News

In a video interview with The Pattrn Show on The Weather Channel, Matthew Boms of Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance - Advanced Energy United's Texas state chapter - emphasizes that wind, solar, and storage have played a pivotal role in ensuring Texans have reliable power this summer, consistently contributing over 30-40% of the state's total generation. Spotlighting Texas as a leader in advanced energy generation, Boms underlines that renewable energy technologies are mature, cost-effective, scalable, and critical for Texas’ energy future.

A bill to establish a statewide goal for zero-emission school buses will soon head to the Governor’s desk  

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – Today, the California Senate passed AB 579 to accelerate the adoption of electric school buses and bring the benefits of clean air and cost-savings to communities statewide. The bill, sponsored by Advanced Energy United and CALSTART, represents the latest significant action from the California Legislature to accelerate the transition to clean and safe school transportation. The bill will soon head to Governor Newsom’s desk for signing.  

Brought forward by Assemblymember Phil Ting (District 19), AB 579sets a statewide deadline requiring all new school buses purchased or leased after 2035 to be zero-emission. The bill extends the lease terms for contracted zero-emission school buses to maximize longer-term savings for schools. Expanding electric school bus adoption over the next decade will substantially reduce maintenance and fuel costs by thousands of dollars annually, freeing up funding to put back into the classroom. 

TRENTON, NJ – National business association Advanced Energy United shares its condolences today for the family, friends and colleagues of Joseph Fiordaliso, president of New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU), a longtime public servant who was a positive force behind the state’s ambitious push towards a clean energy future.

Advanced Energy United applauds Governor Whitmer’s vision for achieving 100% clean energy by 2035

LANSING, MICHIGAN – In her “What’s Next Address,” Governor Whitmer named her clean energy priorities for the remainder of the legislative session, among them: reforms to permitting of large-scale renewable energy, a 100% clean energy standard, improvements to utility energy waste reduction programs, and authorization of the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) to consider equity and climate in its regulation of utilities.

“From her implementation of the MI Healthy Climate Plan, to the huge investments in clean energy in the most recent state budget, and the onshoring of battery manufacturing, Governor Whitmer’s leadership on clean energy is undeniable,” said Samarth Medakkar, Policy Principal with Advanced Energy United. “We appreciate this comprehensive approach which not only sets ambitious targets for renewable power and energy efficiency, but also lays out practical reforms for permitting processes and regulatory oversight that will make those goals possible.”

In an opinion piece to CommonWealth Magazine, Advanced Energy United’s Jeremy McDiarmid and Kat Burnham stressed the importance of a robust and resilient grid, highlighting the role New England governors have in building on state commitments to clean energy goals by taking a regional, holistic approach to developing the grid.

The utter devastation of summer flooding in New England and New York and the Canadian wildfire smoke that shrouded the Northeast in an orange haze in June shouts an inescapable truth louder than any voice: Climate change knows no geographic boundaries. Like it or not, the climate crisis is a global and regional issue. We’re in it together, and we’ll have to get out of it together.

Most New England states are committed to making progress on climate action, but states won’t meet their goals without a holistic approach. We need a drastic cut in carbon emissions and no amount of solar, wind, or electric vehicles will get us there without a robust, resilient, and dynamic grid across our states. Getting to 100 percent clean energy requires regional solutions, and New England governors should take the opportunity to show how it’s done.

The Hill provides a comprehensive analysis of the successes and shortcomings of the Inflation Reduction Act one year after the legislation passed, quoting Advanced Energy United's President & CEO Heather O'Neill on the Congressional steps needed to maximize the full potential of the policy.

One year after its adoption, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has resulted in significant strides in the adoption of renewable energy — but the U.S. still has work to do in order to reach President Biden’s climate goals. 

New analyses demonstrate significant growth in the renewables sector as a result of the law, the most significant climate legislation in the country’s history. They also say, however, that the U.S. is not quite on track to meet its climate objectives.

NPR reflects on the first anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, quoting Advanced Energy United's President & CEO Heather O'Neill on how the landmark legislation and related policy reforms are driving the transition to 100% clean energy.

A year ago, Sonia Aggarwal watched from home as the votes came in on the U.S. Senate floor. Aggarwal was working as a White House aide, advising the Biden administration on climate policy. She'd been up all night, listening as senators debated legislation she and many others had spent more than a year trying to pass.

With that vote, the country's most significant climate legislation made it through the U.S. Senate, a body that had stymied previous efforts for decades. The bill went on to clear the U.S. House, and made its way to President Biden for his signature on Aug. 16, 2022.

America’s $374 billion advanced energy industry poised for accelerated growth thanks in part to the Inflation Reduction Act

WASHINGTON, DC, August 16, 2023 – A year after its signing, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is working as intended, fueling a new era of investment in domestic advanced energy manufacturing and empowering the growth of the technologies and services America needs to secure a 100% clean energy future. 

The recently published Market Reportby Advanced Energy United found that the advanced energy industry – made up of several sectors including building efficiency, advanced transportation, electricity distribution and generation, and advanced fuel production – grew by 14% in market size from 2021 to 2022, up to $374 billion. Those figures have the potential to be dwarfed by the growth stemming from the investments fueled by the IRA. Combined with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, the IRA is expected to lead to roughly $444 billion in federal investment and $1.2 trillion in private investment, resulting in $2.8 trillion in total GDP, 23 million jobs, and $60 billion in annual consumer savings – all told, a six-fold return in investment in federal dollars in advanced energy growth. 

To celebrate the moment, Advanced Energy United President and CEO Heather O’Neill released the following statement, anticipating the next era of policies needed to reach our clean energy goals: 

Poll finds bipartisan support for added incentives behind state standard for clean energy zoning and permitting

INDIANAPOLIS, August 15, 2023 – A new statewide poll of likely Indiana voters found widespread support for clean energy resources and for rules that would make it easier to build clean energy in the state.

Cygnal, an international polling and public opinion firm, surveyed 800 likely voters from July 17-18, finding widespread support for renewable energy across the state. A majority of respondents supported  wind (60%) and solar (70%) in the state’s energy production mix, and a majority of respondents from all regions of the state said they would be more likely to vote for candidates in 2024 who supported Indiana’s renewable energy development.

The poll also found 67% of Hoosiers, including a majority of Republicans, would favor legislation to require a uniform standard for the zoning, permitting, and location of renewable energy projects in the state, while four-fifths agreed Indiana should strive to provide consistent and clear regulations to help attract businesses and boost the economy. Over half of all respondents said they would support using state funds to create a financial incentive for local governments that voluntarily adhered to the state standard.