While it is clear that energy and the environment did not play a decisive role in the election, 2017 will nevertheless bring a new set of challenges for energy policy, and elevate the conversation to a higher level. At the federal level, the fight to stop climate change looks bleak. State Environmental Commitments and clear, deliberate leadership at the state and local levels will become essential to advance clean energy goals.
Fortunately, New York’s history of advancing favorable environmental policies has resulted in valuable lessons that can be adapted and implemented in other states to increase economic development, create jobs, decrease pollution, and improve quality of life. In the last three years, New York has made efforts to advance a wide array of policies to improve the environment under the banner of Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), an initiative to change how electric utilities and consumers interact to accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies and services in the state. As a result, environmental outcomes are now a key consideration when utilities make investments; private companies will have access to information needed to develop innovative products and services; and customers will have new tools to better manage their energy, lower their bills, and have a positive impact on the environment.
Maintaining New York’s and other regional efforts will be essential to address the effects of climate change in years to come. Nationally, forward-thinking clean energy policies may be on the verge of stalling, but states will continue to fight for a clean energy future. In this, New York is not alone. California passed a series of bills imposing caps on greenhouse gas emissions to reduce pollution, and Illinois passed the Future Energy Jobs Bill that will add well-paying local jobs, while expanding the state’s already successful energy efficiency programs. Ohio vetoed a freeze on clean energy standards because it would hurt the local economy, and Maryland is exploring clean energy options. These states have reaffirmed their commitments to an economy and environment that benefit from clean energy, and more state environmental commitments are needed throughout the country to continue this trend.
I concur with Rory Christian’s position on what states can do now to advance a clean energy future, and not just because of the fossil fuel tilt of the Trump… Read more »
Nancy, I agree with what you have said and it may be even worse. I believe that all national efforts to globally monitor the effects of climate change will be… Read more »
Hi Herschel, You’re right. It’s getting much worse. A call of action to drill on Federal land. Executive Orders reviving both the Dakota Access and the Keystone XL pipelines. Silencing… Read more »
Rory, I believe that more work has to be done to quantify the importance of and the social impact of setting thermostats at higher levels during the peak demand days of summer.… Read more »
Hi Herschel, Thanks for your response. You’ve hit upon a topic that’s near a dear to me – highlighting the impact of consumer behavior. REV imagines a future where consumers… Read more »
Actually local governments — state, county, and municipal government actions have been the most critical players all along. While the US government’s role in tax policy, transmission siting and interconnection,… Read more »
This just in about the kaboosh on near-final federal energy efficiency standards for equipment, exactly the kind of regulatory regime and impact that states are not equipped to do well… Read more »
State and local governments clearly have significant roles to play in clean-energy infrastructure development and policies such as electric utility regulation and zoning. However, without strong leadership from the federal… Read more »
Scott Sklar is again a voice of reason and long term perspective. Nancy Anderson I fear may be close to Chicken Little. Trump’s freeze on regulations is the same thing that Obama did… Read more »
Happy enough to be called “Chicken Little” for now, although I think “Pauline Revere” is more accurate. Let’s see where we’re at this time next year, particularly on renewable energy… Read more »
Nancy – What flavor was your Kool Aide? Why not ethanol? There has recently been a bigger push for ‘drop-in’ renewable fuels. Why should we aim for the same molecules… Read more »
Hi Bill, I’m not an expert on ethanol, and I’m curious to learn more about your views concerning it’s suitability as an alternative fuel source and would appreciate a private… Read more »
First, let me say that I have a lot of respect for EDF and I have had a few conversations with other staff on particular projects. I would welcome further… Read more »
Bill: You have your facts mixed up about EV’s. EVs start out with 2X the efficiency of ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles because ICE vehicles burn their fuel and lose… Read more »
As others have pointed out, states can play an important role in moving renewable energy forward while the federal government takes the opposite approach. However, no one should be under… Read more »
Hi Dan, Well said. Unfortunately, it’s clear Federal action will only magnify the problems. The Trump administration has already made efforts to revive the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines and… Read more »
Rory: I my previous note I suggested that you try to quantify the possible reduction in peak power brought about by changes in human behavior, specifically using less electricity during… Read more »
This question makes a number of questionable assumptions. First, it sets a marker of clean energy without defining it. Presumably, it means wind, solar, and electric vehicles. But, how clean… Read more »
Hi Bill, You made a number of points in your post, but I want to focus on what you say in your second to last paragraph. You claim that the… Read more »
Rory I want to respond to your three points. First,I did not mean to imply that CO2 didn’t warm. As you know, if it didn’t the globe’s average temperature would… Read more »
Hi Bill, Thanks for clarifying your response, but your original post, along with this follow-up, still suggest that you believe the science behind climate change, and the rise in… Read more »
Rory: You may not be aware that Bill O’Keefe is CEO of the George C. Marshall Institute, one of the original “Merchants of Doubt” according to the book and movie… Read more »
Rory: Another one of Bill’s red herrings that I missed in my comments above is “Wind turbines are a threat to birds and so is large scale solar.” According to… Read more »
Bill, I would like to post these 2 visuals to refute 2 of your points “My objection is not to alternatives like wind and solar, it is the forcing of… Read more »