Oct 5, 2020 - Energy & Environment

Bill Gates-led Breakthrough Energy expands D.C. advocacy

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Chairman Bill Gates speaks during 2019 New Economy Forum at China Center for International Economic Exchanges

Bill Gates speaks during 2019 New Economy Forum in China. Photo by Hou Yu/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

The Bill Gates-founded group Breakthrough Energy has formally registered lobbyists for the first time.

The state of play: The group has retained the firm Kountoupes Denham Carr & Reid, a newly available filing shows. They'll work on "issues related to energy innovation, research & development, industrial decarbonization and decarbonization of liquid fuels," it states.

The big picture: The five-year-old Breakthrough Energy is really several things: It spans U.S. policy advocacy plus a venture capital arm, a Europe-focused pilot fund, and more.

Yes, but: While the formal lobbying registration may be new, Gates and allies have long been pushing policymakers to bolster federal support for clean energy R&D and demonstration initiatives.

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