Hearing hashes out national clean energy standard

Biomass Power & Thermal
By Anna Simet

May 22, 2012

The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources held a hearing May 17 to gather testimonial regarding S. 2146, the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012, as introduced by U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M, earlier this spring.

Among testifiers was Howard Gruenspecht, acting administrator for the U.S. Energy Information Administration. He discussed an EIA analysis performed at the request of Sen. Bingaman to examine the potential impact of the proposed legislation on the development of future electricity markets, and projected carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation. Though they could vary significantly by region, he said, impacts on electricity prices over the next decade are minimal, the EIA found. Projected national average electricity prices start to rise, however, after 2020.

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Bingaman introduces Clean Energy Standard

Biomass Power & Thermal
By Anna Austin March 01, 2012

U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., has introduced legislation for a national Clean Energy Standard that would require large utilities to begin selling a certain portion of their electricity from clean energy sources beginning in 2015.

The Clean Energy Act of 2012 begins at 24 percent clean energy in 2015, and increases by 3 percent per year through 2035 to reach 84 percent. It would only apply to utilities that are selling electricity to retail consumers, and exempts small utilities. In 2015, 8 percent of all utilities would need to meet the standard, and 13 percent of all utilities would need to meet it in 2025.

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