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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, increasethe 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-asusual 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 states must 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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