Last week, business leaders took to Capitol Hill to take part in one of the most important clean energy policy advocacy events in a generation. LEAD on a Clean Economy 2025 focused squarely on defending the federal policy that has unleashed so much economic growth through clean energy investment: the tax credits that are helping America rebuild its manufacturing base, meet surging electricity demand, and ensure its leadership in the global competition to command the industries of the 21st century.
In dozens of meetings with Republican Congressional offices, representatives from some of America’s largest and most recognizable corporations made the convincing economic case for keeping these critical investments in place. We are optimistic that as lawmakers enter negotiations to refresh the tax code, they will hear this call and recognize the many economic benefits these tax credits are delivering to their states and districts, as well as their strategic importance to the U.S. on the global stage.
But our time in D.C. wasn’t just about the task ahead. At our annual BICEP Awards dinner on Wednesday night, we also took a moment to look back at 2024, celebrate our successes from the year before, and honor the company leaders and other partners that had shown true leadership with their advocacy. We thank all our award winners for their essential work in 2024 and beyond.
BICEP Crown: Doug Murray, IKEA US
Doug Murray, head of public affairs at IKEA US, takes away our top award this year for his vital work at both the federal and state levels. Doug and IKEA US have been reliable champions of the Ceres BICEP Network’s policy priorities for years, and in 2024 was active everywhere from EPA hearings to governor meetings to advocate for clean energy, clean buildings, and clean transportation.
The award was accepted on Doug's behalf by his colleague Meg Shepherd pictured here with Ceres VP Anne Kelly.
Federal Policy Champion: Lucid
The automaker and technology company received our top federal award for its unwavering commitment to championing the business case for federal clean vehicle policy that expands U.S. manufacturing and jobs in a critical advanced technology. Lucid took to Capitol Hill throughout the year to advocate for the importance of federal clean energy tax credits to a competitive U.S. auto industry.
State Policy Champion: Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada earned this award with its consistent engagement across policy areas and in states across the U.S. — even while responding to the devastating impacts on their brewery and community in Asheville, North Carolina, from the extreme weather that the brewer’s leading policy advocacy seeks to prevent.
Transportation Policy Advocate of the Year: IKEA US
IKEA US earned this award not only through its advocacy for key clean vehicle policies such as heavy-duty emission standards, federal incentives for commercial vehicles and charging infrastructure, and the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, but also through its thought leadership that clearly presented the strong business case for transitioning to zero-emission fleets.
Building Decarbonization Policy Advocates of the Year: A.O. Smith and Sealed
Two of the Ceres BICEP Network’s leading advocates from the building sector share this important award. Sealed, with its robust home efficiency contractor networks, and A.O. Smith, which for more than 150 years has provided homeowners and facility managers with efficient solutions, have both been crucial to educating policymakers and providing industry expertise in support of implementing state-designed and federally funded home energy rebate programs.
Internal Policy Advocate of the Year: Jenny Wieroniey, Michelin
The Internal Policy Advocate award is one of the Ceres BICEP Network’s most important, recognizing the crucial work of individuals and teams to align their companies’ policy advocacy with their responsible business practices. In 2024, Jenny Wieroniey, director of federal government affairs at Michelin, exemplified this work by fostering internal awareness and support at one of America’s most storied companies for federal clean energy incentives and other responsible policies aimed at building an innovative, resilient economy.
BICEP Investor Policy Advocate of the Year: HASI
Our long-time partners and friends at HASI are deserving winners for our inaugural BICEP Investor Climate Policy Advocate award. HASI demonstrated exceptional leadership by effectively articulating the investor case for critical policies, notably through their vital support for transmission expansion and federal clean energy incentives, and by consistently participating in federal advocacy days while actively engaging at the state level.
Environmental and Climate Justice Climate Champions: IRMA and the America the Beautiful for All Coalition
Our two winners in this category share a commitment to an inclusive vision of conservation and clean energy action. We have learned much working from the America the Beautiful for All Coalition, which has organized a wide and diverse range of groups committed to preserving and protecting nature for all people. And it has been exciting to collaborate with the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), whose stakeholders span from indigenous communities to labor groups to key mining firms, to ensure a responsible, inclusive, and sustainable approach to procuring natural resources to build out the clean technologies we need.
Congressional Climate Champion: Sen. John Curtis of Utah
Now-Sen. Curtis has long been a champion and educator among his colleagues in Congress for building a strong, resilient economy powered by affordable, reliable, homegrown clean energy. His understanding of the importance of innovative solutions and market-based approaches to challenges have made him a valuable partner for the Ceres BICEP Network. We are thrilled to provide him with this award and look forward to working with him to continue fostering bipartisan, pragmatic dialogue in the U.S. Senate.
Ryan Martel Capitol Hill Climb Award: Niko Keddy from the Office of U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino
Last but decidedly not least, the Ryan Martel Capitol Hill Climb Award is one of the most meaningful we have to offer at Ceres, presented in honor of our dear late colleague and former federal policy director Ryan Martel. Niko earned this award with his tireless efforts, political acumen, and steadfast determination to build and showcase Republican support for federal clean energy tax credits. We know Ryan would be incredibly impressed with this effort, which speaks directly to the bipartisan, bridge-building work that brought us all to LEAD this year.
