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Tag:

utility bills

Ohio Law Rolls Back Unwise Renewable Portfolio Standards

Ohio Law Rolls Back Unwise Renewable Portfolio Standards

written by Stuart Kaplow

Last Friday, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed Senate Bill 310 freezing the state’s renewable energy portfolio and energy efficiency requirements at 2014 levels.

Environmental activists decried the new state law by evoking apocalyptic fears of ecological collapse while characterizing renewable portfolio standards as just the type of collective sacrifice needed to avoid the end of the world. Average Ohio citizens made it clear they wanted no part of the increased monthly utility bills that Toledo Edison said would rise from $54 today to $241, if no changes were made in the 2008 mandate law. And business wanted nothing to do with the 2008 enactment’s degrowth requirement to cut power usage by 22%.

While 30 states and the District of Columbia have adopted renewable portfolio standards (and 7 other states have some voluntary goal), Ohio is the first state to roll back such a clean energy mandate.

Renewable portfolio standards are state laws designed to increase generation of electricity from renewable resources. These laws require electricity producers within a given jurisdiction to supply a certain minimum share of their electricity from designated renewable resources, generally wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and some types of hydroelectricity, but may include other resources such as landfill gas, municipal solid waste, and tidal energy.

Renewable portfolio standards are a public policy mechanism to require private sector development of renewable energy funded by increased electric bills to rate payers. But they are a regressive fee on electricity in that they take a larger percentage from low income people than from high income people.

Curiously environmental activists lobbied hard against the provision in the new law that requires disclosure of the costs to customers of the renewable energy resource on every monthly bill.

The new law is not perfect. It is only a 2 year moratorium mandating a study and stating the General Assembly intendeds to enact legislation in the future “that will reduce the renewable energy resource.”

The just passed law should be considered in context given the federal EPA’s recent release of its carbon curbs that states will now have to meet largely through this very type of electric utility mandates. Also significant is that most of the meaningful federal tax incentives for renewable energy projects expired last year and have not been renewed by Congress.

Renewable portfolio standards are not good public policy. The hodgepodge of standards exist today for the failure of Congress to act on energy policy. Possibly EPA’s new carbon curb proposals will initiate discussions about solutions to the real world environmental issues of the day, cognizant that electricity use will increase (i.e., EPA’s new carbon curbs assume that electricity consumption will drop sharply) including considering an answer in market based solutions driven by innovation and technology.

It is likely best to not be an alarmist about Ohio’s new law or to deny that it was passed overwhelmingly by the legislature after a hue and cry from the public, who recognized an unwise (expensive) existing law (green or otherwise) when they saw it.

The real concern may be whether Ohio is the beginning of a trend?



June 17, 2014 0 comment
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Ranking America’s Top Solar Cities

Ranking America’s Top Solar Cities

written by The Vote Solar Initiative

Yesterday, Environment Massachusetts released a new report called Shining Cities: At the Forefront of America’s Solar Energy Revolution, which ranks our nation’s top solar cities. The top 5 by total installed capacity are certainly known for their sunshine: Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, San Jose and Honolulu. But there are plenty of non-traditional solar leaders that make the top 20: Indianapolis, New Orleans, Denver and our long-time target of New York all rank among our nation’s solar leaders.

The release specifically highlighted two bright spots from Massachusetts: Boston ranked 3rd among major cities in the northeast and New Bedford is a leader among smaller cities. The report was released at an event in front of the Joseph M. Tierney Learning Center at the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston, surrounded by affordable housing units topped with solar panels.

“We are thrilled to be recognized as a national leader in solar power,” said Brian Swett, Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space for the City of Boston. “Mayor Walsh wants to build on this success and continues to support new initiatives to encourage the widespread adoption of solar power and other renewable energy technologies in Boston.”

“New Bedford’s renewable power program is strengthening our City’s economy, our education system, and our environment, while saving taxpayers considerable money in the years ahead,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell of New Bedford. “Every city in America should be doing what we are doing here in New Bedford, and I could not be prouder of the creativity, commitment, and teamwork of all those here who helped us reach our goals.”

Why the focus on Mass? Local governments in the Bay State state are currently facing a particular challenge to continued solar growth – they’re running into a cap on one of their most important solar programs: net metering.

Net metering gives renewable energy customers full, fair credit on their utility bills for the excess clean power they deliver to the grid. This program means that schools are going solar to save on their power bills and direct precious limited resources to the classroom. It means that cities and counties are leading their communities on clean energy while keeping budgets in check. It means that Massachusetts is reducing the need for expensive and polluting power plants and grid infrastructure, which in turn means savings for all of the state’s energy customers.

But Massachusetts law places a cap on net metering participation, after which utilities are no longer required to offer this important customer right to new non-residential solar energy customers including the local government leaders Environment Massachusetts celebrated today. We’re working with a coalition of stakeholders including Environment Massachusetts, Boston Community Capital, SEIA and the MassEnergy Consumers Alliance to keep solar shining in the Commonwealth. We are urging the legislature to act quickly to pass S.2019 / H.3901, a bill that would raise the cap on net metering participation, and to reject legislation that would undercut the program. If you live in Massachusetts, you can add your support here.

And no matter where you call home, let your policymakers know that you support solar progress. Forward-thinking cities nationwide are benefiting from smart state and local policies that encourage solar investment and job growth.

SolarCities

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April 11, 2014 0 comment
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Net Metering Win Will Help Keep NY Shining

written by Walter Wang

Great news from New York. No – it’s not that lawmakers have successfully delivered massive solar legislation to the Governor’s desk (YET!). But almost as great. In anticipation of an explosion of solar growth from Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun Initiative, the New York Public Service Commission just approved a decision to triple the state’s net metering cap. More details and the decision

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June 14, 2013 0 comment
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Energy Rate and Efficiency Comparison

written by Walter Wang

Depending on where you live in the United States, you’ll see that your electricity and energy rates will fluctuate. Electricity providers calculate your energy usage and electricity prices by kilowatt usage, meaning that how much you pay is dependent on how many cents it costs per kilowatt for whatever provider you use.

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May 9, 2013 1 comment
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Energy Efficiency Finds Its Cell Phone: Part II

written by Walter Wang

If you’re an energy efficiency geek and your refrigerator breaks down, you probably think, “Yes! A chance to buy a new super energy-saving model.”

But you’re the exception. Most consumers consider price tag before ENERGY STAR certification. Human nature being what it is, they choose the cheaper

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April 5, 2013 0 comment
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Markets for Energy Efficiency in 2013: Part II

written by Walter Wang

California holds the unofficial title of greenest of US states. But Massachusetts might swipe the crown if it keeps up its current pace investing in green energy.

For those in the energy efficiency industry, Massachusetts is a state to watch for opportunity. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has named Massachusetts the top state

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December 24, 2012 1 comment
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Tips to Conserve Water

written by Walter Wang

In recent years, there has been a lot of activity in the green movement. More and more people are beginning to realize that their lifestyle choices can make the difference between saving our planet and ruining it for future generations. Because of this, many people are altering their lifestyles to be more environmentally friendly. There is a big push to

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November 7, 2012 0 comment
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San Francisco Program Would Give Consumers Option of 100 Percent Green Power

written by Yale Environment 360

City officials in San Francisco, Calif. are considering a $19.5 million program that would give consumers the option of buying 100-percent renewable power at a higher cost.

The so-called CleanPowerSF plan, which would be done in partnership with Shell Energy North America, would also invest about $2 million into the

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September 19, 2012 1 comment
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Freeing the Grid 2012 Grades Are Out – How Does Your State Rank?

written by Walter Wang

Today the Vote Solar Initiative (Vote Solar) and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc. (IREC) released our official 2012 findings for Freeing the Grid, a policy report that grades all 50 states on two key programs: net metering and interconnection procedures. Together, these policies empower American energy consumers to use rooftop solar and

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September 11, 2012 1 comment
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Save the Internet, Part 2: The Incentive Package

written by Walter Wang

Last time I talked about why energy matters (obviously for the internet). Today I’ll look at one half of the energy efficiency incentive package… or why we should care about saving energy (as if preserving talking cat videos was not enough of a reason).

Electricity is the cheapest form of power in most

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August 7, 2012 0 comment
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Win for Massachusetts and Net Metering!

written by Walter Wang

Great strides for solar occurred in Massachusetts last week with the passage of the 2012 Energy Act. This comprehensive energy bill expands an important solar program called net metering that gives customers credit for the valuable clean power they send to the grid.

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August 6, 2012 0 comment
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Toronto Becomes First City To Mandate Green Roofs

written by Walter Wang

Summer is just around the corner, and for those who live in big cities, that means spring warmth will soon give way to searing heat. Green roofs can help regulate city temperatures, giving people, and the electrical grid, a much needed break.

On April 30th, Toronto will become the first city in

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April 2, 2012 3 comments
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Super Bowl 2012: A Power Play

written by Walter Wang

The New Year is upon us, and President Obama has delivered his State of the Union address, which offered high-level insight on the energy sector in the US but was reminiscent of messages we’ve already heard. Now it’s time to turn our attention to another really important event of the year: the 2012 Super Bowl. As always, this year’s game will be a staggering display

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January 30, 2012 0 comment
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NY Solar Companies Ready to Help Bill O’Reilly Go Solar

written by Walter Wang

No surprise that Fox News isn’t exactly presenting spin-free rhetoric when it comes to talking about our nation’s growing solar industry. Take the case of just last week when Bill O’Reilly of the eponymous Fox Business show made a claim that he’d go solar if only he could find somewhere it was available . .

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November 22, 2011 1 comment
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