Clean Energy Update - Spring 2009
Contents
SummaryUCS activists and allies advocated for a national renewable electricity standard (RES) with our new Clean Power, Green Jobs analysis that shows that by requiring utilities to generate 25 percent of their electricity from clean, renewable resources by 2025, we would create new jobs, save consumers money on their electricity bills, and reduce global warming pollution. In key districts, states, and regions, supporters contacted their representatives, signed petitions, and submitted letters and op-eds to local and major media outlets in support of the RES, and UCS supporters in California worked hard to strengthen their state’s RES as well.
The RES in Congress
In February, UCS activists asked their representatives to cosponsor an RES bill—requiring utilities to get 25 percent of their energy from clean, renewable sources such as wind, solar and farm and forest wastes—introduced by Congressman Ed Markey (D-MA) and Todd Platts (R-PA).
UCS analysis shows that a 25 percent RES would reduce natural gas and electricity bills by $64 billion by 2025, spur $263 billion in new capital investment and create 297,000 jobs. The RES would reduce global warming pollution as much as taking more than 45 million cars off the road would.
In the Senate, Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee, released a draft RES of 20 percent by 2021. Though a weak RES, it faced stiff opposition in the senate energy committee. So, starting in February, UCS activists in states with key senate votes sent emails and made calls urging their senators to support a strong RES. Our new RES analysis, with its state-specific energy bill savings, was very helpful in making the case that an RES will actually lower consumers’ energy bills.
In addition, we lobbied and got media coverage with allies in key states, including Indian steelworkers, farmers from Kansas, Minnesota, Indiana, and Iowa, and forest owners from Arkansas and North Carolina.
The RES in the South
UCS collaborated with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) to demonstrate support in the Southeast for an RES by recruiting signers on a letter urging congress to pass a strong RES. More than 3,000 UCS activists joined renewable energy experts and developers in signing the letter, which we delivered to members of congress. In addition, we worked with the media to get stories about the letter and the Southeastern renewable developers printed in state and regional newspapers.
The RES in Alaska
This winter we started a special effort in Alaska, organizing remote villages that are heated by fuel oil and powered by diesel generators. With the rising cost of oil, villagers are paying as much as 40 percent of their incomes on energy—driving many to leave the villages for cities. Our organizer is recruiting villages to endorse the RES, which would enable villages to earn new income by generating renewable energy, reducing their dependence on oil and diesel. To date, more than 80 villages have passed resolutions endorsing the RES and in March our organizer recruited two Native Alaskans to come to Washington DC to urge Senators Begich (D-AK) and Murkowski (R-AK) to support the RES.
A Stronger RES for California
UCS experts are providing critical policy analysis to California officials who are crafting legislation to raise California’s renewable electricity standard to 33 percent by 2020. California Policy Manager Dan Kalb, Senior Energy Analyst Cliff Chen, and Energy Analyst Laura Wisland have all testified in state senate and assembly hearings. Their analysis has been supported by timely messages from UCS activists, who sent in more than 3,000 letters in support of the stronger standard.
