Advanced Energy Perspectives

Californians are grappling with recurring power shut-offs, wildfires, poor air quality, heat waves, and rising energy costs. These combined challenges are straining the electricity system as well as Californians’ finances, so much so that 55% of Californians say their monthly energy bill is a significant concern. To prepare our energy system and protect communities from worsening climate impacts, California must continue to make a rapid transition to clean electricity. But the way California supports solar, its leading clean energy resource, is about to change. If not done correctly, this change could threaten the state’s ability to meet its clean energy goals, and leave our electric power system more vulnerable than ever. 

There’s no more exciting play in football than the Hail Mary – a desperate throw to the end zone in hopes of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Sometimes it even works (see Doug Flutie, Boston College, 1984). More often, though, it is the ground game that moves the chains, advancing the ball inexorably toward the goal line with every 10-yard gain. So it is with advanced energy, where the march toward 100% clean energy is happening, with little Hail Mary-style spectacle, state by state.

California’s legislative session drew to a close on September 10 this year, uncharacteristically early, and with less fanfare than in years past. In many ways, the session started off like a sequel to the one prior, with economic recovery, energy reliability, and wildfire severity all top of mind. But rather than a sprint, with a crowded field rushing to the tape, the 2021 legislative session was more like a marathon, with fits, starts, and a finish line stretching an additional week, when the tally for the September 14  gubernatorial recall election was finished. The implications of this consequential recall campaign – including raised stakes for the state’s clean energy ambitions – reverberated throughout the Capitol and, in some cases, had a chilling effect on political appetites. But in the end, the advanced energy industry gained major breakthroughs on electric transportation, with some unfinished business, as wildfire concerns dominated the conversation on reliability and resilience. 

As the popularity of electric transportation has risen throughout the nation, many different actors are now coming together to better coordinate on how to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Florida has taken steps recently to be better prepared for EV adoption and charging infrastructure. We are seeing changes at the municipal, county, and state level to get ready for – and accelerate – electric transportation growth. Now we are seeing action on a region-wide basis as well – and AEE is at the center of it.

On Monday, the Illinois General Assembly passed a landmark clean energy bill, which Governor JB Pritzker promptly signed into law, fulfilling a cornerstone promise from his 2018 campaign: deliver strong climate action by transitioning Illinois to 100% clean energy by 2050. It also means potential market opportunity worth an estimated $37 billion for advanced energy companies as they help Illinois meet two great challenges: decarbonizing the electric grid and lifting up every corner of the state with good jobs in the new energy economy. Read on for what the bill does, how it came about, and why it’s a huge win for the advanced energy industry.