Today marks a watershed for The Energy Collective. We are proud to announce that we have partnered with Siemens as the enabling sponsor of our community.

As you may be aware, The Energy Collective is operated by Social Media Today, builders of business-to-business online communities. All of our sites are supported in varying degrees by sponsorship, and it has always been our intention to engage sponsorship for this community as well.

So what took so long?

Finding a partner for any site can be a challenge. And we weren't looking for just any partner, but the right partner.

We know that our most valuable asset at the The Energy Collective is the editorial integrity of the work we present and the continuing support of our members. The financial boost that sponsorship provides can't help us if it comes with potential conflicts of interest and creates even a perception that we would be under pressure to slant our coverage.

That's why we are so pleased to team up with Siemens.

A highly diversified company that provides products and services for every stage of the energy production, delivery and consumption cycle, Siemens' interest lies not in driving particular outcomes, but rather in nurturing thoughtful discussion that will lead to decision-making and the deployment of new technologies in support of the coming revolutions in efficiency, grid modernization and fossil fuel alternatives, just to name a few.

In other words, just like The Energy Collective, Siemens is committed to supporting smart, practical, and environmentally sustainable solutions to tomorrow's energy challenges.

For readers who have come to depend on us for coverage of cutting edge technologies, analysis of the political landscape, and provocative, diverse opinions, the impact of this sponsorship can be boiled down to one word: MORE. More coverage of the issues about which you're passionate, more podcasts, and more webinars.

We are also excited by the prospect of bringing you occasional insights from members of the Siemens team, a team that includes some of the most respected energy scientists and technologists at work today.

So please join us in welcoming Siemens to our community. We think you'll agree with us -- they were worth the wait.

The Energy Collective Editorial Team