News

The Washington Post analyzed how the new climate package will benefit production of solar technologies, quoting AEE's Harry Godfrey on the impact. Read snippets below and the full article here.

The bill, negotiated in part by Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.), would deliver billions of dollars in tax and other incentives to U.S. solar manufacturers, equipping them with government support on a scale of those China used to corner the market.

E&E News detailed the Senate climate bill, quoting AEE's Harry Godfrey on incentives for clean energy in the Inflation Reduction Act. Read snippets below and the full article here.

The Senate budget reconciliation deal could open the door to a green power grid, a key ingredient in slashing emissions enough to meet the country’s near-term climate ambitions.

This week, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) released new research into the economic development potential of establishing a regional transmission organization (RTO) to operate the power grid for Western states. The report, conducted by independent consulting firm Energy Strategies, finds that establishing an RTO for Western states would create as many as 657,000 permanent, high-paying jobs in the West. If you want to learn more, watch the press briefing here. 

Canary Media detailed how funding from the IRA would be allocated, quoting AEE's Harry Godfrey on the massive impact the bill will have on US clean energy technologies. Read snippets below and the full article here.

Senator Joe Manchin has agreed to work with Democratic Senate colleagues to quickly pass a climate and health bill that could direct nearly $370 billion over 10 years toward clean energy, electric vehicles, pollution reduction and energy security — potentially the largest-ever single federal investment in fighting climate change. 

UtilityDive reported on expanding infrastructure for electric trucks, quoting AEE's Ryan Gallentine on the plan's creation of a consistent framework for states. Read snippets below and the full article here.

Nearly 20 states and jurisdictions have signed on to an action plan striving for 100% electric medium and heavy-duty vehicle sales by 2050.

Bloomberg reported on the IRA and its impact on cleantech, quoting AEE's Nat Kreamer on what reconciliation means for the clean energy industry. Read snippets below and the full article here.

The landmark US Senate climate deal announced late Wednesday would boost cleantech manufacturing, a sector that’s struggled to compete with China.

Clean energy investments will reduce electricity costs and create good jobs in America 

WASHINGTON, DC, July 27, 2022 – Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), a national trade association of clean energy buyers and businesses, celebrated the federal budget agreement announced today by Senate leaders Chuck Schumer and Joe Manchin, and released the following statement on behalf of its CEO, Nat Kreamer:

“At a time of acute inflation, this agreement represents a truly historic step towards lowering the energy bills of Americans and creating real energy independence. It is likewise a smart investment in our domestic advanced energy industry, creating tens of thousands of good jobs. We applaud Senator Schumer, Senator Manchin, and all of those involved in bringing this agreement to fruition. We look forward to reviewing the details of the bill and urge Congress to move swiftly towards passage.”

UtilityDive analyzed AEE's Western RTO Economic Impact Study, quoting AEE's Amisha Rai on RTO conversations with policymakers. Read snippets below and the full article here.

The creation of a West-wide regional transmission organization could generate between 159,000 and 657,000 permanent jobs through 2030, as well as up to $79.2 billion in additional gross regional product per year across the 11 Western states, according to a new report.

Spectrum News1 explored the future of the Texas power grid in the wake of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, quoting AEE's Ignacio Guajardo on the best solutions for a clean grid. Read snippets below and the full article here.

The State of Texas faces a decision whether to seek some federal funding under the bipartisan infrastructure bill President Joe Biden pushed through Congress to help strengthen the state’s power grid. After a deadly winter storm left millions of Texans freezing and in the dark, all eyes are on the state’s power grid amid this summer’s extreme heat. 

A Western RTO could save Western states $2 billion in annual energy savings

JULY 26, 2022 – A new report for national business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) by independent consulting firm Energy Strategies finds that establishing a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) for Western states would create as many as 657,000 permanent, high-paying jobs in the West. The analysis, "Western RTO Economic Impact Study," also found that a Western RTO would diversify state economies and save ratepayers millions of dollars per year in energy costs.

An RTO is a cooperation agreement which allows electric utilities across multiple states to share resources and leverage the cheapest, cleanest, and most efficient energy sources through an organized regional market. Currently, the West is one of the only regions in the U.S. without an RTO managing its power grid.

The analysis found that every state in the Western region (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming) could expect economic benefits from a West-wide RTO, driven by lower electricity prices for households and businesses, additional clean energy development across the region, and the expansion of existing, as well as attraction of new, businesses to the West.

7 in 10 Illinoisans say that state officials should be doing more to reduce emissions from gas and diesel vehicles, transition to zero-emission models

JULY 21, 2022 – Roughly 7 in 10 Illinoisans say smog and air pollution are negatively impacting their quality of life, and want state officials to do more to decrease the gas and diesel vehicle emissions causing much of the problem.

The findings are part of a new statewide survey conducted by YouGov in partnership with national business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), and come just a month after the American Lung Association listed the Chicago metro area as having the 16th-worst ozone pollution in the nation.

"Transportation emissions are the largest source of pollution, particularly from trucks and buses, and parts of Illinois are suffering from unsafe levels of ozone, particularly during the summer,” said Ryan Gallentine, Transportation Policy Director at AEE. “Illinoisans say they want their state leaders to take action by electrifying the state’s trucks, buses and delivery vans more quickly.”

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2022 – National business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) President Heather O’Neill issued the following statement today about Senate budget reconciliation negotiations: 

“Americans are facing historic levels of inflation, driven in large part by global fossil fuel prices. The tax credits in this package would deliver much needed relief, helping to cut energy prices and reduce U.S. dependence on price-volatile fossil fuels, by spurring the domestic manufacturing and deployment of clean, affordable, and reliable advanced energy technologies. Failing to use this opportunity to boost the domestic advanced energy manufacturing industry would mean American workers get less benefit from the world’s transition to clean energy, and would all but assure that our economic competitors, particularly China, reap the economic rewards instead. We call on Congress to enact them as soon as possible.

Treating solar panels like pavement creates unnecessary project costs, new industry research paper shows

RICHMOND, July 13, 2022 — Business association Virginia Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) expressed disappointment about new regulatory guidance issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) today that fails to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens on the Virginia solar industry.

The guidance updates regulatory memos issued by Virginia’s DEQ in March that changed technical parameters of solar farm construction and maintenance. The DEQ memos claimed that because solar farms look similar to roads and parking lots on satellite imagery, solar farms should be regulated as such. Guidance released today outlined means for compliance, suggesting developers install unnecessary technology workarounds.

“Solar panels are not pavement, and solar farms are not parking lots,” said Kim Jemaine, Policy Director at Advanced Energy Economy (AEE). “Research conducted by both academic institutions and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory confirms that solar installations do not cause the kind of damaging runoff that paved surfaces do. These new regulations, which are not based on science, will hamstring a growing industry in Virginia for no valid reason.”

Utility Dive compared reforms for utility performance, quoting AEE's Ryan Katofsky on how Hawaii's low-cost reforms are improving service. Read snippets below and the full article here.

Many states are working on regulatory reforms focused on utility performance, but some compromise approaches may be self-defeating, performance-based regulation, or PBR, consultants said.

Budget includes $125 million for transformative new program that pairs necessary home repairs with energy cost-saving measures

Colorado Newsline detailed local air pollution concerns quantified in a new poll conducted by YouGov for AEE, quoting AEE's Emilie Olson on what solutions Coloradans support for a cleaner future. Read snippets below and the full article here. 

New statewide poll shows smog and air quality adversely impacting quality of life in Colorado; majority support electrifying trucks, buses 

DENVER, July 11, 2022 – Most Coloradans say summer smog and air pollution are negatively impacting their quality of life and support policies that would counteract the source of much of that pollution: emissions from gas and diesel vehicles. 

S&P Global detailed how a Supreme Court's ruling will limit EPA's authority, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis on how the decision could also impact FERC's pipeline reviews. Read snippets below and the full article here.

The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision restricting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's authority to regulate planet-warming emissions could constrain efforts by the majority at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to elevate consideration of climate change in the agency's decisions.

Utility Dive detailed newly passed legislation that attempts to ensure the reliability of California's grid, quoting AEE's Emilie Olson on the bill's heavy reliance on fossil fuels. Read snippets below and the full article here.

California lawmakers on Wednesday passed a bill that establishes a new certification process for solar, wind and other non-fossil fuel power plants that are larger than 50 MW, as the state works to build out the renewable projects it needs to ensure grid reliability.