Since distributed-level solar generation just started to proliferate across the U.S. a decade ago, as many as 21 states are now reexamining or revamping policies for compensating the power source, upsetting the status quo and deepening a divide among states for and against the incentives.
Competition among U.S. states eager to take the lead in the nation's still nascent offshore wind sector is fueling growth and bringing the industry to new highs. Turning these goals into reality will be no small feat, as the targets are several hundred times the current installed capacity. Still, this hasn’t dissuaded states from doubling down on offshore wind commitments.
The transportation sector’s overwhelming reliance on higher-emitting fossil fuels combined with a federal retreat on climate change policy and fuel economy standards has made the widespread deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) one of the top priorities for states looking to achieve increasingly stringent emission cuts. Electric utilities, playing a central role in the shift away from gasoline-powered cars, are now rolling out of hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure investments and a grab bag of consumer incentives.
State renewable portfolio standards are a key driver behind the torrid expansion of wind and solar generation across the U.S., responsible for about half of the nation's deployment of the clean energy sources over the last couple of decades.
