NEW ENERGY FUTURE—Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter signs HB-1281. Our allies in Colorado joined the governor for this historic step toward a new energy future.

Energy prices and the conflict in the Middle East, combined with growing concern about global warming, have jump-started a long overdue national conversation about the direction of America’s energy policy. The public is clamoring for solutions and supports increasing the amount of power we get from renewable energy.

But, right now, Congress and the White House are failing to take advantage of our nation’s almost unlimited potential to generate electricity from renewable sources of energy like wind and solar power.

They only have to look as far as the nearest state capitol for inspiration.

A Boost For Clean Energy
Renewable electricity standards (also known as renewable portfolio standards or RPS) have been enacted in more than 20 states. These standards require power companies to generate an increasing amount of clean renewable energy such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass (plant material). Because most of our electricity currently comes from dirty and dangerous sources such as coal and nuclear power plants, increased renewable generation means less global warming and other pollution.

Thanks to renewable electricity standards, renewable power is booming in Texas and Colorado, while Pennsylvania and New Jersey have turned their cities into international centers for solar manufacturing.

This year, working with our partners in the states, U.S. PIRG continued to build support for renewable energy. In just the first five months of 2007, six states have adopted or strengthened their renewable energy standards. Renewable energy standard bills are also gaining momentum in Oregon, North Carolina, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. In March, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter each signed legislation to double their states’ renewable electricity standard.

Both bills increase the renewable electricity standards in their states from 10 percent to 20 percent by 2020. In May, New Hampshire Gov. Lynch signed a landmark bill requiring nearly 20 percent of the Granite State’s electricity to come from clean, renewable energy by 2020. The Maryland Legislature passed legislation to strengthen that state’s renewable energy standard by adding more solar.

“The environment and our national and economic security depend on a major shift toward clean renewable energy sources,” said U.S. PIRG Energy Program Director Rob Sargent. “Recognizing this, many state officials have acted by supporting increasingly strong policies to promote clean energy options, sending a message to Washington to lead, follow or get out of the way.”

Will Congress Follow?
U.S. PIRG Clean Energy Advocate Kate Johnson has been leading a drive to build support for a national Renewable Electricity Standard. A bill introduced in February by Reps. Udall (N.M.), Platts (Penn.), Udall (Colo.), and Pallone (N.J.) to require the United States to generate 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020 now has more than 90 co-sponsors.

In April, 50 senators, led by Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (ll.) and Olympia Snowe (Maine), sent a letter to Energy and Natural Resources Chair Jeff Bingaman (N.M.) and Ranking Member Pete Domenici (N.M.). The letter called for the inclusion of a strong renewable electricity standard in energy legislation coming from that committee. A renewable energy standard has been passed by the Senate three times in the past six years, only to be knocked down by opposition from the coal and nuclear industries before it could be passed in the House or make it to the president’s desk.