Advanced Energy United Reports

Within just a few years, corporate renewable energy procurement has become a widespread trend, no longer limited to a select number of forward-looking companies. This shift brings some challenges, but also opportunities for economic development, resource diversification, and collaboration between utilities, customers, policymakers, and advanced energy developers. Now, a new report documents the extent of this trend and another explores how states can adjust to—and benefit from—the shifting priorities of Corporate America. 

At nearly 48,000 workers, advanced energy employs nearly twice as many people in Indiana as colleges and universities, more than machinery manufacturing, and approaching auto parts manufacturing.

The advanced energy industry now supports one out of every 50 workers in Indiana and is expected to grow 2% by the end of 2016, with employers adding more over 900 new jobs by yearend. 

On November 9, 2016, AEE sent a memo to the Transition Committee of President-elect Trump with recommendations with recommendations for modernizing the electric power system as part of infrastructure rebuilding, transforming utility business models to accelerate the adoption of advanced energy technologies, and ensuring that all technologies get to compete to achieve objectives.

As states across the country figure out how to reduce carbon emissions in the electric power sector under EPA’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) rule, some states are also beginning to look at how they will administer the compliance plan that gets them to their CPP target.

State and federal air regulators face challenges in the form of budgetary and staff constraints, and inexperience with ways advanced energy technologies can be used to reduce carbon emissions. As EPA itself has indicated, one solution to this challenge is to turn to outside organizations for help.

As the energy landscape evolves in Ohio, AEE Institute commissioned a study to provide a data-driven, least-cost approach to achieving the state’s growing energy needs and ensuring reliability.

“Four Paths to Ohio’s Energy Future - Modeling Options for Meeting Electric Power needs in 2030” presents the results of four specific scenarios that are representative of multiple runs utilizing AEE Institute’s modeling tool for assessing least cost options for meeting Ohio’s electricity needs. The report projects customer rate impacts of the following four scenarios, all through 2030:

In the past decade, energy efficiency mandates—often called energy efficiency resource standards (EERS)—have been the primary policy tool for driving investment in energy efficiency. With many of these policies approaching their target dates and needing to be extended or replaced in order to continue capitalizing on their cost-saving benefits, some state officials are looking for ways to maintain market certainty for energy efficiency that can work in conjunction with, or independently from, an EERS.

For many companies, the ability to control energy costs and sources is a key factor when deciding where to locate or expand their operations. Increasingly, companies are specifically seeking opportunities to purchase advanced energy—a choice often backed by an internal sustainability goal or renewable energy target. However, in states across the country, policy or regulatory roadblocks leave companies with few options, if any, to meet their needs. 

At just over 140,000 workers, advanced energy employs nearly twice as many Floridians as agriculture, more than real estate, and equal to schools, colleges, and training institutions.

The advanced energy industry now supports 2% of statewide employment and is expected to grow almost 4% by the end of 2016, with employers adding more than 5,000 new jobs by yearend.