Ohio: Energy law works

FirstEnergy Corp. doesn’t want to develop renewable energy, but the electricity provider has grudgingly agreed to invest in it. That demonstrates why lawmakers should ignore an ill-advised effort to repeal Ohio’s landmark clean-energy law.

Rhode Island’s renewable energy laws

By Representative Deborah Ruggiero

Rhode Island ranks among the lowest 10 states in the country when it comes to renewable energy. However, in the 2011 session, the General Assembly passed a suite of renewable energy laws -- some of the most cohesive and comprehensive in the nation—that will leap frog Rhode Island from laggard to leader in renewable energy.  It’s more than just protecting our environment, it’s about creating jobs in our state.

California adopts new green energy laws

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed three bills into law meant to encourage the use of solar energy and other renewable resources in the nation's most populated state.

The governor went to Marshall Elementary School in Fowler, Calif., on Thursday to showcase the beneficiaries of SB 585, which helps school districts finance solar installations on school buildings through a $200 million grant to the California Solar Initiative.

California: Greenhouse gas law aides state's clean tech growth

California voters did the right thing last November when they rejected an effort to kill AB 32, our state's landmark clean energy law. But now there are more legal challenges – from people who agree with the goals of AB 32 but don't like the details. They are still in court demanding that the state halt implementation of the emissions trading component of the law.

As business leaders, we say enough is enough. The reason is simple: prompt and full implementation of AB 32 is key to our state's economic recovery, and to building a more profitable and more sustainable future for California.

Illinois companies poised to add thousands of jobs to help build Illinois' smart grid

Manufacturing, construction, high-tech and service businesses across Illinois plan to ramp up operations to help strengthen and modernize the state's electric grid. Several prominent business owners joined ComEd in calling for Governor Quinn to approve the Illinois Energy Modernization Act (SB 1652), and shared their plans for expansion if SB 1652 becomes law.

Ohio renewable energy law in danger

Ohio's mandate that utilities find a quarter of their power from renewable and advanced technology sources by 2025 would become a thing of the past under a bill introduced this week.

State Sen. Kris Jordan (R., Powell) has proposed stripping the requirement from Ohio's 2008 rewrite of energy law. The bill has two Republican co-sponsors from the Cleveland and Cincinnati areas.

USA: SMUD push to change renewable energy law on hold until 2012

A last-minute push by Sacramento Municipal Utility District to change the state's green energy law has been put on hold until next year.

Assembly Bill 391, by Assemblyman Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, would help utilities comply with a law requiring all utilities to get one-third of the electricity from green sources by 2020 by giving them credit for renewable energy sources already acquired.

Investors confused by new energy laws

The green energy law that will become effective in 10 months still has to clarify some important issues, such as the new rules for utilities that form monopolies and the prices paid for “clean” energy, in order to allow investors to make long-term plans, according to analysts.

“Though symbolically ground-breaking, there remain some unanswered questions regarding cost, surrounding infrastructure and regulation,” said a Japanese strategist in a report on the bill.

Brussels slams Poland for lack of energy law

The European Commission has launched legal action against Poland after the government failed to pass a law on renewable energy.

Under EU regulations, 15 percent of Poland’s energy is to originate from sustainable sources and the law on renewable energy should have been passed by December last year.

“For this reason, the European Commission has initiated proceedings against Warsaw," Katerina Rybarova, press spokesperson for the European Commissioner for Energy has told the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily.