United States utilities transitioning to 100% renewable electricity by 2060
While state policies have contributed to this shift, the real driving force behind this monumental change is the nation’s utility companies
[Dec. 19, 2023: JD Shavit, The Brighter Side of News]
While state policies have contributed to this shift, the real driving force behind this monumental change is the nation's utility companies themselves. (CREDIT: Creative Commons)
The landscape of energy production in the United States is undergoing a profound transformation, with a commitment to achieving 100% renewable electricity by the year 2060. While state policies have contributed to this shift, the real driving force behind this monumental change is the nation's utility companies themselves.
"Many people feel the transition on the policy side isn't going fast enough," says Matthew Burgess, a CIRES fellow and assistant professor at CU Boulder, who is also a co-author of a groundbreaking paper recently published in Climatic Change. "But the private sector is moving faster than we thought. A lot has to do with technology, costs going down, natural gas replacing coal, and renewables replacing fossil fuels—policy is not the only lever."
The impetus for this study came from Grace Kroeger, who conducted the research for her honors thesis in Environmental Studies at CU Boulder. Inspired by her experiences working on energy and sustainability projects during an internship at a consulting firm, Kroeger set out to examine the actions of the key players responsible for the energy we all rely on.
"I wanted to look critically at what the people on the ground are doing," explained Kroeger. "For example, the companies that are responsible for the energy that we all use and consume."
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Kroeger collaborated with Burgess to compare state-level renewable energy targets with the renewable energy goals set by utility companies. Their research spanned three decades, allowing them to assess the shifts and strategies employed by utilities to meet renewable energy standards and the influence of state-level goals in driving these changes.
State policies vary across the nation, with some states employing Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and Clean Energy Standards (CES) to mandate renewable energy adoption. These policies range from non-existent to highly ambitious, making it essential to evaluate their impact on utilities.
Additionally, the researchers scrutinized utilities' own goals, often publicly available online. For instance, Xcel Energy aims to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. By consolidating data, the authors were able to project when utilities were likely to achieve full decarbonization.
In 18 of 26 states with current RPS or CES and 9 of 11 states with expired RPS or CES, utilities’ generation and targets meet, nearly meet, or exceed state targets. (CREDIT: Climatic Change)
The study's findings are striking and indicate that the industry is outpacing policy in the transition to renewable energy sources. Utility companies are well on their way to meeting or surpassing the goals set by states with established renewable energy policies and mandates. The authors project that the entire electric grid will be 100% decarbonized by 2060 if utilities stay committed to their objectives. Furthermore, with the inclusion of nuclear energy in the renewable energy portfolios, this target can be achieved as early as 2050.
Perhaps the most surprising revelation from the study is that utility companies are actively working towards decarbonization, even in states where there are no renewable energy policies or goals in place.
"For example, Southern Company has goals to decarbonize," noted Kroeger. "But the states the company operates in—Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama—don't have portfolio standards."
Nevertheless, there were noticeable disparities between blue and red states. Blue states tended to adopt stricter renewable energy goals and policies. However, regardless of mandates or standards, most states, including red ones, are making progress towards decarbonization in line with utilities' objectives.
The authors, though cautiously optimistic, acknowledged that the findings were based on utilities' stated intentions for the future, which are not set in stone. However, historical data suggests that utilities have been transitioning to renewables and away from fossil fuels more rapidly than initially planned.
Despite these encouraging developments, neither states nor utilities are on track to achieve the ambitious goal set by the Biden Administration in April: the complete elimination of fossil fuels from the U.S. energy sector by 2035. Remarkably, this announcement did not come with specific policies or mandates to facilitate such a rapid transition.
Blue states tended to adopt stricter renewable energy goals and policies. However, regardless of mandates or standards, most states, including red ones, are making progress towards decarbonization in line with utilities' objectives. (CREDIT: Climatic Change)
"There's a lot of really interesting stuff happening in the private sector," Burgess emphasized. "The private sector creates interesting decarbonization connections across states, and it has interesting connections to the policy space."
As the United States marches steadily towards a green energy future, the leadership of utility companies is proving to be a pivotal force in shaping the nation's energy landscape. While challenges remain in achieving the 100% renewable electricity target, the commitment and actions of these utilities offer a promising glimpse of a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future.
Note: Materials provided above by the The Brighter Side of News. Content may be edited for style and length.
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