Stefan Koester
Stefan Koester is a senior policy analyst with ITIF’s Center for Clean Energy Innovation. He has a background in energy and environmental policy and has worked on carbon pricing, corporate sustainability, energy efficiency, electricity markets, and issues related to the electric power sector and renewable energy at the state, regional, and federal levels.
Prior to joining the ITIF, Stefan worked at Acadia Center, focusing on Northeast energy and environmental regulatory policy. Prior to Acadia Center, Stefan worked at M.J. Bradley & Associates in Boston, Massachusetts. He earned a double master’s degree in international relations from the Fletcher School and urban planning from the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from the College of Charleston in economics and philosophy.
Recent Publications
The United States Urgently Needs a Carbon Management Vision
The science of climate change has been clear for decades. The IPCC shows that it is increasingly clear that active carbon management technologies must be in the climate mitigation toolbox. With its wealth of know-how and innovative start-up economy, the United States is well-positioned to dominate this burgeoning global industry and will do so if the federal government has the vision to realize this potential.
Active Carbon Management: Critical Tools in the Climate Toolbox
Technologies to capture and store carbon must be part of the arsenal to fight climate change. To deploy them at scale, policymakers should expand federal incentives, increase RD&D for traditional and novel technologies, and expedite permitting and siting of requisite infrastructure.
Continued Innovation in Renewable Energy Is Not a Given: Public Policy Must Push and Pull
The modeling is clear: Building a reliable grid that will serve as the backbone for a cleaner, more electrified economy without raising energy costs, will require technological improvements that drastically drive down the costs and improve performance.
Comments to the U.S. Department of Energy on Industrial Decarbonization Priorities
U.S. industry does do not yet have all the necessary technology to decarbonize while maintaining its competitive edge in manufacturing. Only with continued federal and private investment in low-carbon RD&D will the United States be able to achieve the twin goals of supporting a robust manufacturing sector while reducing and ultimately eliminating emissions.
Comments to the Department of Energy on Deployment and Demonstration Opportunities for Carbon Reduction and Removal Technologies
ITIF is pleased to submit the following comments to the Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Managements request for information regarding the opportunity for carbon capture and direct air capture technologies.
Don’t Add Carbon Tariffs to the Growing List of Global Trade Tensions
Allies and partners like the United States, the EU, the United Kingdom, and Canada should avoid destabilizing trade frictions that threaten to derail much-needed climate progress and instead work toward a collaborative climate innovation club.
Comments to the International Trade Administration on U.S. Clean Technologies Export Competitiveness Strategy
ITIF’s comments identify clean energy technologies that offer opportunities for U.S. exports, discuss challenges, and offer recommendations to overcome these challenges.
Comments on U.S. DOE’s Call for the Establishment of a New Clean Energy Manufacturing Institute
ITIF responds to the Department of Energy’s request for information on the establishment of a new clean energy manufacturing institute, supporting the establishment of a new institute focused on industrial decarbonization and electrification, and the decarbonization of metal manufacturing.
Unworkable Solution: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms and Global Climate Innovation
Levying carbon tariffs is a difficult and counterproductive way for nations with ambitious climate policies to create a level playing field for their higher-cost industrial sectors. A more workable solution would be to design a flexible open-trade club for climate innovators.
A National Clean Electricity Performance Program Needs to Support Clean-Tech Innovation
The linchpin of President Biden's strategy to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035 is a national clean electricity performance program, or CEPP, which encourages utilities to produce an increasing amount of power from low-carbon resources.
Building A U.S. Clean Manufacturing Strategy to Counter China and Tackle Climate Change
An integrated clean manufacturing strategy will pay dividends for both the economy and the global environment.
Recent Events and Presentations
How 5G Can Spur Climate Tech Innovation
Join ITIF for an overview of the potential climate tech applications of 5G and what is needed going forward to help ensure that this critical infrastructure can facilitate the low-carbon transition.
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms and Climate-Tech Innovation: A Happy Coupling?
ITIF hosted a discussion on the current state of carbon tariffs, their challenges, and potential multilateral alternatives.