Advanced Energy Perspectives

Today, Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL-1) released a “Green Real Deal” resolution in response to the Democratic proposal authored by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14). The introduction of each proposal marks a significant shift in the focus on advanced energy at the federal level. Over the previous 24 months, the advanced energy industry spent much time and energy – often with a coalition of unusual allies – beating back proposals that would have provided out-of-market payments to uneconomic power plants to the tune of $34 billion. Fast forward to today, and both parties are putting forward visions on federal energy policy with advanced energy at the center. Neither is going to become law any time soon. Rather, they represent starting points in a discussion that will take place over the coming years. Here’s what each of these starting points contain for advanced energy. 

The advanced energy industry employed just over 3.5 million U.S. workers in 2018, an increase of 125,000 jobs over 2017. Advanced energy employment grew 4% last year, more than twice as fast as overall U.S. employment growth, at 1.5%. And the growth continues: Employers expect to add 6% more advanced energy jobs in the coming year. These are some of the findings derived from the 2019 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER), produced by the Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) in partnership with the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), using data collected and analyzed by BW Research Partnership. Want more proof that advanced energy is a major source of employment? Comparison to other significant U.S. industries might help.

It’s no surprise that advanced energy has a home in Nevada. But when your neighbors include Colorado, California, and New Mexico, the status quo just won’t cut it. Hoping to keep pace regionally, Nevada’s Senate and Assembly Growth and Infrastructure Committee invited AEE, alongside former Colorado Governor and clean energy champion Bill Ritter and nonprofit solar developer Grid Alternatives, to present the economic case for expanding investments in advanced energy technologies.

Last month, AEE filed a petition for declaratory order with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) raising alarm over suggestions that ISO New England (ISO-NE) might implement significant changes to the measurement and verification of energy efficiency resources in the region’s Forward Capacity Market (FCM) without following appropriate procedures. The petition, filed jointly with Sustainable FERC Project, seeks an order from FERC that would protect market participant investments in existing energy efficiency resources from retroactive changes made solely at ISO-NE’s discretion, and ensure that any future changes would occur only through established procedures, including review and approval by stakeholders and ultimate FERC approval.