The U.S. Clean Energy Education & Empowerment (C3E) program has honored Kate Anderson of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for her leadership and achievement in the field of renewable energy.

The C3E program, led by DOE in collaboration with the MIT Energy Initiative, Stanford University’s Precourt Institute for Energy, and the Texas A&M Energy Institute, presented the C3E Awards at their annual C3E Women in Clean Energy Symposium, held virtually on November 3–4. The C3E program was created to help close the gender gap and increase participation, leadership, and success of women in clean energy fields. Their awards, given each year in eight categories, recognize mid-career women who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and accomplishments in clean energy, while also mentoring other women in the field.

Anderson, NREL’s chief of staff for Energy Systems Integration (ESI), is this year’s recipient of the C3E Social, Economic, and Policy Innovation Award.

"I am very honored to have been chosen for this C3E Award," Anderson said. "It is especially meaningful to see my work at NREL recognized in such a significant way in this critical time as we work toward an equitable global clean energy transition that benefits everyone.”

After spending seven years in the Air Force, Anderson earned her master’s degree in renewable energy systems technology and began her career at NREL in 2008. In NREL’s Integrated Application Center, Anderson led a team of technical experts who support government and private entities with techno-economic modeling and analysis, design, and implementation of energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy storage, and microgrids. In her current role as ESI chief of staff, Kate continues to help NREL achieve its clean energy goals by supporting strategic planning and business operations in ESI and coordinating energy justice initiatives across the laboratory.  

“This C3E award is incredibly prestigious, and we are honored to see Kate’s achievements and contributions to the clean energy transition and NREL’s vision recognized in this way,” said Juan Torres, NREL’s associate laboratory director for Energy Systems Integration. “As a mid-career awardee, and as NREL’s first ESI chief of staff, it is exciting to look forward to the impact of Kate’s work that is yet to come.”

C3E’s Social, Economic, and Policy Innovation Award recognizes scientists, researchers, and practitioners working at universities, national laboratories, or in industry who are researching and analyzing how technologies, economics, public policy, equity, and decision-making interact to affect the adoption of clean energy systems. In order to be chosen for this award, nominees must demonstrate outstanding leadership and extraordinary achievement in their fields.

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