Advanced Energy Perspectives

AEE is taking its message of a pragmatic, business-focused approach to energy tax policy to Capitol Hill and beyond – and it’s resonating. On AEE’s first Congressional fly-in on April 11, top executives from a dozen AEE member companies and eight state partner organizations talked with 32 Members or senior staff of Senate Finance, House Ways & Means, and congressional leadership – all over the course of a single day. 

Time has come for the federal government to deploy taxpayer dollars in energy more effectively to ensure secure, clean, affordable energy here at home and promote technology development for meeting growing energy needs around the world. 

On Tuesday Maryland’s Governor MartinO’Malley signed the state’s first offshore wind bill into law. The law, which made its through House of Delegates in February and the state Senate in March, will provide as much as $1.7 billion to construct a wind farm off the coast of Maryland. The new measure alters Maryland’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS), adding offshore wind as one of the renewable categories.

Many states throughout the country have Energy Efficiency Resource Standards (EERS), which require a certain percentage of electricity demand to be met by energy efficiency resources rather than generation. It is the EERS that forces utilities to fund and administer energy efficiency programs that deliver energy (and cost) savings to customers rather than sell them more electricity.

In some places around the country, utilities are beginning to push back on these standards.  In New Mexico, a state utility commissioner was leading a legislative effort to reduce the standard, thereby cutting back efficiency investment.  AEE’s partner, the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce, working with the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, negotiated a compromise that should actually expand the energy efficiency offerings to New Mexico businesses and consumers.