News

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.

Budget agreement opens the door to extending the life of fossil fuel generation and misses the mark on creating a more reliable, clean and affordable grid system

SACRAMENTO, June 30, 2022 — Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) responded to the California Legislature’s passage late Wednesday of new budget trailer bills that include billions of dollars for clean energy and transportation investments while also allowing aging fossil fuel power plants to keep running longer beyond planned retirement.