A Statement on the Impact of the Election on Clean Energy and Climate Progress

To the Acadia Center Community,

Over the past few days, myself and the Acadia Center team, alongside the nation, have begun to process the vastly different political landscape we’ll be working in for the next four years. The severe threats a changing climate poses to our economic security, quality of life, and safety are not bound by political elections. Climate is science, and as we look to the future, Acadia Center is redoubled in its determination to reduce emissions, encourage clean energy, and prioritize public health.

The work Acadia Center does advocating for multi-state efforts to accelerate progress, working with diverse partners at the regional, state, and local levels, and implementing a clean, safe and economically prosperous climate future for all, will be one of the most important bulwarks to keep progress moving and minimize possible damage. States, regions, and cities have the ability– and responsibility – to strengthen their longstanding commitment to climate leadership in the next four years.

With the likely shift in the national approach to climate and energy, several trends have emerged, presenting both challenges and critical motivators for Acadia Center’s mission.

The scale of potential damage is large. Analysts from CarbonBrief report that a shift in administration could result in an additional 4 billion tons of U.S. emissions by 2030—equivalent to the combined annual emissions of the EU and Japan. This increase could cause global climate damages worth more than $900 billion, according to the latest U.S. government valuations.

The new administration could interfere with federal agencies like the EPA and NOAA. This would leave enormous gaps in the data we rely on to understand emissions trends and weather impacts. While it’s unclear how quickly this could unfold, Acadia Center remains vigilant in tracking these developments and the potential impact on our efforts.

The role of state, regional, and municipal climate action is indispensable. These jurisdictions have significant authority over key sectors and can enact policies that move the needle on emissions reductions. From regulating utilities to enforcing renewable energy standards and advancing clean transportation solutions, state and local leadership will be crucial in filling the gaps that may arise if national support falters. Acadia Center’s long-standing focus on empowering states and localities will be more important than ever.

Let us keep in mind that the clean energy future is happening. Clean energy markets are growing rapidly, driven by technological advances, cost competitiveness, and the increasing recognition of climate-related risks by the business community. In fact, renewables now comprise over 30% of U.S. utility-scale electrical generating capacity. Clean energy is building the jobs of the future, from brand new electric vehicle manufacturing plants, to battery storage, to training electricians in home installations. The economics alone should dictate that clean energy – from solar and batteries to EVs and transmission – should be an essential centerpiece of an energy abundance and energy security agenda – offering the most affordable, scalable, and resilient energy that our evolving economy needs. These developments provide a foundation of success as we look toward the future, underscoring the need for continued collaboration between industry, government, and civil society.

In the face of these challenges and opportunities, I am reminded that meaningful progress often requires resilience and cooperation. Acadia Center is here to drive these efforts.

For 25 years, Acadia Center has crafted ambitious but practical solutions, offered credible information, and shown how clean energy and climate action are the pathways to a healthier, more stable, and resilient economic future. Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to the work ahead with purpose and determination.

Sincerely,

Dan Sosland

President, Acadia Center

The race for clean energy is local

The U.S. power grid is at a critical crossroads. Electricity generation, like every other industry, needs to rid itself of fossil fuels if the country is to play its role in combating the climate crisis — a transition that will have to happen even as energy providers scramble to meet what they claim is an unprecedented spike in electricity demand, attributed to the rise of AI.

“There can be an extreme imbalance between the different parties who might be participating in these proceedings,” said Oliver Tully, the director of utility innovation and reform for the Acadia Center, a nonprofit advocating for clean energy across New England.

In Connecticut, one of the states where Tully works, it took a natural disaster to usher in change. Hurricane Isaias left some 750,000 people without power in August 2020, some for more than a week. The state’s utility commission, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, or PURA, ultimately issued millions of dollars in fines over utilities’ slow response or lack of preparation. The storm, Tully said, got state leaders thinking seriously about how those utilities are governed.

“That was the catalyst that got a lot of legislators talking about the need for change within the world of utility regulation,” he said.

It’s not a shift utilities are often fond of, and their powerful lobbying efforts can be a major obstacle. The resistance in Connecticut was so vehement, Tully said, that lawmakers in Maine abandoned a similar bill.

“This is a perennial risk of these kinds of proceedings,” he said. “It represents a threat to the status quo of how utilities have been operating for many, many years.”

The Connecticut commission is still working on how it will implement performance-based regulation, and the other changes are relatively new as well, so their impact is still “to be determined,” Tully said. But he and his colleagues were encouraged that the advisory councils have pushed PURA to consider equity.

While a hurricane kickstarted change for Connecticut, it also took a lot of advocacy — both “up and out,” said Jayson Velazquez, one of Tully’s colleagues based in Hartford. The group and its allies lobby “up,” working to get lawmakers and commissioners on board with passing reforms. And they also work “out,” communicating their findings and the issues before the commission to the public and engaging environmental justice groups and community members.

“A lot of the work that we’re doing is bridging that gap between environmental justice groups and our regulators,” Velazquez said. “You kind of have to raise the collective consciousness of the groups before you can really get into effecting change.”

To read the full article from Grist, click here.

In the race for clean energy, a couple hundred overlooked officials control the US power grid

The U.S. power grid is at a critical crossroads. Electricity generation, like every other industry, needs to rid itself of fossil fuels if the country is to play its role in combating the climate crisis — a transition that will have to happen even as energy providers scramble to meet what they claim is an unprecedented spike in electricity demand, attributed to the rise of AI.

“There can be an extreme imbalance between the different parties who might be participating in these proceedings,” said Oliver Tully, the director of utility innovation and reform for the Acadia Center, a nonprofit advocating for clean energy across New England.

In Connecticut, one of the states where Tully works, it took a natural disaster to usher in change. Hurricane Isaias left some 750,000 people without power in August 2020, some for more than a week. The state’s utility commission, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, or PURA, ultimately issued millions of dollars in fines over utilities’ slow response or lack of preparation. The storm, Tully said, got state leaders thinking seriously about how those utilities are governed.

“That was the catalyst that got a lot of legislators talking about the need for change within the world of utility regulation,” he said.

It’s not a shift utilities are often fond of, and their powerful lobbying efforts can be a major obstacle. The resistance in Connecticut was so vehement, Tully said, that lawmakers in Maine abandoned a similar bill.

“This is a perennial risk of these kinds of proceedings,” he said. “It represents a threat to the status quo of how utilities have been operating for many, many years.”

The Connecticut commission is still working on how it will implement performance-based regulation, and the other changes are relatively new as well, so their impact is still “to be determined,” Tully said. But he and his colleagues were encouraged that the advisory councils have pushed PURA to consider equity.

While a hurricane kickstarted change for Connecticut, it also took a lot of advocacy — both “up and out,” said Jayson Velazquez, one of Tully’s colleagues based in Hartford. The group and its allies lobby “up,” working to get lawmakers and commissioners on board with passing reforms. And they also work “out,” communicating their findings and the issues before the commission to the public and engaging environmental justice groups and community members.

“A lot of the work that we’re doing is bridging that gap between environmental justice groups and our regulators,” Velazquez said. “You kind of have to raise the collective consciousness of the groups before you can really get into effecting change.”

To read the full article from WABE, click here.

Massachusetts legislation looks to remove barriers to the state’s shift from natural gas

Nearly a year after Massachusetts regulators laid out a vision for the state’s evolution from natural gas distribution to clean energy use, lawmakers are coalescing around legislation that would start converting principles into policy.

The wide-ranging climate bill includes several provisions that would allow utilities to explore alternatives to gas and empower regulators to place more limits on the expansion and continuation of natural gas infrastructure, changes that supporters say are critical to a successful transition away from fossil fuels.

“A lot of people were skeptical we’d get a bill at all, but I’m happy with where this bill ended up,” said Kyle Murray, Massachusetts program director for climate nonprofit Acadia Center. “It shows a step toward that needed urgency.”

Another major element of the bill would reform the state’s Gas System Enhancement Plans program, which encourages utilities to repair or replace pipes in the state’s aging and leak-prone natural gas distribution system. Clean energy advocates have often argued that these plans are problematic, investing billions of ratepayer dollars into shoring up a system that is increasingly obsolete. The climate bill would allow utilities to choose to retire segments of pipe rather than fixing them.

“For the first time ever they are able to look at a pipe and say, ‘You know what, this is not worth the cost,’” Murray said. “We don’t want ratepayers shouldering the burden for a lot of stuff that’s not going to be useful in five to 10 years.”

To read the full article from Energy News Network, click here.

Coalition of 28 organizations files brief in support of continued net metering in Puerto Rico

A coalition of 28 organizations, including leading U.S. and Puerto Rican nonprofits, solar and battery companies, filed a brief in federal court to stand against changing Puerto Rico’s net metering policy.

The Amicus brief was signed by the following organizations: Acadia Center, Astrawatt Solar, Bright Ops, Bright Panel, Carpe Diem Developers PR, EarthSpark International, EDPR NR DG, Elders Climate Action, Enphase Energy Inc, FranklinWH, Freedom Forever, GRID Alternatives, IREC, Mechanical Contractors Association of PR, Para la Naturaleza, Power Solar, Pytes, SMA, Sol-Ark, Solar and Energy Storage Association (SESA), Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), SolarEdge Technologies Inc, Sunnova, and Teksol Integration Group, Inc.

To read the full article from PV Magazine, click here.

State agency wins half million dollar federal grant aimed at reducing emissions at New Bedford port

A Massachusetts economic development agency has won a half million dollar federal grant aimed at reducing emissions and measuring air pollution at the New Bedford port, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday.

The money for the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal — an offshore wind facility being developed by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center — is one of 55 grants awarded by the EPA as part of the Biden administration’s nearly $3 billion Clean Ports initiative.

Boston environmentalist Kyle Murray — a policy director at the clean energy nonprofit Acadia Center — told GBH News that he is hopeful that Massachusetts officials will do more to decarbonize aspects of marine shipping around Boston. He has been calling for local leaders to address the region’s growing shipping industry.

“I am quite disappointed with this outcome,” Murray said.

To read the full article from GBH, click here.

New Mass Save Plan Receives Support from Healey-Driscoll Administration and Stakeholders

Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced that the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC), which is chaired by the Department of Energy Resources, unanimously voted to approve a resolution to support the draft 2025-2027 Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan for Massachusetts’ nation-leading energy efficiency programs. The Three-Year Plan guides the Mass Save® program. Over the last year and a half, DOER, the EEAC, and the Mass Save Program Administrators (PAs) collaborated to develop the draft Three-Year Plan.

Kyle Murray, Director, State Program Implementation and Massachusetts Program Director, Acadia Center

“With each recent iteration of the Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan, the Commonwealth has taken significant steps forward toward a decarbonized future. This plan is no exception. It delivers upon long-requested improvements to the customers journey and provides record funding for investments in equity. I am proud to have been a part of this process.”

To read the full press release from mass.gov here.

Office of Energy Transformation Represents a Visionary Step Forward for Massachusetts

Navigating the phase-out of the sprawling natural gas system is a massive and complex undertaking, filled with thorny questions that could likely be the subject of years-long proceedings. To address this task (among other energy transition priorities), Massachusetts recently created the first-ever Office of Energy Transformation (OET), tasked with a duty “to accelerate the energy transformation, with a focus on gas-to-electric transition, electric grid readiness, and an affordable and just transition for workers, businesses, and communities.”  This office is intended to provide leadership in strategic planning, roadmap development, and stakeholder engagement to advance the transformation of the state’s energy system. Put simply, the OET is tasked with navigating those incredibly complicated questions that surround the transition, like how to decarbonize the peak and how to finance the transition. It will function as an invaluable connective tissue between the various branches of government and stakeholders.

A key component of the OET will be the Energy Transformation Advisory Board (ETAB), a board filled with a diverse cross-section of stakeholders that includes labor, environmental justice, utilities, building owners, finance, and others. This board will be crucial to guide and advise on the work of the OET. Acadia Center, which is a member of this board, recently attended the kick-off meeting for this board and was heartened by the impressive breadth of knowledge in the room and the resources that the Healey-Driscoll administration is devoting to the effort.

Work under the purview of the Office and ETAB will also be conducted in subgroups that focus on three priority issues. These issues are:

  • Transitioning Away from Reliance on the Everett Marine Terminal LNG Facility,
  • Decarbonizing the Peak, and
  • Establishing Alternative Mechanisms to Finance the Finance/Fund EDC Distribution System Infrastructure Upgrades

Acadia Center appreciates that the OET has chosen three exceptionally complex topics that are worthy of extended consideration and debate. The Everett Marine Terminal is one of the longest-operating LNG facilities in the United States, and its supposed purpose is to provide gas system stability on the coldest few days of the year or if the energy supply is disrupted. However, Acadia Center analysis has called into question how necessary this facility is, how fully alternative solutions have been explored, and how much its continued operations should cost ratepayers. Next, peaker plants are power plant facilities that only operate when there is significant demand on the electric system that cannot be met with normal supply. These are facilities that often only run for a few days every year. Unfortunately, they are also some of the most polluting facilities, spewing emissions into already overburdened communities. Figuring out how to retire these facilities through the use of creative solutions such as demand response and battery storage would be of incredible benefit to the Commonwealth. Finally, identifying how to fully finance the electric infrastructure needed as we rapidly electrify our transportation systems and buildings and decarbonize our electric supply remains an unsolved question. Currently, much of these costs are borne by ratepayers, through electric bills. However, in the long-term, that approach simply may not be sustainable for ratepayers at least under current rate design and cost recovery paradigms.  These three workstreams, while seemingly disparate, are closely tied together by nature of the fact that they span all sectors of the economy.

Next Steps

While it is still quite early in the process, Acadia Center is optimistic that this new office and its stakeholder engagement apparatus will be able to tackle the enormous task it has before it. As other states in the region navigate the difficult questions posed by phasing out fossil gas systems, they should look to Massachusetts as a model. Acadia Center believes that other states would benefit from setting up similar infrastructure to deal with these weighty questions.

Additionally, the OET should eventually broaden its subgroups to include other pressing concerns, such as an evaluation of the potential for stranded assets, reforms to performance-based ratemaking, or a reassessment of gas utility tariffs, policies, and practices on new and existing customer connections.

Energy Affordability, Rate Increases, and Regulatory Solutions in Connecticut

Ratepayers in Connecticut pay among the highest electricity rates in the country, and many low- and moderate-income (LMI) residents struggle to pay their energy bills. According to a 2023 report from Operation Fuel, which, among other services, provides emergency utility bill assistance to households across Connecticut, over 400,000 households in the state face unaffordable home energy costs.1 Energy burden—the percentage of household income spent on energy costs—is generally considered high when energy expenditures account for 6% of household income. Energy burden is severe when 10% or more is allocated to energy costs. Urban and rural households in Connecticut with an income of 0-30% of the state median income (SMI) experience a 19% energy burden on average. LMI households in Connecticut are currently paying hundreds of millions of dollars more for energy than they would if their energy burden was reduced to 6% of household income.

This past summer, Connecticut residents experienced two significant rate increases, including an $800 million increase for Eversource customers in July. The Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel (“OCC”) published a Frequently Asked Questions document2 that provides detailed, evidence-based information explaining what is behind the rate changes. 80% of the $800M rate increase was the result of expenses related to the Millstone nuclear power plant, expenses that the Connecticut state legislature—not the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (“PURA”)—voted to approve. The remaining 20% was set to recover the cost of unpaid electric bills during the state’s COVID-era moratorium on shutoffs. The shut-off moratorium was in place for four years for customers with a financial or medical hardship designation on their accounts, which are income-based or for people with life-threatening or serious medical conditions. The OCC shared that only half of the residents eligible for a financial hardship designation actually benefited from it. The second rate increase Connecticut residents experienced took place in September and stemmed cost recovery on programs such as the Innovative Energy Solutions program and the Connecticut Electric Vehicle Charging Program.

Unfortunately, these costs are categorized on utility bills under the label of Public Benefits Charges, a large catch-all category that helps to fund a wide range of beneficial programs for Connecticut ratepayers, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, and bill assistance programs. These programs provide significant benefits to Connecticut residents. Although these programs have been pointed to as the cause of the recent rate increase, they are not the true reason why rates have gone up. Because the Millstone plant costs and the COVID-related uncollectible expenses are included in Public Benefits Charges, opponents have unfairly attacked all Public Benefit Charges as harmful and overly expensive for Connecticut ratepayers. Moreover, Eversource requested recovery for the expenses over a 10-month period despite recommendations by stakeholders, including PURA Chair Marissa Gillett, to extend the cost recovery period to reduce the risk of near-term rate shock.

In light of the recent rate increases, energy burden and affordability are increasingly important issues for Connecticut to address. Energy equity and affordability means avoiding, mitigating, and remediating social, economic, and health burdens stemming from the energy system, while ensuring equitable participation in—and an opportunity to benefit from—the clean energy transition. As Connecticut moves to a decarbonized, increasingly electrified energy system, PURA should strengthen its focus on energy equity and justice in their proceedings, including through updates to the agency’s statutory mandate. To fully consider energy burden in the context of Connecticut’s clean energy transition, PURA should also holistically review and plan for the future of the state’s gas sector.

PURA, under the direction of Chairman Gillett, is already starting to make progress on this front. For example, PURA’s Performance-Based Regulation proceeding could help to create a new framework for regulating utilities that more explicitly centers equity and affordability, among other issues. PURA recently established a low-income discount rate which should be helpful for residents dealing with high energy burdens. PURA also established a Stakeholder Group Compensation Program3 to support underrepresented organizations who might have not had access or legal support to adequately participate in PURA proceedings.

To further strengthen Connecticut’s focus on energy justice and affordability, Acadia Center recommends the following additional activities:

1. Open an Energy Equity and Justice Proceeding: Despite PURA’s critical role and impact on environmental justice communities, accessibility of regulatory processes is limited. A dedicated Energy Equity and Justice Proceeding should be established to fully address these important, interrelated issues, which would include:

  1. Review and analysis of existing energy burdens;
  2. Consideration of contributing factors such as housing quality, pre-weatherization needs;
  3. Review of and improvements to income-eligible utility discount programs;
  4. Optimal rate design to promote affordability and electrification in LMI households; and
  5. Other avenues for operationalizing procedural, distributive, contextual, and corrective equity4 in PURA proceedings and other forums in Connecticut’s acceleration towards renewable energy in alignment with the Global Warming Solutions Act5 (“GWSA”).

2. Open a Proceeding on the Future of Gas and Affordable Heat: As Connecticut seeks to meet the emissions reductions targets of the GWSA. a Future of Gas and Affordable Heat considering the role of gas distribution companies should (1) examine the gas distribution industry and regulatory and policy changes needed to support the achievement of Connecticut’s mandated GHG emission limits; (2) implement lesson learned from other Future of Gas proceedings around the region, including but not limited to Massachusetts and Rhode Island, so as to promote regional consistency and minimize rework and inefficiencies for Connecticut; and (3) determine what near- and long-term adjustments are necessary to maintain a safe and reliable gas distribution system, minimize stranded costs, conduct joint electric- and gas-system planning, and protect consumer interests as the state transitions from fossil fuels to a clean, increasingly electrified, and decarbonized energy future by 2050.

3. Review and update PURA’s mandate to include emissions, equity, and environmental justice responsibilities: Legislators should amend PURA’s statutory mandate to include climate and equity responsibilities and add a requirement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the GWSA. PURA and other agencies should have a legislative mandate not only to do all that it can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also to prioritize the reduction of greenhouse gases and other pollutants in environmental justice communities, as well as to alleviate disproportionate environmental burdens. These new responsibilities would allow for targeted reforms that are not considered today. Instead of choosing the cheapest solution in the moment, PURA can be empowered to choose the best solution for both today and tomorrow’s ratepayers.

Current and upcoming Dockets to watch:

  • Performance-Based Regulation Framework for the Electric Distribution Companies (Docket No. 21-05-15)
  • Equity, Accessibility, and Stakeholder engagement (Docket No. 24-09-07)

1 Mapping Household Cost Burdens: A Study of Energy, Transportation, Water, and Housing Affordability In Connecticut. By Justine Sears and Leslie Badger (VEIC), produced for Operation Fuel (2023). https://operationfuel.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/VEIC-affordability-study-May-2023.pdf

2 Office of Consumer Counsel Frequently Asked Questions: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/occ/occ-ram-qa-final-09042024.pdf

3 PURA Stakeholder Compensation Program: https://portal.ct.gov/pura/public-participation/stakeholder-group-compensation-program#:~:text=The%20Stakeholder%20Group%20Compensation%20Program,cases%2C%20or%20small%20business%20customers.

4 ACEEE’s Energy Equity Topic Page: https://www.aceee.org/topic/energy-equity

5 An Act Concerning Connecticut Global Warming Solutions: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/act/pa/2008pa-00098-r00hb-05600-pa.htm

Moving Towards a Clean Energy Future: The Crucial Role of State and Local Leadership

With the federal election looming, Acadia Center has often been asked how a new administration might impact the fight for a sustainable and clean energy future. Over the past four years, huge strides have been made at the federal level thanks to efforts like the Inflation Reduction Act, which made unprecedented progress on a federal level towards the clean energy future we all strive for. Will a new federal administration halt all the progress that has been made?

Luckily, Acadia Center knows that real power for change also lies in the hands of state and local governments. The work at this level is vital, and only through state and local action can aggressive 2030 climate goals be met. Acadia Center plays a critical role in advocating for transformative change through state and regional legislation, consumer-focused climate advocacy, and coalition building.

The Steady Impact of Local and State Legislation

Local and state governments are often the most effective drivers of clean energy policy. State governments have a duty to respond to local conditions swiftly and accurately, and often have more legal authority than the federal government when it comes to implementing change within their district. This allows them to implement bold measures to reduce carbon emissions and promote renewable energy, regardless of the direction of federal policies.

Acadia Center understands that local action is key. By working directly with state lawmakers, it helps craft policies that not only protect the environment but also benefit consumers and spur economic growth. States like Massachusetts and New York have demonstrated that setting ambitious renewable energy targets and creating energy efficiency programs can serve both environmental and economic goals. These state-led efforts are critical for energy independence, and Acadia Center’s research and advocacy provide the data policymakers need to make informed decisions.

By focusing on state and local initiatives, Acadia Center ensures that policies are tailored to the specific needs of each region, creating more consumer-focused solutions that align with local conditions. This also allows communities across all socioeconomic levels to benefit, ensuring a just and equitable transition to clean energy.

Balancing Federal Leadership with Sub-National Action

While federal leadership plays a vital role in clean energy, state and local governments have increasingly shown that they have many of the necessary tools to push progress forward.. Pro-climate administrations at the federal level can provide critical funding and guidance, as we’ve seen under the current administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. This legislation empowers states by allocating significant funding for clean energy but leaves them in control of how those resources are spent, recognizing that local governments are best equipped to design policies that meet their unique needs.

However, even when federal leadership falters—as it did when the previous administration pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement—states continued to meet emissions reduction targets. By sticking to the climate goals set out by international agreements, many states have not only maintained momentum but have also served as a counterbalance to regressive federal policies. The steady, consumer-focused work of states during such times shows how essential sub-national governments are in driving the clean energy transition.

Climate Advocacy: Mobilizing Communities and Supporting Local Action

Effective climate action begins with the community, and grassroots advocacy plays a pivotal role in influencing policy. Acadia Center’s climate advocacy efforts help amplify community voices, mobilizing public pressure to prioritize environmental issues. This community-based approach highlights the urgency of local action in response to the specific impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and extreme weather events that disproportionately affect the Northeast.

By tailoring climate solutions to the unique challenges of individual states, Acadia Center helps foster a sense of ownership among local communities. Residents become active participants in the transition to clean energy, making climate policies not only more effective but also more sustainable.

Coalition Building: Strengthening Local Initiatives

Coalition building is one of the most powerful tools in advancing clean energy initiatives. By forming alliances with like-minded organizations, businesses, and community groups, Acadia Center has amplified the effectiveness of state and local policies. These coalitions serve as a unified front against entrenched interests, providing strength in numbers to push for systemic change.

At the state and regional levels, where competing interests often make energy policy complex, Acadia Center’s ability to facilitate dialogue and consensus-building ensures that clean energy initiatives remain resilient and adaptable. This collaborative, inclusive approach strengthens the long-term sustainability of clean energy efforts, ensuring they endure political and economic shifts.

Local and Regional Actions Lead the Way

Real momentum for clean energy often comes from local and state actions. Sub-national governments have shown that by prioritizing innovation and community engagement, they can lead the transition to a low-carbon economy. Programs like utility rate design, energy efficiency initiatives, and cap-and-trade agreements such as RGGI (Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative) have proven highly effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting clean technologies.

The flexibility of state-level actions allows for a diversity of solutions that match local conditions and needs. This bottom-up approach to clean energy policy accelerates progress and provides a model for other regions to follow.

Conclusion

State and local leadership is essential in the fight against climate change. By advancing consumer-focused policies, fostering coalitions, and acting steadily even when federal leadership is absent, sub-national governments continue to lead the way toward a clean energy future.

When it comes to the 2024 election, if the administration that is elected is hostile to clean energy efforts, the need for states to step up to meet ambitious climate goals will be greater than ever. Acadia Center remain a key player in this movement, ensuring that state and local actions are not only bold but also equitable and effective. In this scenario, the collective work of state and local governments will be critical in achieving a sustainable and resilient energy system that benefits both current and future generations.

If an administration who understands the importance of the climate goals we’ve set in place is elected, they will serve as an effective partner for state and local action. Acadia Center will continue to partner with both federal and local governments in the case, advocating for clean energy solutions that benefit all.

The path forward lies in empowering local communities, supporting innovative and consumer-focused policies, and ensuring that state and local leaders continue to advocate for transformative change.