Clean Air Task Force’s Post

Many communities may miss out on huge economic benefits due to local laws that hinder clean energy development. The clean energy transition is not just a trend, it's an economic revolution that your community can't afford to miss. #cleanenergyfuture https://bit.ly/3Vl3eRG

New Massachusetts state Office of the Energy Transformation, led by Melissa Lavinson, will ensure a well-coordinated and equitable transition from gas to electric. Following the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities' December order to move utilities away from natural gas, this poses a huge opportunity to turn policy goals into real climate action. “If the office’s mandate is well scoped and Lavinson’s team is adequately staffed and resourced, they could significantly accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to a clean grid" - Elizabeth Turnbull Henry Read more from Sabrina Shankman and Boston Globe Media: https://bit.ly/3TCicSn - - - #ElectricalInfrastructure #ElectricGrid #FossilFuels #ClimateAction #CleanEnergy #NetZero #EnvironmentalJustice

BCSE President Lisa Jacobson released a statement today in response to the House Natural Resources Committee hearing on Chair Bruce Westerman’s release of draft permitting reform legislation. "This is a notable step in advancing federal permitting reform," she said. "Our coalition urges policymakers to seize this momentum, reach across the aisle, and pass bipartisan legislation to unleash deployment of #cleanenergy solutions that are crucial to meeting future #energy demand and maintaining affordable, reliable, and resilient energy access from coast to coast. "At this moment, our nation’s federal permitting and siting processes cause bottlenecks and leave projects stranded in development for far too long. In just one example, over 1,100GW of projects were still undergoing interconnection studies in the seven US independent system operators as of January 2024, according to the #SustainableEnergy in America #2024Factbook. This inaction jeopardizes millions of dollars of private sector investment and halts job creation and economic development in the communities that need it most. "There is no way to meet our nation’s #decarbonization goals if clean energy solutions cannot move past the drawing board. To achieve clean air, reduce carbon pollution, and ensure energy #infrastructure can remain resilient through #climate disasters, we need new clean energy projects in operation – not stuck in a lengthy review process." Read the full statement: https://lnkd.in/eQiCWPFz

Highview CEO, Richard Butland, recently sat down with POLITICO to share key industry insights for their Morning Energy and Climate UK newsletter (MEMEC), highlighting liquid air technology as a vital component of the UK’s clean energy infrastructure. Energy storage is the next “battleground” in the government’s bid to clean the U.K. grid by 2030. In the interview Richard says the government is on “the right trajectory” with its clean power goals. But he thinks there is still one missing link - storage. “Storage is critical, and it’s the next battleground, right? Because fundamentally, I think we’ve committed to the generation, and with AR6 [Contracts for Difference allocation round six] we’re getting a very significant amount of further projects,” he said. But “decisions needed to be made quite quickly” by the government if it is to hit its big green goals, Butland added, even as he talked up “great alignment between government, DESNZ, NESO, and Ofgem.” He argued: “I think that the next challenge will be moving that into execution. And as you know, execution is always a little harder.” Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/eFsPgD2w #EnergyInnovation #Sustainability #Politico #CleanEnergy #NetZero #EnergyStorage #FutureOfEnergy #HighviewPower #ClimateAction #RenewableEnergy #GreenTech #TechForGood

A new report from Acadia Center and Clean Air Task Force (CATF) reveals that enhanced community engagement for clean energy infrastructure projects is critical to achieving New England’s 2050 decarbonization goals. The report highlights the opportunity to accelerate the region's clean energy progress by addressing local concerns and better equipping communities to meaningfully participate in siting and approval processes.   Drawing from prominent case studies around the region, the report also identifies promising options for developers, communities, and policymakers to improve project planning and engagement, helping reduce the risk of failures, legal challenges, and delays. Without comprehensive reforms to improve community engagement processes and modernize siting and permitting policies, the region’s clean energy transition risks significant delays and setbacks.   Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gGaRqqct Register for the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/erAtSggc  

The #US Department of Energy (#DOE) yesterday announced the second cohort of communities selected as part of the Communities Local Energy Action Program (Communities LEAP), a unique technical assistance initiative designed to help disadvantaged communities and those with historical ties to fossil fuel industries take direct control of their #cleanenergy future. The 30 selected communities will receive a total of $18 million worth of technical assistance to create tailored community-wide action plans that reduce local #airpollution, increase energy resilience, lower utility costs and energy burdens, and create good paying jobs. “Under the Biden-Harris Administration, communities that have been overburdened and underserved for far too long can now leverage the federal tools needed to bring their clean energy future to life,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Through in-depth, customised technical assistance, Communities LEAP helps give local governments, Tribes, and community-based organisations an extra boost to further their progress of actionable plans that lower costs while protecting the health and safety of all residents.” Communities LEAP, which first launched in September 2021 as a pilot initiative, reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s priorities to assist community-led transitions to a clean energy economy, and to build a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable future. Communities LEAP also implements the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 commitment, which aims to ensure that federal agencies deliver at least 40% of benefits from certain investments to disadvantaged communities and advances the work of the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities, which focuses on delivering federal investments to hard-hit energy communities. The 30 selected applicants will work with DOE and its network of technical assistance providers, as well as local coalition partners, including local and tribal governments, community-based organisations, utilities, #environmentaljustice, economic development, and equitable investment organisations to develop roadmaps that utilise clean energy as a tool for economic development.

Power to the people? ⚡ USA TODAY has uncovered a concerning trend: local governments are banning green energy development faster than they're building it. This emphasizes the importance of hiring the right people for permitting and community relations. Are you taking steps to ensure your team is equipped to tackle this challenge? Share your thoughts in the comments below! #renewableenergy #renewableenergyjobs Read more: https://lnkd.in/eAikbysD

To explore what we can learn from Canada’s energy policies I spoke with Claire Seaborn, who was the Chief of Staff to Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. Read Here: https://lnkd.in/dfT93cBA Forbes ForbesWomen Claire Seaborn #ClimateAction #EnergyPolicy #CarbonPricing #SustainabilityLeadership #CanadaClimate #GreenEnergy #ClimateChangeSolutions #CleanEnergyFuture #USClimatePolicy #ElectricLadiesPodcast #SustainableDevelopment #GlobalEnergy

To explore what we can learn from Canada’s energy policies I spoke with Claire Seaborn, who was the Chief of Staff to Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. Read Here: https://lnkd.in/dj-uh32g Forbes ForbesWomen Claire Seaborn #ClimateAction #EnergyPolicy #CarbonPricing #SustainabilityLeadership #CanadaClimate #GreenEnergy #ClimateChangeSolutions #CleanEnergyFuture #USClimatePolicy #ElectricLadiesPodcast #SustainableDevelopment #GlobalEnergy

Federal funding to make clean energy equitable is here. It’s up to cities to do the right thing. While some cities are taking practical steps to ensure their clean energy investments benefit those left behind by the energy transition, more cities must act. In this op-ed, Stefen Samarripas, senior manager with The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) policy team, outlines three key lessons city leaders should consider as they launch new federally-funded clean energy programs, and practical steps to ensure clean energy investments reach those with the greatest needs. https://lnkd.in/ehQqvyf3 #cleanenergy