States' Planning for 100 Percent Clean Power Described for First Time
So far, 17 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have adopted 100 percent clean electricity goals, arguably the most important positive climate change policy development of the past few years. To understand the commitments those political jurisdictions have made and the planning that is underway, the nonprofit Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) released Advancing Toward 100 Percent: State Policies, Programs, and Plans for Zero-Carbon Electricity. This report identifies the states' specific 100 percent commitments, describes ways in which they are planning to achieve their goals, and highlights some of the initial plans they have developed. It is the first effort to summarize the status of state 100 percent planning.
Report author Bentham Paulos, Principal of PaulosAnalysis, points out that: "Now that the states have made their 100 percent commitments, they have to contend with the significant technical, economic, and social challenges to meet them. The planning we reviewed shows that they are taking the challenges seriously and working to ensure the transition happens with high reliability, low cost, and maximum benefits."
The new report was produced for the 100% Clean Energy Collaborative, a CESA-managed initiative to assist states that have 100 percent clean energy goals, as well as states that may seek to establish similar goals. The Collaborative offers knowledge-sharing activities, analysis, and technical assistance to states. The primary Collaborative participants are state agency officials, but other stakeholders and the general public can participate in free webinars and receive a free monthly newsletter that reports on activities across the country related to state 100 percent commitments.
CESA Executive Director Warren Leon pledges that: "This new report is just the first analytical product for the 100% Clean Energy Collaborative. In the months and years ahead, CESA will track the states' progress, identify best practices, and provide updates on state activities, successes, and challenges."
Clean Energy States Alliance | www.cesa.org