Meghan Nutting MPA ’08 and Steph Speirs MPA ’14 were recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for their outstanding leadership and accomplishments in clean energy. They were joined by fellow Princeton alumna Cheryl LaFleur ’75.

As part of the U.S. Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) Initiative, Nutting, Speirs, and LaFleur have been awarded the 2021 U.S. Clean Energy Education and Empowerment Award along with just six other women from academic, business, and policy sectors.

The C3E initiative is a collaborative effort between the U.S. DOE, MIT Energy Initiative, Stanford University’s Precourt Institute for Energy, and the Texas A&M Energy Institute. It aims to “close the gender gap and increase the participation, leadership, and success of women in clean energy fields,” according to the C3E site. The initiative works to amplify the voices and success of women in clean energy.

Nutting, the awardee in the business category, is the executive vice president of government and regulatory affairs at Sunnova Energy, an industry leader in residential solar services. In her role, she helps to provide a stable and sustainable business environment for solar electricity generation. Nutting has made key contributions to move policy and legislation forward in more than 20 states.

Speirs, the awardee in the entrepreneurship category, is the co-founder and CEO of Solstice, a nonprofit initiative that strives to provide affordable, clean energy to every American. Her organization established EnergyScore, a more accurate approach to FICO credit scores that is inclusive to low-income Americans. Before Solstice, Speirs led sales and marketing for d.light, a global leader in affordable and accessible reliable energy in India. She has experience managing businesses in the Middle East, South Asia, and the U.S.

Nutting, Speirs, and LaFleur will be recognized for their C3E awards at the 10th annual U.S. C3E Women in Clean Energy Symposium on Nov. 3 and 4.