Erik Fowler is a Manager of Research & Collaboration programs at Rocky Mountain Institute in Boulder, Colorado. RMI’s strategic focus is transforming global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future, and while emphasizing the critical role of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Erik works across the RMI practice areas of electricity, buildings, and communities. While at RMI, his current major focus area is working with community-led energy and climate planning initiatives in communities such as Palo Alto, CA; Menlo Park, CA; Duluth, MN; and others.
Prior to joining RMI, Erik worked at ICF International in their Energy & Environment group supporting implementation of a major commercial energy efficiency program for a mid-Atlantic utility. Erik also has prior experience with leading green building and efficiency initiatives while working with city leaders, developers and builders along the Texas Gulf Coast. Like RMI, he has a keen eye for private sector engagement opportunities, owing to his early adult experience of co-owning, operating and selling a successful IT/Internet startup in his hometown of Houston, TX.
Erik continues to critically track and study local, state and national energy policies; energy efficiency and distributed solar technologies & markets. His recent graduate work at the Nicholas School DEL program (MEM 2012) focused on distributed solar PV markets and policy. Erik believes his strengths lie in business and organizational strategy, along with enabling policy, in the clean energy economy.