Welcome CEBA members and potential future members! If you’ve landed on this blog that means you must want to be a part of an organization that is actively working together to drive necessary and transformational change in the future of energy. Wow! Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?  

When I first started out, looking over the ever-changing and often-complicated world of renewable energy, I really wished there was a group out there that could help navigate success and impact from just talking the talk. In 2017, I was lucky enough to be introduced to the Business Renewable Center (BRC) that helped me get my feet underneath me on this front, which has evolved into the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (CEBA) and has been the exact organization the industry needs to keep pushing us forward. Seriously, find me one other place that gathers THE world experts in VPPAs, on-site generation, REC-swaps, IFRS accounting models, negative pricing, additionality…all to help your organization understand and make good decisions in this space. You can’t! 

This year, I have the unique opportunity to both work at a company like Saint-Gobain, which has been around for more than 350 years and Chair the Advisory Board for an organization in its very first year. This has provided me with a truly unique perspective on the state of the world. Already, Saint-Gobain has learned so much from other member companies, be they established giants like GM and Disney, or “newer” companies (relatively speaking) like Google and Microsoft. Thankfully, CEBA has brought us together where can learn from their leadership and grow. 

While CEBA as an industry trade group is technically new, the combined knowledge on renewable energy amongst our members is unmatched in depth, breadth, and expertise. That should be enough for anyone considering renewable energy for their company to join, but if it’s not, know that we aren’t resting on our past experiences alone. As an Advisory Board, we are actively working to making CEBA even better. Our five committees, made up of those same experts, are pushing REBA to develop even more impactful programs, policy positions, and even exploring opportunities from the international markets and strengthening our supply chains. This organization is truly set to serve the needs of the market today and pushing past we’ve already been into the places the world needs us to go.  

I couldn’t be more proud that Saint-Gobain is part of CEBA and I know what this group can achieve together will be simply remarkable. Welcome one and all!  

Ryan Spies
Advisory Board Chair, REBA
Director of Sustainability, Energy and Stewardship, Saint-Gobain North America