To address the climate crisis, utilities must transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. We published the first Dirty Truth Report in 2021, evaluating utility plans to transition to clean energy based on their commitments to retire coal, build clean energy, and not build new gas through 2030. In 2021, these utilities failed to plan for the clean energy transition, scoring an aggregate of 17 out of 100.1. Unfortunately, instead of correcting course, many utilities continue to fail to appropriately prepare for a clean energy future, wasting time as the clean energy transition becomes more urgent. This failure has led to the timing and cost challenges that these companies are now trying to use as excuses to remain reliant on fossil fuels.
The solutions to move away from fossil fuels exist today. Utilities are well positioned to take action with cost reductions in clean energy, strong public support for the clean energy transition, and government support for climate solutions... - Sierra Club
Friday, October 18, 2024
Utilities are doing a pitiful job in clean energy transition
This is unsurprising on the whole, but I admit that I was a little startled to see how little is being done.
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Just curious, does the gridlock in DC impact the decisions that utilities make on investments ? Some may want to do something, but then wonder what will happen to the various tax credits and/or grants that could change. i.e. Finstad is complaining about utilities facing "burdensome regulations" (no idea what they are because Finstad just likes to complain.)
ReplyDeleteBTW ... interesting story how some MN communities are using funds.
i.e. Minneapolis has used franchise fees to save city residents more than $150 million annually in energy costs and helped weatherize more than 5,000 low-income units
https://www.power-grid.com/customer-service/minnesota-cities-tap-utility-fees-to-help-fund-local-clean-energy-and-climate-action/
It's plausible that some are holding off because of that uncertainty. But I think the biggest factor, by a lot, is maintaining their profit margins no matter what.
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