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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-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 6 America’s Clean Energy Stars 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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