The election results provide some insight into the key trends for cleantech and Green PR.

Barack Obama stated “there is no better potential driver that pervades all aspects of our economy than a new energy economy….That’s going to be my No.1 priority when I get into office.” According to Katie Fehrenbacher of Earth2Tech, “if Obama delivers on some of his pledges, he has the potential to bring significant federal support of clean technologies, a unified international fight against climate change and a necessary buildout of U.S. energy infrastructure.” This would provide many opportunities for companies in the greentech space. Of course, there is a risk of the creation of a cleantech bubble.

Here in California, the cleantech outlook was cloudier. Two propositions that would have provided government support for alternative energy initiatives were defeated. However, their defeat should be a bellweather that ultimately will be positive for the public and something that people in the Cleantech and Green PR space need to take into account (if they haven’t done so already).

Each of these propositions had flaws that led to their defeat. Chris Morrison of Venturebeat commented, “California has come out as the United States’ clear leader in cleantech, so the careful consideration, and then rejection, of this bill by the solidly liberal, pro-renewable voting base of California could be a sign that voters are quickly coming to grips with the actual issues surrounding the industry, as opposed to blindly voting for or against measures based on fear of global warming or energy prices.”

Three months ago, Kendall Wayland posted about the backlash against greenwashing. The lesson from Election Day is that credibility is more important than labels. A more knowledgeable public means that claims about green technologies and their benefits need to be backed up. It means that education and thought leadership are now more important than ever. This is an approach that Vantage and our clients have jointly practiced in our green PR efforts. We are proud of the coverage that has been generated through these efforts.

This election has the ability to be an important first step adoptiing cleaner technologies and fighting climate change. With this opportunity, comes a responsbility to make sure that green pr accurately communicates the science and capabilities of cleantech technologies. It won’t be easy. But, yes we can.