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SACRAMENTO, CA — This week the California legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom reached a state budget agreement that reflects California’s challenging fiscal landscape and results in difficult reductions. Advanced Energy United, the national clean energy business association, recognizes the importance of an approach that considers both economic realities and the imperative to accelerate advanced energy across the state. The budget prompts continued conversation on strengthening clean energy infrastructure and protecting crucial programs that advance California’s clean transportation goals.  

Business group supports proposal to speed permitting for clean energy infrastructure, urges simultaneous focus on regional collaboration

SACRAMENTO, CA, May 19, 2023 – National business group Advanced Energy United reacted to Governor Newsom’s announcement of proposed legislation to simplify the evaluation process for prioritized electricity transmission and clean energy projects. State agencies resoundingly agree that California needs to expand clean energy at a record-breaking pace over the next couple decades, including upgrading and building the transmission lines necessary to electrify buildings and electric vehicles and deliver affordable energy over larger distances.  

“We are excited by this leadership from the Governor’s Office, paralleling existing discussions in the Legislature, that California is committed to doubling down on tackling the structural challenges that have long impeded timely development of new clean energy,” said Leah Rubin Shen, Managing Director at Advanced Energy United, the national business association of companies working to achieve 100% clean energy and electrified transportation in America. “Keeping our grid affordable and achieving our climate ambitions requires practical reforms to how clean energy and transmission infrastructure are evaluated and approved, as well as a stronger commitment to collaborating with other Western states on shared reliability challenges.”

AZ Mirror examines the likelihood of summer power outages and regulator issues, quoting Leah Rubin Shen's perspective on states' responsibility to build resiliency towards ever-rising temperatures and summer heat waves.

As much as two-thirds of North America could face shortages of electricity this summer in the event of severe and protracted heat, according to the regulator in charge of setting and enforcing standards for the electric grid. 

“Increased, rapid deployment of wind, solar and batteries have made a positive impact,” said Mark Olson, manager of reliability assessments for the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), in a news release. “However, generator retirements continue to increase the risks associated with extreme summer temperatures, which factors into potential supply shortages in the western two-thirds of North America if summer temperatures spike.” 

WASHINGTON, DC, May 17, 2023 — Today the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) released its annual summer reliability assessment warning Western states that they are in for another summer of elevated risk of blackouts due to extreme heat in 2023. NERC issued a similar warning last May, before record heat waves strained energy supplies in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and the Pacific Northwest in September.

Industry group welcomes climate bond and permitting reform for clean energy projects

SACRAMENTO, CA, May 12, 2023 — National business group Advanced Energy United reacted to today’s release of the Governor’s May Revised Budget proposal, which seeks to balance long-term investments in job-creating and cost-saving programs with the immediacy of a budget shortfall. The Governor's May Revised budget does not propose additional cuts to electric vehicle and clean energy programs beyond the initial budget proposal in January.

“We appreciate Governor Newsom’s ongoing commitment to protecting critical clean energy and electrified transportation programs, an acknowledgment that these investments create jobs and save people money on energy and transportation costs,” said Leah Rubin Shen, Managing Director at Advanced Energy United, the national business association of companies working to achieve 100% clean energy and electrified transportation in America.

Political Climate spoke with Leah Rubin Shen about the IIJA rollout, Biden's climate goals, and clean energy tax credits. Listen to the episode here.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — a historic $1.2 trillion investment package passed by Congress on a bipartisan basis — has received little fanfare since President Biden signed it into law last November. The bill contains more than $80 billion to advance the clean energy transition and respond to climate change. But where exactly will those dollars go?

Utility Dive outlined Congress' reconciliation window, citing AEE's Leah Rubin Shen on a the importance of passing clean energy tax credits. Read snippets below and the full article here.

Clean energy stakeholders see a window in the next few months for Congress to pass broad clean energy tax breaks amid high energy prices and an ever-narrowing legislative calendar.

WASHINGTON, DC, December 21, 2021 – National business association Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) continues to advocate in favor of the federal budget reconciliation legislation commonly known as the Build Back Better Act, and today released the following statement on behalf of its federal policy director Leah Rubin Shen: