CESA Blog
In 2022, US state governments increased their collective procurements of offshore wind power to over 8,100 MW. While these collective procurement targets have the potential to transform electricity generation in the US, states have so far come to these targets and approached offshore wind development more generally, on an individual basis. To fully realize the…
Solar for Manufactured Homes: The Next Frontier for Energy Equity
There is a growing movement in the clean energy field to bring the benefits of renewable energy to low- and moderate-income communities. A new report by the Clean Energy States Alliance explores the opportunities and challenges of bringing solar to an often-overlooked market that is ripe with potential: manufactured homes. Manufactured homes, formerly referred to…
State and Federal Initiatives Increasingly Promote Energy Equity
For clean energy to succeed on a broad scale, it must benefit all communities, not just affluent ones. Recognition of the environmental justice and equity components of clean energy is essential for the successful adoption of clean energy technologies in under-resourced communities. This was acknowledged at the federal level as long ago as 1994, when…
CESA and USCA Partner to Accelerate Progress towards 100% Clean Energy
The adoption of 100% clean energy goals by 17 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and has been an especially important positive climate change policy development. Together, these jurisdictions represent 42 percent of the US population and almost half of US GDP. In 2020, CESA launched the 100% Clean Energy Collaborative to…
Offshore Wind Solicitations Address Equity
Energy equity has become an increasing priority at both the national and state levels. As offshore wind moves into a major development phase, ensuring that it advances energy equity and environmental justice is essential. For the federal government, President Joe Biden elevated the importance of an “equitable, clean energy future” in his January 27, 2021…
The Lesson of Texas – And a New Program States Can Use to Quickly Fund the Distributed Energy Storage Solution
If we learn anything from the Texas blackouts, and the death and suffering that have resulted, it should be this: distributed resilient solar+storage systems are no longer a luxury – they are an essential tool to protect citizens from power outages, and modernize the grid so outages become less frequent and severe. The thing is,…
Cleaning Up the Power Grid Requires a Federal-State Partnership
As the Biden Administration takes the reins of power and Democrats take control of the Senate, the prospects for real action on climate change have increased. President Biden has announced support for moving to a zero-emissions power sector by 2035. States are leading the way, with 17 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto…
Going Solar+Storage in Vermont: CESA’s Janice Ouellette Shares Her Story
My husband Dan and I feel very fortunate to live in the “Green” Mountain State of Vermont. In recent years, programs have emerged that have brought clean, renewable and affordable energy to the residential sector in the form of solar PV plus battery storage. Our path to solar plus storage has been a two-stage process,…
Three Reasons to Support CESA
Dear Colleague, As you are thinking about end-of-the-year charitable contributions, let me give you three reasons to consider including the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) in your giving; 1. There is a unique opportunity to slow climate change. The new administration coming to Washington will give high priority to global warming and clean energy. As…
NYSERDA’s Award-Winning Offshore Wind Program
Since 2016, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has been working to develop offshore wind in the most responsible and cost-effective way possible. Its first procurement of offshore wind power has demonstrated the resounding success of its years of careful study, stakeholder engagement and planning. New York’s goal of 9,000 megawatts…
SMUD’s Energy StorageShares Program: The First Virtual Energy Storage Program in the US
SMUD’s innovative Energy StorageShares program is the first virtual energy storage program in the US. StorageShares allows SMUD’s commercial customers to invest in an off-site battery storage system and enjoy energy cost savings without siting batteries at their facilities. In this newly launched pilot program, eligible commercial customers make an up-front payment to SMUD for…