Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute

What Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute does

The Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute (REWI) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 26-1587829) founded in 2008 as the American Wind Wildlife Institute (AWWI) and headquartered at 700 12th Street NW, Washington, DC. The organization was rebranded to REWI in 2022 after its board voted in 2021 to broaden its scope beyond wind energy to include solar energy, transmission, and related natural-resource issues. REWI convenes four stakeholder groups — the renewable energy industry, conservation and science NGOs, federal/state wildlife management agencies, and academic researchers — under a board governance model that mandates equal representation from industry and conservation constituencies. Its purpose is to produce "actionable science" that reduces uncertainty in permitting, siting, and operations of wind and solar facilities while protecting wildlife and ecosystems.

REWI's core products are information assets rather than commercial hardware. The American Wind Wildlife Information Center (AWWIC) holds post-construction fatality monitoring data from 272 wind projects and over 400 studies, making it the most comprehensive U.S. wind-wildlife fatality database; the Solar Wildlife & Ecosystem Database applies the same pooled-data model to solar; the REWI Technology Catalog covers 61 wildlife risk-minimization technologies from U.S. and international vendors; the Wind-Wildlife Guide summarizes statutory and regulatory frameworks; and the Results Catalog indexes 70+ peer-reviewed manuscripts, technical reports, and meeting proceedings. The Renewable Energy Wildlife Research Fund (REWRF) is an industry-led grantmaking mechanism administered by REWI. Biennial convenings — the Wind Wildlife Research Meeting (WWRM) and the Solar Wildlife & Ecosystems Research Meeting (SWERM) — plus recurring webinars and (new in 2026) a Collegiate Research Showcase complete the programmatic portfolio.

REWI's revenue is a blend of recurring Partner membership contributions from a defined roster of large utilities/IPPs (NextEra, Pattern Energy, PacifiCorp, Clearway, EDP Renewables, EDF Renewables, Avangrid, Southern Power) and conservation organizations (Audubon, Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, NRDC, NWF, Ducks Unlimited, The Conservation Fund), event and webinar sponsorships ($500–$12,500 tiers), tax-deductible individual donations, and pass-through research grants via REWRF. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven rather than commercial sales; the 15th WWRM in 2024 drew 400+ attendees from 43 U.S. states and 13 countries. Distribution is direct via rewi.org, the REWI Research Hub (rewi.knack.com), the Partner Portal, and earned media coverage in National Geographic, NPR, The Washington Post, Scientific American, and Popular Science.

Name

Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute

Legal name

Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute

Website

https://rewi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute (REWI) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that convenes the renewable energy industry, conservation organizations, wildlife agencies, and researchers to produce actionable science and pooled datasets (AWWIC, Solar Wildlife & Ecosystem Database) on wind and solar impacts to wildlife.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Renewable Energy Wildlife Research

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Siting, Resource Assessment & Environmental Tech R&D (Remote Sensing, Wake Modeling, Wildlife Mitigation) (EUAMAOAJ), Ecological Restoration Planning & Monitoring (Habitat, Wetland, Stream) (EUAHAHAF)

Keywords

• Renewable energy research
• Wildlife conservation science
• Wind energy siting
• Solar ecology research
• Environmental data platforms

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Partner Contributions (Industry): The renewable energy industry contributes financial support and expertise as Partners. Industry Partners include companies such as NextEra Energy, Pattern Energy, PacifiCorp, EDP Renewables, Avangrid Renewables, Clearway Energy, Southern Power, and others who contribute membership fees and staff time.
2. Partner Contributions (Conservation): Conservation and science organizations contribute as Partners, providing expertise and supporting the organization's mission. Conservation Partners include The Conservation Fund, Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Ducks Unlimited, NRDC, and others.
3. Event Sponsorships: Organizations sponsor REWI's annual research meetings (WWRM and SWERM) and webinars. Sponsorship opportunities range from $500 to $12,500 for WWRM and $1,000-$2,000 for webinars, providing recognition and visibility for sponsors.
4. Individual Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 26-1587829), REWI accepts tax-deductible gifts and grants from individuals. Donations can be made online via PayPal or through Donor-Advised Funds.
5. Research Fund Grants: The Renewable Energy Wildlife Research Fund (REWRF) is an industry-led initiative that advances scientific research on solutions to mitigate solar and wind-wildlife impacts. Fund members include renewable energy companies that contribute to support research projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

REWI is an independent nonprofit that advances actionable science on renewable energy-wildlife interactions through shared data platforms (AWWIC, Solar Wildlife & Ecosystem Database), peer-reviewed research outputs (Results Catalog, Wind-Wildlife Guide, Technology Catalog), an industry-led research fund (REWRF), and convening forums (biennial WWRM, SWERM, webinars, workshops). Its core outputs are information products — databases, catalogs, guides, meeting proceedings, and synthesis reports — delivered to renewable energy developers, conservation organizations, wildlife agencies, and academic researchers.

Product overview

REWI is an independent nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of interconnected products and programs focused on advancing actionable science at the intersection of renewable energy and wildlife conservation. The organization offers comprehensive data platforms (AWWIC database, Solar Wildlife & Ecosystem Database), knowledge resources (REWI Technology Catalog, REWI Research Hub, Wind-Wildlife Guide, Results Catalog), research funding mechanisms (Renewable Energy Wildlife Research Fund), and professional community events (WWRM, SWERM, Webinars). Together, these products enable industry, agencies, and conservation organizations to assess risks, share data, develop mitigation technologies, and implement science-backed practices for responsible renewable energy deployment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AWWIC (American Wind Wildlife Information Center): The most comprehensive post-construction fatality database in the U.S. for wind-wildlife data, containing data from 272 projects and over 400 post-construction studies.

Products and services

• American Wind Wildlife Information Center (AWWIC) A comprehensive post-construction fatality database that pools data from 272 U.S. wind energy projects and over 400 post-construction studies to help wind developers, regulators, and researchers understand collision fatality risk for birds and bats. Data is pooled confidentially to enable statistically sound risk assessments and inform take-permit needs.
• Solar Wildlife & Ecosystem Database A community resource that helps solar developers, owners, and operators turn biodiversity and ecological data into a strategic asset by pooling costly biodiversity data from large-scale solar facilities while protecting data confidentiality, reducing permitting risk and improving decision making.
• REWI Technology Catalog A structured catalog of technologies that minimize wildlife impacts at operating wind, solar, and transmission facilities, with submissions from developers, manufacturers, and vendors; the 2025 Portfolio includes full RFI submissions for 61 unique technologies.
• REWI Research Hub An interactive information-sharing platform that pools scientific results and management resources from credible sources across the global research community to empower data-informed decisions on renewables and wildlife.
• Wind-Wildlife Guide A comprehensive guide summarizing the statutory and regulatory framework, state-of-the-science on wind-wildlife interactions, and strategies for avoiding, minimizing, and compensating for adverse impacts from onshore wind energy.
• Results Catalog An online catalog providing access to REWI's research results including publications, technical reports, meeting proceedings, and synthesis documents spanning bats, birds, eagles, grouse, solar, wind, and mitigation topics.
• Renewable Energy Wildlife Research Fund (REWRF) An industry-led initiative administered by REWI that advances scientific research on solutions to mitigate solar and wind-wildlife impacts through biennial project solicitations and peer-reviewed research funding by member renewable energy companies.
• Wind Wildlife Research Meeting (WWRM) A biennial international forum for sharing the latest science on wind energy risks to wildlife and developing solutions, bringing together academics, researchers, consultants, agencies, and industry professionals. Offered in-person and virtually with tiered registration and sponsorship packages.
• Solar Wildlife & Ecosystems Research Meeting (SWERM) A biennial research meeting convening stakeholders from academia, industry, conservation, and public agencies to share science on ecological interactions and the solar buildout, formerly known as the Solar Power and Wildlife/Natural Resources Symposium.
• REWI Webinars & Workshops Recurring webinars and workshops highlighting experts discussing key topics around wind and solar energy, wildlife, and ecosystem interactions, with sponsorship opportunities available in 2026.
• Partner Portal A portal for REWI Partners and Friends to access exclusive resources, collaborate on shared goals, and engage with the renewable energy-wildlife community.
• Collegiate Research Showcase A student research competition launching in 2026 for graduate and PhD students to present solar-wildlife and ecosystems research; winners receive complimentary registration and a travel stipend to the 2027 SWERM.

Quantifiable outcome

• AWWIC database helps reduce operational risk by offering objective and statistically sound guidance to more accurately estimate take permit needs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered founding and core.

• Apex Clean EnergyfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Apex Clean Energy was a Founding Partner of AWWI (now REWI) in 2008. Abby Arnold served as Former Executive Director from Apex Clean Energy. Apex contributed expertise and financial backing to build the independent organization.
• Sierra ClubfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Sierra Club was a Founding Partner of AWWI (now REWI) in 2008. Alex Levinson served as Founding Partner representing Sierra Club. Robin Everett currently serves on the Board as Deputy Beyond Coal Director.
• National Audubon SocietyfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008National Audubon Society is represented by Alice Madden (Senior Director of Climate Strategies) on the Board and Dr. Sarah Saunders as Science Advisor. Audubon is a key conservation partner in REWI's collaborative model.
• The Nature ConservancyfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008The Nature Conservancy was a Founding Partner of AWWI in 2008. Alan Pollom served as Founding Partner representing TNC. TNC contributes to wildlife conservation and renewable energy mitigation strategies.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)foundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008NRDC was a Founding Partner of AWWI in 2008. Johanna Wald served as Founding Partner from NRDC. Nathanael Greene currently serves as NRDC's senior renewable energy policy advocate on the Board.
• Union of Concerned ScientistsfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Union of Concerned Scientists was a Founding Partner of AWWI in 2008. Peter Frumhoff served as Founding Partner. John Rogers currently serves as Board Treasurer representing UCS, drawing on 30+ years of expertise in clean energy technologies.
• Association of Fish & Wildlife AgenciesfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies was a Founding Partner of AWWI in 2008. Deb Hahn served as Founding Partner. Clay Crowder currently serves on the Board as Assistant Director of Wildlife Management at Arizona Game and Fish Department.
• Audubon DakotafoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Audubon Dakota was a Founding Partner of AWWI in 2008. Genevieve Thompson served as Founding Partner representing Audubon Dakota.
• Avangrid RenewablesfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Avangrid Renewables was a Founding Partner of AWWI in 2008. Andrew Linehan served as Founding Partner. Kristen Goland currently serves as Senior Director for Permitting and Environmental at Avangrid on the Board.
• Clearway EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClearway Energy is represented on the Board by Ray Kelly as Vice Chair (Senior Director, EHS & Sustainability). Clearway contributes expertise in permitting and environmental compliance for wind and solar facilities.
• NextEra Energy ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNextEra Energy is represented by Sean Fitzgerald (Director of Wildlife and Vegetation) on the Board. NextEra has 34 GW of operating renewable assets and contributes industry expertise on wildlife management.
• Pattern Energy GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPattern Energy is represented by Adam Cernea Clark (Director of Permitting and Policy Strategy) on the Board. Pattern Energy holds the Vice Chair position on the 2026 REWRF Executive Committee.
• EDP Renewables North AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDP Renewables is represented by Christi Calabrese (Senior Director of Permitting and Environmental Affairs) on the Board. EDPR manages environmental permitting across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
• Southern PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Power is represented by Keith Harrison (General Manager of Environmental Affairs) who serves as Board Secretary. Keith manages compliance programs addressing avian, bat, and other wildlife issues.
• PacifiCorpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacifiCorp is represented by Shawn Childs (Environmental Program Manager) on the Board. Shawn manages wind-wildlife interaction research projects and PacifiCorp's eagle take permit program.
• EDF RenewablescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF Renewables is represented by Devon Muto (Senior Director of Development) on the Board. Devon sits on the Executive Committee of the Renewable Energy Wildlife Research Fund.
• Defenders of WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDefenders of Wildlife is represented by Aimee Delach (Director of Energy and Biodiversity) on the Board. Defenders works towards a clean energy future that minimizes impacts to wildlife and ecosystems.
• National Wildlife FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Wildlife Federation is represented by Shannon Heyck-Williams (Associate Vice President of Climate and Energy) on the Board. NWF serves as NWF's lead climate and energy policy advisor.
• Ducks UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDucks Unlimited is represented by Johann Walker (Director of Operations for Great Plains Region) on the Board. DU focuses on wetland and grassland habitat conservation relevant to energy development areas.
• The Conservation FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Conservation Fund is represented by Nick Morgan (Overseeing Mitigation Solutions Program) who serves as Board Chair. The Fund focuses on partnerships with natural resource management agencies and conservation organizations.
• Theodore Roosevelt Conservation PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRCP is represented by Madeleine West (Vice President for Western Conservation) on the Board. TRCP advocates for public lands and water conservation and access goals.
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSFWS collaborates with REWI on the Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines and regulatory frameworks. REWI disseminates USFWS guidelines and training materials through its platforms.
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDOE funds research through programs including the Solar Energy Technologies Office (DE-EE0010381) which funded the SolSource Database. DOE's National Laboratories collaborate on research priorities.
• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStanford University serves as an Advisory Member on the Board through Dr. Terry L. Root (Senior Fellow Emerita, Woods Institute for the Environment). Dr. Root was a lead author on IPCC reports and Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
• American Clean Power Association (ACP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACP is represented by JC Sandberg (Chief Policy Officer) as an Advisory Member on the Board. ACP's Wildlife and Federal Permitting Committee involves multiple REWI Board members.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)coreTechnology or IntegrationNREL is represented by Jordan Macknick (Lead Energy-Water-Land Analyst and Science Advisor). NREL leads the InSPIRE agrivoltaics research project, the U.S.'s largest agrivoltaics project with 25+ field sites.
• University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaigncoreTechnology or IntegrationUniversity of Illinois is represented by Dr. Auriel Fournier (Associate Research Scientist, Forbes Biological Station Director) as Science Advisor. The university supports wildlife and wetlands research.
• University of California - DaviscoreTechnology or IntegrationUC Davis is represented by Dr. Rebecca R. Hernandez (Associate Professor, Director of Wild Energy Center) as Science Advisor. Dr. Hernandez leads research on ecological aspects of energy systems.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Bird Conservancy: ABC is a direct peer in the wind-wildlife collision space, advocating for bird-safe energy siting and operating collision-mitigation programs. It shares REWI's model of producing science-based siting guidance while engaging both developers and conservation audiences.
• Bat Conservation International: BCI is the closest direct peer to REWI: a wildlife-focused nonprofit that convenes researchers, industry, and agencies on bat-wind turbine interactions, publishes guidance, and funds research. It overlaps substantially with REWI on the wind-wildlife data aggregation and stakeholder convening mission, though with narrower taxonomic focus.

Emerging players

• Western EcoSystems Technology (WEST): WEST is a commercial environmental consulting firm specializing in wind-wildlife monitoring, permitting, and statistical analysis — directly competing for the project-level research work that underpins REWI's datasets. Unlike REWI, it operates as a for-profit consulting business serving developers.

Broad incumbents

• American Clean Power Association: ACP is the U.S. utility-scale wind, solar, and storage trade association and a REWI board partner. It sits on the same convening stage as REWI but represents industry interests rather than producing independent science, making it a complementary rather than competing organization.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): NREL is the U.S. DOE's primary renewable energy research lab and a REWI collaborator (e.g., on the InSPIRE agrivoltaics project). It operates at vastly greater scale and funding levels, and is positioned to build competing renewable-wildlife data assets — but it is not a nonprofit convener and does not specialize in wildlife.
• Argonne National Laboratory: Argonne is a DOE national lab with an established ecology-and-energy research portfolio and a REWI Science Advisor on staff. It competes for the same federal research dollars and researcher mindshare on renewable-wildlife questions, though its mandate spans far beyond REWI's renewable-wildlife niche.

Others

• National Wildlife Federation: NWF is a REWI board partner and a leading U.S. conservation advocacy organization. It overlaps with REWI on climate-energy-wildlife policy, but its mission spans all wildlife and habitat issues rather than specializing at the renewables-wildlife interface.
• The Nature Conservancy: TNC is a REWI founding partner and a global conservation powerhouse with significant involvement in renewable energy mitigation strategies. It operates at much greater scale and is a sibling ecosystem participant, but its portfolio is too broad to be a direct peer.
• National Audubon Society: Audubon is a founding REWI partner and the most prominent U.S. bird conservation NGO. The organizations share board members and co-produce science, but Audubon's broader mission (climate, policy, network of local chapters) makes it an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
• Defenders of Wildlife: Defenders of Wildlife is a REWI board partner that contributes conservation-side science and policy expertise on energy-wildlife trade-offs. It is thematically aligned but operates as an advocacy NGO rather than as a science aggregator or convening body.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/renewable-energy-wildlife-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute