Advanced Energy Perspectives

Last week, AEE hosted Energy Forward, our members and partners conference in Washington, D.C. The sessions were a great opportunity for AEE members to network, participate in wide-ranging and timely discussions, and engage on federal policy issues. The event included visits with key offices in the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as opportunities for our members to meet with federal policymakers and thought leaders.

This Wednesday, March 4, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a hearing titled "The 21^st Century Electricity Challenge: Ensuring a Secure, Reliable and Modern Electricity System." This hearing begins a dialogue that is an important one: What are the steps that Congress should take to ensure that the electric grid offers reliable, affordable, and clean energy that allows for consumer engagement in their electricity choices? How can the federal government establish policies that spur the growth of the advanced energy industry and help consumers at the same time?

AEE Members will be prominently featured in this hearing. Naimish Patel, CEO of Gridco, will testify about how software and analytical advances can help utilities incorporate higher amounts of renewable energy and energy efficiency into the grid. Paul Nahi, CEO of Enphase, will testify about his company's microinverter technology and how it can help solar industry penetrate the market at even higher levels. [Edit: watch the recorded testimony here.]

The first week in February always raises two crucial questions: will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow and doom the country to another six weeks of winter? And what will the President include in his budget proposal for the upcoming year? The groundhog did see his shadow, and the President did offer up a budget, including some interesting items for advanced energy.

The budget request process is a quixotic and oftentimes symbolic effort. It is an opportunity for the White House to show to Congress and the public its priorities and how it would allocate taxpayer dollars, given the opportunity. This year’s budget request mirrored themes from the President’s State of the Union address, particularly when it comes to energy policy. The budget proposal includes a new $4 billion fund for states that goes further and faster than the current timeline allotted in the Clean Power Plan. It calls for a permanent extension of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Production Tax Credit (PTC), which is currently lapsed, and asks for money to finance additional clean energy projects.

President Obama’s penultimate State of the Union was closely watched by politicos and policy wonks alike. It was, after all, his first address to a fully Republican Congress. What the President said, and how he said it, was very telling of how he wants to treat his last two years.

Many State of the Union addresses look forward and set lofty goals. In contrast, this year’s address was a look back at how the country has changed over the past six years. He noted with respect to energy that, “every three weeks, we bring online as much solar power as we did in all of 2008” and that “America is [now] number one in wind power.”

Earlier this week, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was sworn in as the Senate’s new majority leader, replacing Harry Reid (D-NV), who took his new post as the Senate Minority Leader. Republicans now control both bodies of Congress, and will challenge many of the actions from the executive branch. What should we expect from the 114^th Congress?

Everybody has seen the old Schoolhouse Rock “I’m Just a Bill” video, but we all know the legislative process is even more complicated, and could get more so. When in the minority last year, and unable to offer amendments or modify legislation, Senate Republicans decried the lack of adherence to the traditional legislative process, or “regular order.” Incoming Leader McConnell has pledged to return to an open process, by which committees author legislation under the direction of committee chairs and then the full Senate is able to amend at well. Still, it remains unclear how long McConnell will be able to maintain this process – it allows Senate Democrats to demand votes that put Republicans in difficult political positions.