In a first-of-its-kind report announced this morning, Ceres and Clean Edge ranked the nation’s largest electric utilities and local subsidiaries on their renewable energy sales and energy efficiency savings. The report focused on three clean energy indicators: renewable energy sales; cumulative annual energy efficiency; and incremental annual energy efficiency.
My colleague Jon Wellinghoff wrote the forward to the report. Jon noted that the traditional electric utility industry is entering what may be the “most tumultuous period” in its history. He added,
“The different components of clean energy—energy efficiency, demand response, renewable energy, distributed generation, and the “smart” infrastructure required to integrate and optimize them—are critical elements of the 21st century electricity market. Traditional utilities and third parties will compete to offer consumers a range of customized energy-related products and services that extends far beyond today’s electricity service—and probably sooner than we think.”
“Ignoring this clean energy shift is dangerous, for both the traditional utility business and the environment. The U.S. Department of Energy recently found that renewables could feasibly provide 80 percent of the nation’s energy by 2050. The main obstacle is not the price tag (which is comparable to a business-as-usual scenario) or the technical challenges, though both are considerable. Rather, it is largely a question of leadership, market structures and political will.”
You can download a copy of the report at the Ceres website.