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Executive Summary
States are leading the way toward a new energy future that
is healthier for the environment and America’s
economy. Over the past decade, states have enacted a variety of policies to
encourage more efficient use of energy, increase the use of clean renewable
energy, and reduce the environmental impact of energy use.
This report highlights state action in five areas of clean
energy policy and the benefits of those actions. We give special recognition to a
number of states that are providing clean energy leadership for America.
State clean energy policies are delivering important benefits for America’s
environment and our economy.
States have adopted many innovative policies to promote
clean energy. Among the most significant of those policies are renewable electricity
standards, the Clean Cars Program, energy efficiency standards and programs,
energy efficiency standards for appliances, and building energy codes.
Renewable electricity
standards
Renewable electricity standards (RES) require that states
increase their use of clean renewable energy from the wind, sun, crops and
other sources. RES policies
have been adopted by 25 states and the District
of Columbia. Those policies will, according to the
Union of Concerned Scientists:
• Reduce global warming pollution by approximately 134
million metric tons per year by 2020 – about 2 percent of U.S.
carbon dioxide emissions in 2006 or the equivalent of taking more than 21
million cars off the road.
• Result in approximately 55,700 megawatts of new renewable
generating capacity in 2020, representing more than 5 percent of America’s
total electricity generating capacity in 2005.
The
Clean Cars Program
The
Clean Cars Program sets strong limits on emissions of smog-forming and toxic
pollution from cars and light trucks, as well as emissions of pollutants that
cause global warming. In addition, the program requires the sale of increasing
numbers of advanced-technology vehicles
like hybrids. The Clean Cars Program has been adopted in 12 states and adoption
is pending in three others.
The
program will:
•
Reduce global warming emissions from cars and light trucks by approximately 74
million metric tons per year by 2020 – a little over 1 percent of U.S.
emissions in 2006 and the equivalent of taking 13.6 million cars off the road.
•
Reduce gasoline consumption by up to 8.3 billion gallons per year. Energy
efficiency programs and standards
States
have taken a variety of approaches to tap their vast potential for energy
efficiency improvements. If every state were to achieve the energy savings
already achieved by the most effective such programs:
•
The United
States could
reduce electricity consumption by about 8 percent compared to business-as usual
levels in 2020.
•
The United
States could
avert 265 million metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution
in 2020 (assuming that electricity savings bring about proportional reductions
in carbon dioxide emissions from power plants).
This
amounts to approximately 4 percent of current U.S.
carbon dioxide emissions or the equivalent of taking nearly 49 million cars off
the road.
•
Energy savings well beyond these levels are likely to be feasible and
cost-effective. If the United States
can use energy efficiency to keep electricity consumption at current levels,
the nation could avoid as much as 530 million metric tons of carbon dioxide
pollution annually by 2020. Appliance
efficiency standards
State
appliance efficiency standards ensure that the latest, most energy-efficient
technologies are included in the products purchased by American families and
businesses.
Since
2002, 12 states have adopted energy efficiency standards for a variety of
appliances, leading the federal government to adopt nationwide standards for
some of those products. Combined, the state and federal standards will:
•
Reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 64 million metric tons –
about 1 percent of total U.S.
emissions in 2006 and the equivalent of taking nearly 12 million cars off the
road.
•
Reduce electricity consumption by more than 84 million megawatthours per year,
approximately 2 percent of U.S.
electricity consumption in 2005 or enough to power 7.4 million American homes.
Building
energy codes
Building
energy codes set energy efficiency criteria
for residential and commercial buildings,
helping to prevent energy waste in buildings. The most up-to-date residential
building energy codes have been adopted by 14 states, while the latest
commercial codes have been
adopted by 17 states. According to the Alliance
to Save Energy, if every state adopted current energy codes for residential and
commercial structures, regularly updated them, improved enforcement, and
expanded the number of structures covered by codes:
•
The United
States could
reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50 million metric
tons per year by 2020 – about 0.8 percent of total U.S.
emissions in 2006
and the equivalent of taking 9 million cars off the road.
•
The United
States could
eliminate the need for 32 new 400-MW power plants.
At
least 34 states have adopted meaningful clean energy policies in one of the
five categories addressed in this report. Of those states:
Seven
states – California,
Connecticut,
New Jersey,
New York, Oregon,
Rhode Island
and Washington
– receive recognition as “gold
star” clean energy states for adopting strong
policies in at least four of these areas.
Five
states – Massachusetts,
Maryland,
Maine,
Pennsylvania
and Vermont
– are “silver
star” clean energy states for adopting
strong policies in at least two areas and meaningful policies in one to two
others.
Nine
states – Arizona,
Colorado,
Delaware,
Illinois,
Minnesota, Nevada,
New Hampshire,
New Mexico
and Wisconsin
– are designated
“rising star”
clean energy states in
recognition of their strong recent
actions to promote energy efficiency
and the use of renewable sources of energy.
All
states, as well as the federal government, can do more to take advantage of America’s
clean energy potential.
•
Gold star states should
continue to innovate by looking for new opportunities to
reduce energy use, strengthen building codes and appliance standards, promote
renewable energy,
and lower global warming emissions from cars. Gold star statesmust also work to
ensure that their ambitious goals for clean energy development are actually
met.
•
Silver star and rising star states should
adopt the full complement of
clean energy policies described in this report and strengthen the policies they
already have on the books.
•
Other states should
follow the example of the clean energy leaders highlighted in this report and
adopt strong clean energy policies in each of these five areas.
•
The federal government should
adopt nationwide clean energy policies that build off of the leadership and
example set by the states. Those policies should include:
•
Increasing federal fuel economy standards to 40 miles per gallon by 2018,
achieving energy savings and global warming pollution reductions surpassing
those of the Clean Cars Program.
•
Adopting a federal renewable electricity standard that requires 25 percent of
the nation’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025.
•
Expanding and extending federal tax credits for energy efficient vehicles,
buildings and appliances.
•
Adopting new federal appliance efficiency standards and improving the process
for adopting standards to maximize cost-effective energy savings.
•
Encouraging and supporting the development of stronger residential and
commercial building energy codes.
•
Increasing federal investment in clean energy research and development.
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