SEPTEMBER 19-22, 2019

Policy Explosion in the States

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Patrick Cummins

Senior Policy Advisor
Center for the New Energy Economy
Colorado State University

Patrick Cummins is Senior Policy Advisor for the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, which includes a group of energy policy experts led by Colorado’s former Governor, Bill Ritter Jr. The purpose of the Center is to help decision-makers to create policies that facilitate America’s equitable transition to a clean energy economy.

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Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales (at center) welcomed the Forum to New Mexico, accompanied by Senate President Mary Kay Papen (NM) and Sen. Peter Wirth (NM).

States Are Embracing Clean Energy Policies: Cost-Competitiveness

Clean energy policies reduce the environmental risks associated with conventional energy generation, and technologic advances have made some clean options cost-competitive with conventional energy generation technologies such as coal and nuclear.

​US Net Generation by Source

States Are Embracing Clean Energy Policies: To Meet Future Demands

As coal, nuclear, and older oil energy generation plants are retired, renewable sources, especially solar, are projected by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) to meeting future demand while reducing risk.

​Annual Electricity Generating Capacity Additions and Retirements
(Reference Case)

Getting There: Free Resources from the Center

State legislators from across the political spectrum were invited to attend a free, 3-day Clean Energy Legislative Academy, which provides resources for State energy policy implementation in support of a clean energy future. In the past 3 years, 74 State legislators have attended the Academy, representing 32 states, and attendees have introduced or sponsored 283 bills, 48 of which have been enacted. The Center also helps legislators monitor, track, and share legislation introduced by Academy attendees, convene stakeholders, present relevant energy policy information to interested parties, and conduct follow-up research. (See: https://source.colostate.edu/csus-center-for-the-new-energy-economy-hosts-third-annual-clean-energy-legislative-academy/)

The Center’s Clean Energy Policy Guide for State Legislatures is a free, online energy policy resource that examines current clean energy policies, identifies innovative policies, provides key policy components, and links to additional resources. (See: http://cnee.colostate.edu/cleanenergypolicyguide/)

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) is a hub of information on existing state clean energy policies and future policy opportunities. Users can search all 50 states or 37 energy policies, identify policy gaps and opportunities, review key policy components, and download policy briefs. (See: https://spotforcleanenergy.org/)

The Advanced Energy Legislation Tracker is a free online database that categorizes and tracks current session legislation and archives all bills. (See: https://www.aeltracker.org/)

A Policy Explosion

Since 2013, more than 2,600 energy bills have been passed in legislatures across the country addressing a broad range of environmental issues. Additionally, 29 states have mandatory Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (“RPS”), and 8 states have a voluntary goal for implementing renewables. States also are adopting or considering standards for clean energy, energy efficiency, and low- and zero-emission vehicles.

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Senators Andrea Stewart-Cousins (NY) and Ronald Kouchi (HI) posed during a break in the sessions.

Speaker Biography

Patrick Cummins  

Patrick Cummins is a Senior Policy Advisor at the Center for the New Energy Economy where he leads the Center’s work with Western states, utilities, and stakeholders on the transition to a low-carbon economy. Patrick has been working with Western states and stakeholders on air quality and climate programs for 30 years, including at Metro Denver’s Regional Air Quality Council, and as the Director of Air Quality and Climate Programs at the Western Governors’ Association. Prior to joining Governor Ritter’s team at Colorado State University he served as Executive Director of the Western Climate Initiative, where he helped develop and implement the world’s first economy-wide cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions which is being implemented by the State of California and the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Patrick has a Chemistry Degree from Fort Lewis College and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Policy from Indiana University.