policy
H
igh-Voltage Debate Over Renewable Electricity Mandate
The U.S. Congress is getting closer to passing a renewable electricity mandate, which could mean dramatic growth for the biomass industry. Ironically, the Southeastern states—the region most likely to benefit from the development of the biomass industry—are resisting such a mandate. By Anduin Kirkbride McElroy
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llinois and North Carolina recently enacted renewable electricity standards, which mandate that a certain percentage of the state’s electricity must come from renewable sources. With those additions, 25 states and the District of Columbia have passed some form of this policy, most commonly referred to as a renewable portfolio standard (RPS). With this kind of support, one would think that a federal RPS would be just around the corner. And indeed, it has been—since 2001. The Senate has passed a version of an RPS in three different Congresses, but each time it was struck down by House Republicans, according to Leon Lowery, professional staff for the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Now that the Democrats are in control of Congress, an RPS might be closer to reality. This summer, both houses of Congress passed major bills meant to promote efficiency and wean the country from fossil fuels. Though the Senate bill didn’t include an RPS, the House did approve a measure that would require 15 percent renewable energy by 2020. This is the first time the House has ever passed an RPS.
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If an RPS becomes law, the biomass industry could see significant growth, as it follows in the footsteps of other renewable mandates. The policy can be compared with the renewable fuel standard (RFS) passed by Congress in the 2005 Energy Bill. The RFS mandated that an increasing percentage of the motor fuel pool must be renewable fuel. This mandate spurred incredible growth in the ethanol and biodiesel industries by guaranteeing a market for the product. Many Washington policy experts agree that a national RPS has the potential to do the same thing for various renewable industries, including biomass. “According to the [Energy Information Administration (EIA)], our portfolio standard would result in a 50 percent increase in wind generation and a 300 percent increase in biomass generation,” Lowery says. “There's already twice as much biomass generation in the country as there is wind generation.” The Union for Concerned Scientists (UCS) is an avid supporter of the RPS. “I think [the biomass industry is] going to enjoy the benefits of a new and unexplored market that’s going to develop as a result of this legislation,” says Marchant Wentworth, legislative representative for clean energy for the