Advanced Energy Perspectives

On Oct. 25, the Pennsylvania Senate passed Senate Bill 805, which would exempt large industrial and commercial energy users from participating in the Commonwealth’s efficiency programs, under Act 129, by a vote of 35-13. The vote was largely symbolic, since the House is not expected to act on SB 805 in the last two days the legislature will be in session, Nov. 14 and 15. That means the bill will not become law, at least this year. But it does set the stage for a battle next year over letting statewide efficiency gains – and utility bill savings for all customers – become subject to corporate whim.

Image of courtesy of NASA. 

Every week we see more stories of the progress of advanced energy, and this week is certainly no exception. From the biggest purchase of advanced energy ever by the federal government to the first American offshore wind farm, advanced energy is marching on. Some of this week’s advanced energy headline writers seem to know Halloween is coming, but here’s the thing: It will take a little more than zombie power generation, energy storage bloodbath, or eldritch wind projects from the watery deep to scare us.

While supporters and opponents of the Clean Power Plan (CPP) await a decision from the D.C. Circuit Court on the merits of the rule, work continues on the Clean Energy Incentive Program (CEIP), a voluntary early action program that would reward certain renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in the years leading up to the start of the CPP compliance period. AEE submitted comments on the CEIP last week, in advance of the November 1 comment deadline, and not for the first time. In these latest comments, AEE urged EPA to issue credits sooner, expand project eligibility, increase certainty that all early action credits will be available, and ensure a smooth transition to the compliance period beginning in 2022. These suggestions are all in the interest of making the program more effective in jump-starting CPP compliance and putting advanced energy to work for states, communities, and households.