CLIMATE

Renewable energy is indispensable to any effective response to the climate crisis.  Currently, nearly one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) comes from the electric power sector. Renewable energy and enabling grid technologies can deliver the emissions reductions science requires, while providing American businesses and consumers the abundant, affordable and reliable pollution-free power they want and deserve.

The transition to America’s renewable energy economy is already well underway. Today, pollution-free renewable power accounts for nearly 20% of electricity generation, and the number of states and cities with 100 percent renewable or carbon-free energy goals is growing by the day. Fortunately, this transition does not come with a big price tag. In most of the country, wind and solar energy are fully competitive with generation from carbon-intensive sources like coal and natural gas, and the cost of wind and solar power has decreased dramatically in recent years. Wind energy now costs 70 percent less than a decade ago, while solar power costs have decreased 90 percent over the same period.

ACORE studies focus on the most significant climate policy options and their impact on renewable energy growth and investment.  In an effort to identify the most promising and effective suite of climate policies, our work includes analyses of carbon pricing scenarios, a federal high-penetration renewable energy standard, a technology-neutral tax credit, and complementary measures to ready the electric grid for the higher levels of renewable energy penetration necessary to achieve ambitious greenhouse gas emission reductions.