American Council on Renewable Energy

What American Council on Renewable Energy does

American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 2001 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. ACORE convenes finance, policy, and technology stakeholders to accelerate the U.S. transition to a renewable energy economy. Its membership spans clean energy developers and manufacturers, project finance and tax equity investors, utilities and grid operators, corporate clean energy buyers, and professional services firms. Member companies are reported to hold approximately $25 trillion in assets, operate in all 50 states, and account for roughly 90% of U.S. utility-scale clean energy capacity growth. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, Emeritus Board, and an Executive Council composed of leading clean energy companies.

ACORE's core offerings are programs, events, research, and policy advocacy rather than commercial technology products. The signature initiatives are ACORE Accelerate (a two-year cohort-based mentorship and investor-connect program for small and mid-sized clean energy companies, with more than 50 companies supported since 2020) and the Macro Grid Initiative (an educational program promoting high-voltage regional and interregional transmission, advanced transmission technologies, and offshore grid development, executed with eight regional nonprofit partners). ACORE hosts four major annual events — Policy Forum (February, Washington D.C.), Finance Forum (May, New York City), Grid Forum (October, Washington D.C.), and the Gala — which together convene C-suite, VP, and Director-level attendees from banking, private equity, asset management, development, manufacturing, utilities, and corporate procurement. ACORE also produces recurring research, including Navigating Uncertainty: Expectations for Clean Energy Finance (2026-2029) and the S&P Global Clean Energy Investment Trends report.

ACORE generates revenue through a three-tier membership structure (Leadership Council, Advisory Council, Executive Council), corporate sponsorships tied to its annual events and programs, and tax-deductible individual and philanthropic donations. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by tier and member profile. The organization operates with approximately 20 staff across communications, government affairs, policy, development, events, membership, and corporate engagement functions, and maintains an active earned media, newsletter, and social media presence. ACORE does not offer a software product, API, or proprietary technology platform; its value proposition rests on convening authority, policy access, research, and network effects.

Name

American Council on Renewable Energy

Legal name

American Council on Renewable Energy

Website

https://acore.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ACORE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 2001 that unites finance, policy, and technology stakeholders to accelerate the U.S. transition to a renewable energy economy through advocacy, research, events, and accelerator programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Renewable Energy Advocacy and Policy

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Renewable energy policy
• Clean energy advocacy
• Clean energy membership
• Clean energy events
• Renewable energy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: ACORE operates multiple membership tiers including Leadership Council, Advisory Council, and Executive Council memberships. Each tier provides escalating benefits including networking access, conference discounts, speaking opportunities, and advisory council participation.
2. Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors receive prominent recognition at annual conferences including Policy Forum, Gala, Finance Forum, and Grid Forum. Sponsorship packages include speaking opportunities, complimentary conference passes, branding opportunities, and access to attendee lists.
3. Individual Donations: As a 501(c)(3) organization, ACORE accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals and businesses who want to support the clean energy transition mission. Donations fund programs expanding clean energy reach.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

ACORE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that sells tiered corporate memberships (Leadership Council, Advisory Council, Executive Council), sponsorships for its annual Policy Forum, Finance Forum, Grid Forum, and Gala, and operates the ACORE Accelerate two-year mentorship program for emerging clean energy companies. The organization also accepts philanthropic donations to fund policy research, comment letters, and convening events that align finance, policy, and technology stakeholders around the U.S. clean energy transition.

Product overview

ACORE (American Council on Renewable Energy) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates programs and initiatives rather than a commercial product platform. Its core offerings include: ACORE Accelerate, a two-year mentorship program for small and mid-sized clean energy companies; the Macro Grid Initiative, focused on expanding and upgrading the U.S. transmission grid; and signature annual events including the Finance Forum, Policy Forum, and Grid Forum. These programs unite finance, policy, and technology stakeholders to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. ACORE does not offer a software-as-a-service product, API, or technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACORE Accelerate: A program designed to empower emerging small and mid-sized clean energy companies through tailored support that accelerates their growth within the clean energy marketplace.
• Macro Grid Initiative
• ACORE Finance Forum
• ACORE Policy Forum
• ACORE Grid Forum

Products and services

• ACORE Accelerate Program A two-year mentorship and support program for small and mid-sized clean energy companies, providing structured mentorship, executive advisory sessions, investor engagement, and curated programming to accelerate growth within the clean energy marketplace.
• Macro Grid Initiative An educational program focused on bolstering the nation's transmission capacity by building new high-voltage regional and interregional power lines, deploying advanced transmission technologies, and developing an offshore grid.
• ACORE Finance Forum Annual conference held each May in New York City bringing together industry leaders to shape the future of clean energy finance, featuring discussions on capital stacks, financing strategies, and investment certainty; attended by 300+ senior-level executives from banking, private equity, asset management, developers, manufacturers, and corporate buyers.
• ACORE Policy Forum Annual February forum held in Washington, D.C. uniting industry leaders to discuss the future of clean energy policy, focusing on legislative and regulatory pathways that shape sector growth, with 50% C-suite/VP/Director-level attendees.
• ACORE Grid Forum Annual October forum held in Washington, D.C. convening grid experts, regulators, and leading clean energy, storage, and transmission companies to discuss grid modernization and infrastructure advancement, with 60%+ C-suite/VP/Director-level attendees.
• ACORE Executive Council Membership Highest-tier annual membership providing sponsor recognition at all ACORE conferences, conference registrations, speaking opportunities, eligibility to chair/co-chair Advisory Councils, endorsement for Board appointment, and access to all Advisory Councils. Targeted at leading clean energy, finance, and corporate enterprises.
• ACORE Leadership Council Membership Mid-tier annual membership providing networking and market intelligence access, including discounts on conference registrations, special pricing on sponsorships, tickets to invite-only dinners, complimentary access to receptions at trade shows, participation in member-only webinars and briefings, and promotional opportunities.
• ACORE Advisory Council Membership Annual membership providing policy engagement and regulatory input, including access to insights on critical policy developments, contribution to educational materials and comment letters, and strategic engagement with government agencies, congressional offices, power markets, and standard-setters across Finance & Tax (PREF), Transmission & Markets, Corporate Sustainability Standards, and Trade & Supply Chain councils.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3.5 million clean energy jobs in 2023
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• American Clean Power (ACP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACP is a Program Partner supporting ACORE's initiatives and collaborative advocacy efforts across the clean energy sector.
• Corporate Energy Buyers Association (CEBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEBA is a Program Partner representing corporate clean energy buyers within ACORE's ecosystem.
• Coalition for Green Capital (CGC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGC is a Program Partner collaborating on green capital initiatives and clean energy finance.
• Covington & Burling LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCovington serves as a Program Partner and legal advisor to ACORE's initiatives.
• Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEIA is a Program Partner collaborating on policy advocacy and industry standards.
• WRISEsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRISE (Women in Renewable Energy and Sustainability) is a Program Partner supporting diversity in clean energy.
• Advanced Power AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in the Macro Grid Initiative working to expand transmission capacity in the Advanced Power Alliance region.
• Alliance for Clean Energy New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in the Macro Grid Initiative working on clean energy expansion in New York state.
• Clean Grid AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in the Macro Grid Initiative supporting transmission expansion in the Midwest.
• Interwest Energy AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in the Macro Grid Initiative working in the Interwest region.
• MAREC ActionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in the Macro Grid Initiative supporting Michigan and Great Lakes region transmission.
• RENEW NortheastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in the Macro Grid Initiative working to advance renewable energy transmission in the Northeast.
• Renewable NorthwestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in the Macro Grid Initiative working in the Pacific Northwest.
• Southern Renewable Energy AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in the Macro Grid Initiative working to advance transmission in the Southern United States.
• DNVcoreTechnology or IntegrationExecutive Council member with Elizabeth Kaiga, Chief Commercial Officer for Energy Systems, DNV North America, on the Board of Directors.
• Cooley LLPcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExecutive Council member and sponsor with Mona Dajani, Partner and Global Co-Chair of Infrastructure, Energy and Real Estate, on the Board.
• GE VernovacoreTechnology or IntegrationExecutive Council member with Kevin Knight, Managing Director, Tax Equity Leader, on the Board of Directors.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): The leading U.S. solar trade association. SEIA is a direct peer to ACORE in that both operate as 501(c)(6)/(c)(3) entities convening clean energy finance, policy, and technology stakeholders, with overlapping Executive Council members and a shared Congressional advocacy mandate. ACORE lists SEIA as a Program Partner.
• American Clean Power Association (ACP): The leading U.S. wind, storage, and clean power trade association. ACP directly competes with ACORE for utility-scale developer, financier, and corporate buyer memberships and is explicitly named as a Program Partner, indicating parallel advocacy mandates.
• Corporate Energy Buyers Association (CEBA): The trade association for corporate clean energy buyers. CEBA directly overlaps with ACORE's corporate procurement member segment (Amazon, Google, Meta, Walmart) and is named as a Program Partner, sharing members and policy positions on sustainability disclosure and procurement rules.

Emerging players

• Ceres: A nonprofit that mobilizes institutional investors and corporate sustainability leaders on climate and clean energy policy. Comparable to ACORE in serving as a multi-stakeholder advocacy platform with overlapping corporate and financial members, but with stronger emphasis on investor-focused sustainable finance policy.
• Resources for the Future: An independent, nonprofit energy and environmental economics research institution. Comparable to ACORE in producing high-quality research on clean energy finance, transmission, and power markets, but focused on academic/policy research rather than convening.
• E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs): A national nonprofit of business leaders, investors, and clean economy professionals advocating for policies that support economic growth and environmental sustainability. Comparably structured as a member-supported nonprofit engaging business leaders on clean energy policy outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): A large, established environmental advocacy organization with deep clean energy policy work. NRDC shares ACORE's federal policy advocacy mission on renewable energy and transmission but operates at a materially larger scale and with broader environmental remit.
• Bipartisan Policy Center: A Washington, D.C.-based think tank producing energy and infrastructure policy. Shares with ACORE a policy-research-and-advocacy posture toward clean energy and grid investment, though its remit spans broader bipartisan infrastructure issues.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): A global research organization operating programs in climate, energy, and sustainable finance. Comparable to ACORE in producing market intelligence and policy recommendations on clean energy investment, though at significantly larger scale and international scope.
• Edison Electric Institute (EEI): The principal trade association of U.S. investor-owned electric utilities. Overlaps with ACORE in convening utilities, financiers, and policymakers around transmission, grid modernization, and clean energy investment, though EEI represents the utility/incumbent side while ACORE spans the broader value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/acore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-council-on-renewable-energy-acore
• Facebookfacebook.com/21626828809

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Council on Renewable Energy