Biography of Alexander 'Andy' Karsner (Short Version)
Assistant Secretary
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Below is the short version of Assistant Secretary Karsner's biography.
The Assistant Secretary manages the nation's $1.72 billion federal applied science, research, development, and deployment portfolio, which promotes marketplace integration of renewable and environmentally sound energy technologies for transportation, generation, and efficiency.
Assistant Secretary Karsner is a principal contributor to the international climate change deliberations towards achieving a Post-2012 global framework and leads the administration's efforts to develop and implement ongoing prominent energy initiatives launched by President Bush in three consecutive State of the Union Addresses. These include:
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"The Major Economies Process" to support the achievement of a Post-2012 Global Framework Accord on climate change through the UNFCCC process by its 2009 meeting in Copenhagen.
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"The 20 in 10 Plan" to enhance security and reduce America's dependency and use of gasoline by 20% with an unprecedented size, scope, and timetable for alternative fuels mandates and increased vehicle efficiency (CAFE) standards, elevated approximately 40%.
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"The Advanced Energy Initiative" ("AEI") to rebalance R&D priorities and accelerate commercialization of technological breakthroughs, fundamentally enlarging our national vision, plans, and metrics for the way we power our cars, homes, and businesses and address America's "addiction to oil."
In addition to advancing renewable and efficiency technology, his office also bears primary responsibility for education, conservation, regulation, and efficient use of our nation's energy resources, including federal energy management and procurement, building codes, appliance standards, and the ENERGY STAR® program, amongst others.
Previously, Assistant Secretary Karsner served as an international developer and energy entrepreneur in the private sector on a wide range of technologies including heavy fuel oil, distillates, natural gas, coal, wood waste/biomass, wind energy, and distributed generation based upon renewable technologies. He has been responsible for managing and financing large-scale power projects in North America, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, including unprecedented private structuring and financing in the Philippines and Pakistan.
The Assistant Secretary was a Rotary International Fellow, and received an MA from Hong Kong University. He graduated with Honors from Rice University and was recognized as an Outstanding Alumnus. Mr. Karsner and his wife are multilingual, have visited every continent and more than hundred nations for work and pleasure, and reside with their growing family in Alexandria, Virginia.
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