economy through recycling innovation. We’re ready to put our expertise to work for you. Let’s talk!
