National RPS: July's U.S. House Vote Crucial

[jpak]

http://www.renewableaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=49359

The message is the same in report after report: The U.S. needs a National Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) or Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) to spur the country's renewable energy market, generate millions of new jobs over the next decade, and lower electric bills for consumers and businesses alike -- not to mention help slow the devastating impacts of global warming.

But with progress ‘sluggish' on Capitol Hill—last month's RPS amendment proposed by U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) to the Senate Energy bill was killed before it could be voted on—it's been left to individual states to set the standard when it comes to renewable energy initiatives.

Currently, 23 states plus Washington, DC, have implemented an RPS or RES, many of which include solar carve-outs.

"In the absence of Federal leadership, the states have really taken the initiative on this issue," said Cliff Chen, a clean energy analyst in the Union of Concerned Scientists' California office, during Solar 2007, the American Solar Energy Society's (ASES) national conference in Cleveland, Ohio.

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