Advanced Energy Perspectives

As noted in this week’s State Update, states nationwide have seen a coordinated effort to roll back existing renewable energy requirements, but those have gone nowhere as AEE’s state partners have proved, time and again, that advanced energy is good policy for states.

This is the year of the stress test for state Renewable Portfolio Standards – and so far, they are passing with flying colors. 

The Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal have both written about the blowback to state renewable energy mandates instigated by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). But so far, these anti-RPS efforts have fizzled.

Many states are considering policies to advance "shared solar" - or large solar PV systems into which multiple customers are invested.  The customer then receives a credit on their bill for their portion of the energy produced from the system, just as if they had a system on their roof. 

Natural gas is now one of our most abundant fuel sources, and it’s cleaner burning than other fossil fuels, making it a natural for advanced energy applications like high-efficiency electricity generation and even transportation. Energy companies worldwide are working to develop infrastructure for transporting the fuel from producer to consumer, often in the form of LNG. 

California is on the cusp of a new wave of investments in advanced energy technologies and projects, from energy efficiency upgrades for aging school buildings to breakthroughs in low-carbon fuels.  Or at least it should be.  With revenue generated from Prop 39 and proceeds from the auction of emissions credits under AB 32, 2013 was to be the year that the state reaffirmed its leadership role in energy and climate.