Program Overview & Goals
The Community Clean Energy Innovation Program is an initiative that evolved from Georgia Tech's Advancing Direct Air Capture for Community Benefit and Decarbonization Symposium, held in April 2024, and particularly from the symposium’s key takeaways. This program aims to create participatory educational opportunities for people from a wide range of sectors, including communities, nonprofits, government, academia, and industry. It focuses on developing innovative clean energy solutions that not only meet decarbonization goals but also provide tangible benefits to local communities. The program emphasizes the importance of educating both community leaders and industry specialists to engage collaboratively and equitably in clean energy and carbon management discussions and decision-making.Program Goals:
- Empower Community Leaders – to actively participate in clean energy and carbon management dialogues and decision-making
- Educate Industry & Technology Specialists – to engage with community leaders as equals and experts
- Build Diverse, Unlikely Coalitions – to develop and advance innovative, community-centered clean energy solutions
- Develop Resources – to support ongoing learning and action at the intersection of clean energy technology, community, and environmental justice
The impetus for this program was SCoRE's participation in the Southeast Direct Air Capture (SEDAC) Hub, led by the Southern States Energy Board and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), for which SCoRE serves as the regional community engagement lead for the Community Benefits Plan (CBP). Co-sponsored by the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, Direct Air Capture Center, Renewable Bioproducts Institute, and Strategic Energy Institute at Georgia Tech.