2006 successes need to be followed by more action in 2007

[Guest guest]

In 2006, renewable energy victories occurred in both Washington and

Arizona, and in California, a landmark law passed requiring new

power plants to meet a minimum global warming pollution standard. In

2007, we need to leverage these state victories to push the new

Congress to pass a federal renewable electricity standard.

 

Washington Passes Its First Renewable Energy Standard

 

The state of Washington will be generating more clean, renewable

energy soon thanks to voters passing the Clean Energy Initiative (I-

937) by a 52-48 percent margin. Washington becomes the 21st state

(plus DC) to adopt a renewable electricity standard (RES), and the

second state to do so via a ballot initiative. The new RES requires

the state's largest utilities to reach 15 percent renewable energy

use by 2015. It also requires electric utilities to pursue low-cost

energy conservation opportunities with their customers and in their

communities. Based on a Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS)

analysis, the successful implementation of I-937 would, by 2025,

keep about 4.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from

entering the atmosphere each year—equivalent to taking 750,000 cars

off the road.

 

Arizona Increases Its Renewable Energy Standard

 

In Arizona, the Corporation Commission raised their renewable energy

standard (RES) to 15 percent by 2025, up from its original 1.1

percent by 2007 requirement. After more than two years of regulatory

proceedings, the Arizona Corporate Commission (ACC) voted 4-1 in

favor of increasing its RES, making Arizona the ninth state to go

back and increase/strengthen its renewable energy requirement. The

increased requirement will support an additional 3,200 megawatts

(MW) of renewable energy capacity, with up to 30 percent of that

amount set-aside for solar energy. It will also reduce annual CO2

emissions by about 8 million metric tons by 2025.

 

California Requires Cleaner Electricity

 

In California, the state legislature passed and Governor Arnold

Schwarzenegger signed a landmark law (SB 1368 - Perata) that

requires new power plants and most new contracts for electricity in

California to meet a minimum global warming pollution performance

standard. This standard will eventually reduce the amount of

electricity from dirty sources that is generated in or imported into

the state for California customers. With California leading the way,

laws such as this one could help discourage the building of dirty

coal-fired power plants and encourage the greater use of more

climate-friendly sources of electricity generation. Another new law

(SB 107 – Simitian) will speed up implementation of the 20 percent

renewable electricity standard for California's largest utilities,

as well as require all utilities to take into account carbon

emissions when developing their long term plans.

 

Since energy issues were trumpeted by so many newly-elected members

of Congress, and with new leadership in the House, we should expect

increased federal leadership from the 110th Congress. The federal

renewable energy standard passed the Senate three times, only to

fail in the House. Now, with more support for renewables, we are

more hopeful than ever that the House will pass the bill.

 

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