We are very excited to share the top finalists in each award category!
This year was our first year with a public voting process, and it was a HUGE success. We had over 3,000 votes cast to help determine the finalists of this year's Green Future Gala Awards.
The Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECEC) hosts the Green Future Gala to honor and recognize individuals, organizations, and startups making outstanding contributions to drive the clean energy transition. These awards highlight innovative achievements within the clean energy sector and emphasize the importance of leadership, collaboration, and dedication to sustainability. By celebrating these awardees, NECEC aims to inspire others to pursue groundbreaking solutions that address climate change, promote economic growth, and ensure a just and equitable energy future for all.
Our Green Future Gala Awards Committee (top NECEC and Gala sponsors) will now vote on the winners, which will be announced at the Green Future Gala on September 19. The dedicated members of NECEC's Policy and Innovation teams will also be present to answer any questions about the finalists.
This award is given to a clean energy company that has substantially impacted the region’s clean energy industry and stands out from the crowd. The company must have made a breakthrough in its sector, hit an inflection point in revenue growth or the commercialization process, and established itself as both an industry leader and market-maker. The Clean Energy Company of the Year should show workforce growth, a strong corporate culture, a high-quality work environment for employees, and the provision of quality jobs in the region. It should be able to demonstrate a positive impact on people (in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice) as well as in the technical and business realms.
Past winners include: Vineyard Offshore, Solstice Power Technologies, SparkCharge, BlueWave Solar, Schneider Electric, and Nexamp.
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Vermont Energy Investment Corporation is a national clean energy nonprofit, headquartered in Winooski, Vermont, that delivers high-impact energy solutions focused on equity and innovation. Since 1986, VEIC has been recognized as a leader in decarbonization strategies, working with governments, utilities, foundations, and businesses to reduce GHG emissions and create a sustainable energy system that benefits everyone. Learn more about our work at www.veic.org.
FirstLight is a leading clean power producer, developer, and energy storage company serving North America. With a diversified portfolio that includes over 1.6 GW of operating clean energy and energy storage technologies and a development pipeline with 4+ GW of solar, battery, hydro, onshore wind, and offshore wind projects, FirstLight specializes in hybrid solutions that pair hydroelectric, pumped-hydro storage, utility-scale solar, large-scale battery, and wind assets. The company currently operates the largest portfolio of clean energy generation in New England today.
The company’s mission is to accelerate the decarbonization of the electric grid by supporting the development, operation, and integration of renewable energy and storage to meet the world’s growing clean energy needs and deliver an electric system that is clean, reliable, affordable, and equitable. FirstLight is a steward of more than 14,000 acres and hundreds of miles of shoreline along some of the most beautiful rivers and lakes in North America.
Schneider Electric, the world's most sustainable company, is a global leader in digital transformation, energy management, and automation. With a rich history spanning over 180 years, the company has evolved into an innovative provider of integrated solutions for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure, and industries.
Schneider Electric's commitment to sustainability and efficiency is evident through its cutting-edge technologies and services that empower customers to manage and optimize energy usage effectively. With a strong emphasis on sustainability, Schneider Electric is dedicated to creating a positive impact on the environment and society while enabling its customers to achieve their energy and sustainability goals.
Founded in 2000, Ameresco Inc. (NYSE:AMRC), is a leading cleantech integrator and renewable energy asset developer, owner and operator. Our comprehensive portfolio includes solutions that help customers reduce costs, decarbonize to net zero, and build energy resiliency while leveraging smart, connected technologies.
From implementing energy efficiency and infrastructure upgrades to developing, constructing, and operating distributed energy resources – we are a trusted sustainability partner. Ameresco has successfully completed energy saving, environmentally responsible projects with Federal, state and local governments, utilities, healthcare and educational institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and industrial customers.
With its corporate headquarters in Framingham, MA, Ameresco has more than 1,500 employees providing local expertise in North America and Europe.
This award is given to a rising star organization that has emerged from its development phase with tremendous momentum and is poised to build on that momentum with rapid sales growth. Nominees must demonstrate innovation, growth, and leadership in their field and should be able to demonstrate a positive impact on people (in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice) and in the technical and business realms.
Past winners include: Boston Materials, LineVision, XL, Deepwater Wind, Cambrian Innovation, and Ambri.
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Osmoses is a cleantech company transforming the way molecular gas separations are performed. Founded in 2021, our mission is to decarbonize industrial processes by eliminating energy waste and rebuilding century-old infrastructure for molecular separations.
Gas separations are crucial in the chemical, petrochemical, and energy industries, consuming 15% of global energy and contributing significantly to carbon emissions. Gas separation is difficult and often energy-intensive because gasses are among the smallest molecules on Earth and the most difficult to separate. Existing separation solutions are insufficiently selective (traditional membranes), energy intensive (cryogenic distillation), or performance limited (pressure-swing adsorption), highlighting the need for innovative solutions.
Osmoses tackles this issue with high-performance, energy-efficient membranes. Our novel polymer chemistry provides unprecedented performance, significantly reducing greenhouse gasses (GHG), costs, and energy use. Osmoses membranes can be implemented for a wide variety of high-value applications, including: hydrogen separation, biogas upgrading, refrigerant recovery, oxygen generation, and helium extraction.
Active Surfaces is on a mission to redefine solar energy's role in combating climate change by unlocking vast solar potential where it was previously unimaginable. Pioneering an MIT-patented, ultra-thin film flexible solar technology, they envision transforming urban landscapes and other structurally limited areas into power-generating assets, significantly increasing solar adaptability to the built environment.
Founded in 2022, Active Surfaces is a venture-backed company supported by Safar Partners, Lendlease, QVT, MassCEC, amongst others. Their team boasts decades of experience in roll-to-roll manufacturing and has been recognized on TEDx and the Forbes 30 under 30 list. Active Surfaces has already garnered strong support from F500 firms, national labs, and top accelerators that all believe their efficient, low-cost, flexible panels can significantly accelerate solar deployment, achieving gigaton-scale CO2 emission reductions.
it’s electric is a public charging solution that addresses the infrastructural and environmental justice barriers cities face deploying electric vehicle charging. It has been named as one of the products that will define technological innovation for the rest of this decade and beyond,
Instead of requiring costly and time consuming new utility connections, it's electric’s Level-2 charging posts connect behind-the-meter to draw spare electrical supply from adjacent buildings; allowing them to install at zero cost to property owners or cities. it's electric then shares revenue earned at each charger with the property owners bringing clean transportation infrastructure and the benefits of the green economy into all neighborhoods.
With a critical focus on frontline and Justice 40 or disadvantaged communities. it’s electric is bringing affordable EV charging to the millions of city drivers across the United States who cannot charge at home as they park their cars on the street.
Peoples Energy Analytics has developed an algorithm capable of analyzing energy use data from millions of households which provides a unique understanding of the energy challenges of the people living in those homes. In short, their technology allows them to identify specific households at risk of having freezing pipes in the winter or at risk of heat stroke in the summer – BEFORE these issues arise. They will deliver this functionality to electric and gas utilities, as well as to social service programs.
From strategic partnerships between startups and global corporations, public-private partnerships that break down barriers to deployment, and coalitions to advance clean energy policy, NECEC believes partnerships are essential to setting and achieving bold climate economy goals. The Partnership of the Year award will recognize collaborations between two or more stakeholders driving the advancement of clean energy in the Northeast in innovative and effective ways.
Past winners include: Schneider-Electric and Sense, Gridtwin and Eversource, and EIT InnoEnergy and the Village of Ossining, NY.
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ClimateHaven is a global community for climate tech entrepreneurship rooted in New Haven, CT. The ClimateHaven incubator offers workspace and prototyping support, targeted programming, and best-in-class professional guidance to dedicated entrepreneurs tackling climate change through commercial ventures. Rooted in downtown New Haven, ClimateHaven startups benefit from partnerships with some of the brightest minds from Yale University and the greater New Haven academic ecosystem, and from proximity to our deep networks in New York City and Boston
ClimateHaven has established a vibrant community that offers access to state-of-the-art facilities, tools, and laboratory spaces, plus a diverse range of supplementary resources such as mentorship and investment to further enhance our commitment to creating a resilient and sustainable future for all.
Connecticut Innovations (CI) serves as the strategic venture capital arm and leading source of financing and continued support for innovative, growing businesses operating within Connecticut. Through equity investments, guidance, and valuable introductions, our partnership with the venture capital firm ensures our promising members have access to the funding necessary to advance their company objectives.
In response to the climate crisis, CI launched the ClimateTech Fund. With $100 million of intended investments, the fund will support emerging companies, create high-paying jobs in Connecticut, and help the state achieve its decarbonization goals. The ClimateTech Fund will focus on financing businesses across climate tech verticals based in Connecticut or those with plans to expand their workforce and operations, targeting 15-25 enterprises over a 10 to 15 year investment period.
Lightshift Energy is a utility-scale energy storage project developer, owner and operator, developing a diverse, multi-gigawatt pipeline of energy storage projects located throughout the U.S. With leading energy storage analytics, application design, finance and development expertise, Lightshift deploys energy storage projects to generate cost-savings for communities while reducing emissions across the grid.
MMWEC is the Commonwealth’s designated joint action agency for municipal utilities in Massachusetts. Serving over 20 municipal utility members in Massachusetts and all 40 municipal utilities as project participants, MMWEC provides lower electric rates and better service to public power utilities.
REsurety provides software and services to support both the financial and sustainability goals of clean energy buyers, sellers, and investors.
S&P Global Commodity Insights is the leading independent provider of information, analytics and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets.
Springfield Partners for Community Action and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs have partnered in order to maximize the efficiency and reach of the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP).
SPCA is Springfield’s premier non-profit anti-poverty agency dedicated to providing resources and addressing the needs of the Springfield community in order to create a better way of life. The EEA is an office of the Massachusetts government that works to enhance the Commonwealth’s quality of life through the stewardship of open space, protection of environmental resources, and enhancement of clean energy. Together, these two organizations strive to enhance Massachusetts residents’ livelihoods through savings, energy conservation, and education.
This award is given to an organization or individual who has gone above and beyond in supporting cleantech startups and entrepreneurs and the growth of the cleantech innovation ecosystem in the Northeast.
Past winners include: Activate, New England CFO Strategies, FORGE, Clean Energy Ventures, ACRE, E2Tech, Tim Hoffman, Emily Reichert, and Jason Hanna.
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Browning the Green Space is an MA-based nonprofit working to advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in clean energy and climatetech. BGS seeks to facilitate a just energy transition by putting Black and Brown communities first, and enabling systems change at the intersection of social, environmental, and economic justice. BGS is powering a just energy transition by creating jobs, building wealth, and reducing energy burden in Black and Brown communities across the Northeast.
By removing barriers and expanding access, BGS seeks to close the racial wealth gap while combating climate change. BGS’s entrepreneur support initiatives enable entrepreneurs and founders from historically underrepresented groups to gain access to resources including networks, contracts, capital, accelerators and incubators, and technical assistance. These initiatives include a 10-week business boot camp for new and aspiring clean energy entrepreneurs of color, and a 12-month accelerator for BIPOC-led climatetech startups in partnership with Greentown Labs.
ClimateHaven is a global community for climate tech entrepreneurship rooted in New Haven, CT. The ClimateHaven incubator offers workspace and prototyping support, targeted programming, and best-in-class professional guidance to dedicated entrepreneurs tackling climate change through commercial ventures.
Rooted in downtown New Haven, ClimateHaven startups benefit from partnerships with some of the brightest minds from Yale University and the greater New Haven academic ecosystem, and from proximity to our deep networks in New York City and Boston
ClimateHaven has established a vibrant community that offers access to state-of-the-art facilities, tools, and laboratory spaces, plus a diverse range of supplementary resources such as mentorship and investment to further enhance our commitment to creating a resilient and sustainable future for all.
Ratel Consulting LLC is a growth strategy and advisory firm catering to cleantech innovators. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts we have built our service portfolio around the needs of the cleantech cluster in the Greater Boston area and beyond. Since our founding in 2017 we have helped our clients raise tens of millions of dollars, acquire F500 customers, and develop their brand in a competitive global marketplace.
Ratel Consulting provides market intelligence and value added services to its clients throughout the global cleantech ecosystem. We focus on commercialization in emerging technology for startups by creating business cases, technical marketing content, competitive analysis, product benchmarking, and other custom solutions that add value and build industry presence for our clients.
Ratel seeks to be an advocate and force multiplier for the cleantech community in its home market as well as a dedicated business partner for its clients.
Vivek Soni has more than 30 years of global leadership experience as a senior executive, board member, investor, and advisor, with 16 years dedicated to the ClimateTech sector and startups. With a comprehensive background in investment, technical expertise, and operations, he is currently a Partner at Prithvi Ventures, where he is highly focused on all material topics related to ClimateTech, including energy storage, cement, plastics, textiles, carbon capture, and more.
He serves as the Executive Vice President and Board Director at Monterey Capital Acquisition Corporation, a clean transition SPAC that recently raised $92 million on Nasdaq. Additionally, he is a Board Director of the holding company for the A.T.E. Group in India and on the Boards of their Group companies, which focus on textile equipment, cleantech, and wastewater treatment.
He is also the Vice Chair of the Advisory Board of Massachusetts’ largest municipal electric utility, providing him with a firsthand perspective on how utilities are undergoing the clean transition. Until recently, he was the Managing Director of TiE Boston Angels, where he successfully managed the organization for six years, growing it into a highly respected group.
This award is given to an organization that has made a substantial community impact connected to clean energy and climate tech. The organization should be able to demonstrate leadership and tangible gains for people and places in the communities they serve. Factors such as innovation, community engagement, and inclusive hiring practices will be paramount in deciding who will win this award. The Community Impact Awardee should be an organization that has leveraged the opportunities and advances presented by the climate economy to positively affect the health, prosperity, and resilience of often overlooked communities.
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Action for Boston Community Development is a nonprofit Community Action Agency that creates pathways out of poverty in partnership with families and communities so that everyone can thrive. Through more than 75 programs, the organization creates access to essential tools and resources that assist and empower people who have been systemically marginalized. These actions crystallize ABCD’s vision to create racial, social, health, wealth and climate equity for all. Learn more at bostonabcd.org
BCI is a community energy resource facilitation and consultancy firm striving to build a platform to help communities gain greater agency over their energy transition and climate destiny.
The primary elements of this platform are roadmapping capabilities, ready access to diverse suite of local resources and a vibrant, streamlined Information exchange program. The company is building this platform around a suite of active project in diverse community settings. At the core of BCI’s services is its evolving ecosystem. Its clients are municipalities, CBOs, climate tech firms and climate solution providers. Its clients and ecosystem are one.
Founded in 2009, Emerald Cities Collaborative is a national nonprofit network of regional offices working together to advance racial, economic, and climate justice to build communities that are more equitable, economically just, and sustainable through replicable strategies in community powerbuilding, economic inclusion, and equitable implementation.
ECC currently provides services in five regions across the nation, including Northeast, Northwest, Bay Area, Southern California, and DC). ECC centers and collaborates with frontline communities, especially communities of color, to ensure that they are at the forefront of decision making, that they benefit from the economic opportunities of the transition to clean energy, and to drive climate investments back to those communities. ECC’s main areas of focus include: clean energy, water & food, economic inclusion, community climate resilience, and participatory democracy & climate justice.
NY Green Bank, a sustainable infrastructure investment fund and division of New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, is a state-sponsored specialized financial entity dedicated to filling financing gaps in clean energy and sustainable infrastructure markets. Our investments contribute to greenhouse gas emissions reductions, energy efficiency, clean energy generation, achieving statewide climate equity, and the mobilization of private capital in key market sectors.
Since its inception in 2013, NYGB has committed over $2 billion in capital, across multiple technology segments including building decarbonization, clean energy, energy storage, sustainable transportation and other sustainable infrastructure, to advance New York’s green economy. We have grown to become the largest green bank in the nation.
By using public capital to mobilize private investments into underserved green sectors, NYGB serves a gap-filling function and structures financial products that are both replicable and standardized such that the private sector may expand their sustainable infrastructure portfolios in a meaningful way.
This award is given to an individual who has made a substantial impact in environmental justice throughout their career, positively affecting the health, prosperity, and resilience of often overlooked communities. The individual should be able to demonstrate leadership and tangible gains for people and place in the communities they serve.
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Founded in 2019, Building Audacity is a nonprofit organization that creates STEM-focused pathways and provides supporting resources within the agriculture field, otherwise not available to Black and other youth of color. Through BA's Food Justice programming, Building Audacity works to increase food sovereignty. Food sovereignty is a food system in which the people who produce, distribute, and consume food also control the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution. BA does this by sharing local fresh food resources, providing nutrition courses on how to use food grown on New England Farms, and offering an AgTech pathway that includes a hydroponic center, makerspace, and paid to learn AgTech opportunities."
Aziz Dehkan is a seasoned advocate for social and environmental justice. His passion for sustainable living led him to construct an award-winning passive solar house and pioneer one of New Jersey’s first organic farms in 1976. He has worked for many social and environmental organizations, including the Humane Society of the United States, the NYC Coalition for the Homeless, and STRIVE, which promotes adequate workforce development opportunities.
Aziz has held critical roles throughout his career in organizations such as The Coalition for the Homeless and Mother Jones, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to positive change. As a community organizer and the Executive Director of the NYC Community Garden Coalition, Aziz has been a leading figure in the fight for land tenure and food security, with a particular focus on addressing systemic racism. Currently serving as the Executive Director and Lead Organizer of the CT Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, Aziz has built alliances among diverse constituencies to combat climate change, create jobs, and promote racial, economic, and environmental justice.
Shalaya Morissette is the Chief of the Minority Business and Workforce Division, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity for the United States Department of Energy. Shalaya's career began in education and quickly transferred to energy by first joining National Grid. Her energy career has spanned over thirteen years where she has proven to be a strategic thought leader in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion programs for customers, the energy industry, BIPOC individuals, and Environmental Justice Communities. Shalaya’s proficiency in the Office of Minority Economic Impact Legislation, Section 641, Title VI, Part 3 of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (Public Law 95-619) has been applauded and recognized by many energy and business organizations across the United States. Shalaya’s educational attainment includes a Master of Education - Interdisciplinary Studies and, a Bachelor of Science - Business Administration. Shalaya is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering Tech.