Clinton spread praise and encouragement far and wide, hailing Nevada's, Texas' and Iowa's pursuit of renewable energy, highlighting the role of natural gas and sounding an optimistic note on global climate change negotiations.
In discussion with John Podesta, the former chief of staff to President Clinton and current climate adviser to President Obama, who is reportedly being considered to chair Hillary Clinton's campaign, Clinton endorsed energy efficiency retrofits and steered clear of hot-button issues like the Keystone XL pipeline.
"I'm absolutely confident we can forge the kind of clean energy future that our children and grandchildren deserve before it's too late," she said.
"Sea levels are rising; ice caps are melting; storms, droughts and wildfires are wreaking havoc," she said. "The threat is real, but so is the opportunity. If we come together to make the hard choices, the smart investments in infrastructure, technology and environmental protection, America can be the clean energy superpower for the 21st century."
She also endorsed natural gas as a "bridge fuel," pointing out that it can lower costs for energy-intensive industries and ease demand for foreign fuels, but acknowledged environmentalists' concerns, as well.
"Methane leaks in the production of natural gas are particularly troubling, so it's crucial we put in place smart regulations and enforce them, including deciding not to drill when the risks are too high," she said. But even developing technology to control methane leaks could be an economic upside, she said.
"Our economic recovery, our efforts against climate change, our strategic position in the world all will improve if we can build a safe bridge to a clean energy economy," she said. "Part of that bridge will certainly come from natural gas. There are challenges here, to be sure, but the boom in domestic natural gas production is an example ... if we do it right, it can be good for both the environment and our economy."
Clinton also had plenty of praise for President Obama's Climate Action Plan and his proposed rules covering greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants.
Hillary Clinton Makes a Case for U.S. as the 'Clean Energy Superpower'
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