States Sprint Past the Feds on Renewable Energy

By the time Congress gets around to trying to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the states will have already acted to eliminate 108 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year and produce over 46,000 megawatts of renewable power by 2020. As the Christian Science Monitor points out, states are taking the lead in cutting carbon emissions. Already states have eliminated an estimated 20 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions through renewable energy portfolio standards (RPS). As we've highlighted previously, RPS requires a certain percentage of power come from renewable sources. Over 20 states have adopted an RPS and just yesterday, the New Hampshire senate voted unanimously to adopt an RPS of 25 percent by 2025. Nationally, Congress is debating a 20 percent by 2020 RPS that would cut US emissions growth by 60 percent. While it would be a welcome measure, the states aren't waiting around for the Feds. Taking the bull by the horns, the states are leading the way in the fight against climate change.