News

Letter also lauds two-year bridge for solar imports, calls for swift end to Auxin investigation 

WASHINGTON, June 29, 2022 – Today, national business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) sent a letter to the Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, the White House, and leaders on Capitol Hill strongly defending President Biden’s use of the Defense Production Act (DPA) to expand domestic production of “five critical clean energy technologies,” including solar, heat pumps, power grid infrastructure, building insulation, and equipment for making and using clean electricity-generated fuels.  

As the letter details, this action is vital to address the immediate issues of rising energy prices, U.S. and European exposure to Russian oil and gas, and America’s security interests. AEE called upon the Administration and Congress to significantly increase resources in the DPA Fund to meet this moment. In addition, Congress should harness reconciliation to pass a robust package of energy and manufacturing incentives, akin to those in Build Back Better, to build on the progress the DPA should initiate. AEE Managing Director Harrison Godfrey provided the following statement about the letter and its message to the Administration:

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2022 – Today, national business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) joined with public utilities and privately owned power generators in filing a motion to intervene in the U.S. Court of Appeals case Ohio v. EPA with the intent of defending the Biden Administration’s reinstatement of California’s long-standing Clean Air Act waiver. That waiver allows the state to set vehicle emissions standards that are more protective of public health than federal standards, and to implement zero-emissions standards for light-duty vehicles, both of which other states are allowed to adopt as well.

WASHINGTON, June 6, 2022 – Today national business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) celebrated the announcement from the Biden Administration that it will expand use of the Defense Production Act to include solar panels and component parts, as well as building insulation, heat pumps, electrolyzers, platinum group metals, fuel cells, and transformers. The White House also announced a pause on solar trade tariffs to allow clean energy projects across the country to be built while the country scales up domestic manufacturing of supply chain components. 

“This is a needed stay in a more than decade-long tariff war that has been a loser for all parties,” said AEE CEO Nat Kreamer. “Tariffs only raise costs for consumers and don’t create domestic demand for clean energy. These announcements today provide much-needed stability to the solar industry and the clean energy transition at large, and send the message to Congress that now is the time to act urgently to build the clean energy domestic manufacturing industry this country needs to protect consumers and become energy independent.

Industry group says building code and appliance updates will help customers save money and help the state meet emission reduction goals 

ALBANY, June 6, 2022 – National business organization Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) applauded the New York Legislature for approving a bill last week that has the potential to further the deployment of energy-saving technologies and that can deliver significant utility bill savings for consumers.  

The "Advanced Building Codes, Appliance and Equipment Efficiency Standards Act of 2022" updates the state’s energy building codes to include considerations of climate impact and mitigation strategies, and expands the list of appliances and products that need to meet energy efficiency standards. The Act is expected to deliver $15 billion in utility bill savings for New Yorkers, with $6 billion of those savings going to low- and moderate-income households. The legislation also sets up New York for success in achieving the emissions reduction targets set by the state’s landmark climate law.

Legislation to speed up the transition to electric school buses now moves to the state Senate

SACRAMENTO, June 1, 2022 – California's Clean and Healthy School Bus Act (AB 2731) was approved 57-0 by California’s State Assembly last week, a major step toward speeding up the transition to zero-emission school buses that save schools money and don’t harm young lungs. 

Proposed by Assemblymember Phil Ting (District 19) and sponsored by AEE, AB 2731 is designed to help school districts access the long-term economic benefits of switching to zero-emission school buses by allowing for longer vehicle lease terms, as well as setting a 2035 statewide Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) school bus sales goal. California currently caps lease terms for contracted school buses at five years. Extending the lease terms to 15 years would substantially improve the economics of transitioning to electric school buses for school districts. 

Maintaining steady leadership at FERC is important to helping guide nation through energy transition

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2022 – Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) applauded the announcement from President Joe Biden that he is renominating Chair Richard Glick to a seat on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). 

WASHINGTON, DC, May 13, 2022— National business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) delivered a sign-on letter to the U.S. Senate and White House Administration stressing the importance of production-based manufacturing credits as a means of growing the industry domestically. 

The bill that was approved by the Florida legislature earlier this year threatened the growth of the solar industry in the Sunshine State

TALLAHASSEE – Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed House Bill 741.  

Advanced Energy Economy’s Florida policy lead Michael Weiss issued the following statement in response to Governor DeSantis’s veto: 

“On behalf of the advanced energy industry, including solar installation and manufacturing companies and the thousands of people employed by these industries in Florida, AEE thanks Governor DeSantis for seeing the damage that would have been done from ending net metering in the state. The Governor’s veto ensures that solar panels on residential homes in Florida retain their full value, and households are fairly compensated for the energy they provide back to the power grid.

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 21, 2022 – Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) reacted to the announcement by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that it will be reforming regional transmission planning and cost allocation requirements.

Jeff Dennis, Managing Director and General Counsel at AEE, released the following statement on the benefits of the FERC announcement:

“Today’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is an important next step in building the resilient transmission grid the nation needs to meet its economic and clean energy goals and reap the benefits of the rapid expansion of advanced energy technologies. The Commission’s proposals rightly put focus on the need for comprehensive long-term transmission planning that meets the transmission needs of customers and transparently considers the benefits transmission investments can provide to customers over multiple decades.