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35 U.S. States want a national minimum renewable energy standard

RES in the 35 states and Washington — 30 of which involve mandatory targets — will create more than two million jobs.

State leaders want flexible, minimum US renewable energy standard Washington (Platts)–20Oct2010 Leaders from some of the 35 US states that require a minimum percentage of power generation to come from renewable sources said Wednesday they support a national renewable energy standard, as long as it supports rather than hinders state efforts….… Ritter, a Democrat, and Anderson of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, said that Congress should set a minimum standard and not squash state efforts to go beyond it or use their available resources, which may vary by region or state, to meet it. “We want Congress to set a strong floor and let those states that have an advantage and an interest and a passion to move forward and farther faster and not undercut the great work we’ve done in renewable energy,” Anderson said.

Colorado and Minnesota have two of highest renewable energy standards in the country. Minnesota in 2007 enacted a statewide RES of 25% by 2020 and 28% by 2025 that covers all electric utilities. Colorado in 2007 approved a RES requiring that 20% of investor-owned utilities power sales come from renewable electricity sources by 2020.

A 10% standard applies to rural cooperatives. Earlier this year, the state strengthened its RES to 30% for IOUs and 10% for rural cooperatives. The Center for American Progress estimates that RES in the 35 states and Washington — 30 of which involve mandatory targets — will create more than two million jobs.

State leaders want flexible, minimum US renewable energy standard – Electric Power | Platts News Article & Story

October 21, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, climate change, energy efficiency, global warming, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind