July 12, 2007
New Report: National Renewable Electricity Standard would lead to jobs, consumer savings, less pollution;
UCS documents benefits for 20 states and the nation
WASHINGTON (July 12, 2007) – A national renewable electricity standard requiring utilities to increase their use of wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources would generate thousands of new jobs, lower electric and natural gas bills, and slash global warming pollution, according to an analysis released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists. UCS examined the impact of a proposed national standard on the nation as a whole and on 20 states.
"Turning on renewables would cut energy costs for not only individual families, but for small businesses and large energy users like steel mills and auto plants," said Alan Nogee, director of the UCS Clean Energy Program. "At the same time, increasing our use of renewable energy would help clean up air pollution and provide a down payment in the fight against global warming."
The House of Representatives may vote on renewable electricity standard legislation as early as this month. The Senate has passed a standard three times over the last five years, only to be thwarted by House inaction. The House bill (HR 969), sponsored by Reps. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Todd Platts (R-Pa.), would require utilities to increase their use of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2020.
UCS's analysis found that a 20 percent national renewable electricity standard would:
- generate more than 185,000 renewable energy jobs nationally by 2020 in manufacturing, construction and other industries.
- be a $25.6 billion financial boon for farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners who produce biomass energy and/or lease their land to wind developers.
- save consumers $10.5 billion on energy bills through 2020 by reducing demand for fossil fuels and lowering natural gas and electricity prices. By 2030 those cumulative savings would balloon to $31.8 billion.
- slash global warming pollution by 223 million metric tons a year, the equivalent of taking 36.4 million cars off the road.
The UCS analysis reviewed the impact of the proposed national standard in 20 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. For individual state reports and UCS's projection of the benefits of a national standard, go to http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/clean_energy_policies/cashing-in.html.
The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C.
