Yesterday, AEE Members met with Chris King, Democratic nominee for Florida lieutenant governor, and Chris Lipson, policy director for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum to discuss policies that could accelerate the adoption of advanced energy resources and growing the number of advanced energy jobs in Florida. The business representatives discussed policy mechanisms and regulatory initiatives that a Gillum administration could utilize to ensure that Floridians reap the economic benefits and cost savings of advanced energy technologies – such as growing the 160,000 jobs now supported by the advanced energy industry in Florida. AEE member companies met with Republican nominee Ron DeSantis in August, prior to the primary election.

PJM, the nation’s largest regional grid operator and the largest wholesale electricity market in the world, is at a crossroads: Can it run its markets while accommodating the ability of states to enact clean energy policies, or will it adopt new market rules that put the continuation of those policies at risk? With zero-emission credits (ZECs) supporting existing nuclear power plants in states like Illinois and New Jersey adding to the 29 states across the country already having renewable portfolio standards (RPS) that provide support in the form of renewable energy certificates (RECs) – and many of those states continuing to ratchet up RPS requirements – certain power plant operators have voiced concerns about what they see as “distortions” of the wholesale market. FERC is listening and making big moves. AEE is fully engaged in FERC’s proceedings, working to make sure that advanced energy resources are not disadvantaged in response.

In September, AEE’s Ohio team met with Secretary of State and Republican nominee for lieutenant governor Jon Husted and Michael Hall, policy director for Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike DeWine, as a part of a series of conversations with the gubernatorial campaigns aimed at raising awareness about the economic benefits associated with the advanced energy industry. Ohio AEE met with candidate DeWine himself in March.

In September, AEE Members and our Ohio team met with Richard Cordray, Democratic gubernatorial candidate, to build support for policies that accelerate the adoption of advanced energy resources and growing the number of good paying jobs in Ohio. The business representatives discussed policy mechanisms and regulatory initiatives that a Cordray administration could utilize to ensure that Ohioans reap the economic benefits and cost savings of advanced energy technologies. Although the advanced energy sector employs 112,000 Ohioans, much more can be done to capture the rapid growth of the industry.

Image provided by EnergyEfficiencyDay.org

This year’s Energy Efficiency Day (#EEDay2018) was designed to spotlight the impact of efficiency technologies and inspire companies, as well as the average person, to take action. That’s why AEE is supporting the national social media campaign on Oct. 5 and encouraging our members and partners to join us.