Influencer 2013: Jennifer States

Jennifer States / Program Manager / PNNL

Jennifer States is the Program Manager at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). She is responsible for PNNL’s wind and water-power businesses for the DOE’s Wind and Water Power Technology Office, utility clients, and the DoD. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Oregon Wave Energy Trust, with a focus on paving the way for development of West Coast ocean energy, including offshore wind using floating platforms. She has worked in a variety of capacities during her career, from non-profit advocacy, to wind industry development, to Federal programs. She has dedicated her career to overcoming barriers to wind development.

Jennifer’s focus on wind energy emerged from a combined passion for environmental protection and economic development. Prior to coming to PNNL, Jennifer served as Managing Director of JW Prairie Wind Power, the U.S. subsidiary of juwi international, where she was responsible for all aspects of wind project development, including shaping policy and gaining public support for the emerging wind industry. In addition to her lobbying and outreach efforts, she served on the Kansas Governor’s Wind and Prairie Task Force, Renewables Committee of the Kansas Energy Council, and the Energy Task Force for Senator Pat Roberts. In five years at juwi, she established a wind project pipeline of over 1500 MW throughout the central and eastern Midwest.

At PNNL, she spent a year on assignment at the U.S. DOE Headquarters supporting grid integration, resource characterization, environmental and siting issues, and policy analysis. She played a significant role in the connection between the DOE and the U.S. Treasury Office for implementing the Section 1603 payment in lieu of tax credits. In 2010, Jennifer received the Women of Wind Energy – Rising Star award, in part due to her efforts on this renewable energy incentive that has supported over 20,000 renewable energy projects. She is currently serving on assignment to the Army’s Energy Initiative Task Force, established by the Secretary of the Army to help meet the Army’s goal of deploying 1 GW of renewable energy by 2025.