Advanced Energy Perspectives

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is convening this week in Chicago to adopt recommended policies for the coming year.  ALEC, which is tied financially to the Koch Brothers, is the organization behind this year’s unsuccessful attempts to repeal state RPS policies. 

With the exception of the nine legislatures that meet year-round, most legislative sessions have ended.  It was a tremendously active – and successful – session for advanced energy. 

All in all, AEE and its partners have tallied 56 legislative successes this year – defending and expanding renewable energy requirements, increasing energy efficiency efforts, and advancing transportation alternatives – including passage of 49 new bills. 

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals recently handed down a decision on a challenge to the FERC's authority to distribute the costs of high-capacity transmission to support wind investments (“multi-value projects”) across the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) region.  One sentence in the decision has attracted a great deal of interest – the statement that Michigan’s in-state requirement for their RPS is a violation of the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. While some see this language as trouble for the RPS in Michigan and possibly elsewhere, in my view, the decision is a victory for FERC and for advanced energy.

AEE spearheaded a successful effort in the Colorado legislature this year to expand energy performance contracting for public agencies to fleet vehicles – a concept that could serve as a model for other states.  The legislation was conceived and drafted in cooperation with McKinstry and Schneider Electric, two companies actively engaged in energy performance contracts throughout the country.