Renewable energy mandate will boost renewable energy use by 800%, help stabilize energy prices and protect public health
As the new home of RIPIRG's environmental work, Environment Rhode Island can be contacted regarding this news release.
WARWICK— The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) held a hearing on October 12 on the implementation of a Renewable Energy Standard (RES).
Consumer
and environmental groups gathered before the hearing to highlight the
benefits that renewable energy can bring to consumers, the economy and
public health. The groups commended the PUC for working diligently to
ensure the Renewable Energy Standard was implemented in a timely
fashion and praised the General Assembly for passing legislation
creating the standard in 2004.
“Making
the shift towards renewable energy is a smart strategy to hedge against
energy price increases and supply disruptions, such as those witnessed
recently in the Gulf Coast,” stated Erich Stephens, Executive Director
of People’s Power & Light. “Renewable Energy Standards can be
considered consumer protection plans for energy prices. Increasing
reliance on sources of energy that are locally generated and have a
fixed cost mitigates the ever-increasing price of fossil fuels, and
will ultimately help avoid the kind of energy price run-ups we’ve seen
recently.”
“With
utility rate hikes and a brutal home heating season on the horizon,
consumers are going to feel the squeeze of high energy prices this
winter and beyond,” said Matt Auten, Advocate with the Rhode Island
Public Interest Research Group (RIPIRG). “Renewable Energy Standards
are good news for consumers and are one of several long-term policies
that states can adopt to help mitigate rising energy costs. Today is an
important first step in the right direction, but a lot of work remains
to promote energy efficiency and further improve our energy mix.”
Studies
have shown that greater use of renewable energy can help take the
pressure off natural gas prices, since energy generated by wind, solar
and other renewable resources will displace electricity generated from
natural gas power plants. And by reducing the demand for natural gas
used to generate electricity, the price of natural gas used to heat
homes will also be stabilized and moderated. Today, over one-third of
New England’s electricity is generated from natural gas.
Renewable
energy can also lower costs because even during peak energy usage
periods, renewable energy has no fuel costs. By generating electricity
at the same cost during peak hours as during normal hours, renewable
energy sources reduce the demand on power plants during peak usage
time, and this can reduce costs for consumers.
The
Clean Energy Act was passed by the General Assembly in 2004. The
Renewable Energy Standard provision requires that Rhode Island obtain
increasing amounts of its energy from renewable resources every year,
beginning in 2007. The target is for Rhode Island to get at least 16%
of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. The Clean Energy Act also
requires that electricity supplier disclose to consumers the sources of
fuel used to generate electricity, and the pollution created in
generating electricity. These energy source disclosure rules were
adopted by the PUC earlier this year.
Currently
about 2% of Rhode Island’s energy comes from renewable sources and the
other 98% comes from other energy sources that are often dangerous to
public heath and the environment.
“Burning
fossil fuels is the leading cause of the kind of pollution that causes
global warming, smog, acid rain, and that poisons of our lakes and
streams with toxic mercury,” stated Chris Wilhite, Campaign Organizer
for Clean Water Action. “Relying more on clean energy, like wind and
solar, to power our homes and run our businesses means that we have the
energy we need and a clean, healthy environment too.
In
addition, the Renewable Energy Standard will also promote economic
development and job creation. When the Clean Energy Act passed the
General Assembly in 2004 it drew the support of the Rhode Island
AFL-CIO, TPI Composites as well as other businesses and labor unions
from across the state.
The
Clean Energy Act of 2004 was sponsored by Senator David Bates
(Barrington) and Representative Paul Moura (Providence) and was signed
by Governor Carcieri.
The
Renewable Energy Standard is expected to reduce .124 million metric
tons or carbon equivalent -or about .5 million tons of carbon dioxide
pollution- according to an analysis done by the Tellus Institute in
conjunction with the Rhode Island Greenhouse Gas Stakeholders Group.
A
total of 93 local organizations and municipalities supported final
passage of the Clean Energy Act in 2004 ranging from the Ocean State
Fisherman’s Association, to the RI State Council of Churches, to the
American Lung Association.
Currently, 18 other states have adopted similar standards including five of the six New England states.
