Clean Energy Policy & Green Buildings

Progressive Ideas for a Strong, Just and Free America

Clean Energy Policy & Green Buildings

Green Roundtable

Boston, MA

February 20, 2008

Climate & Energy Policy Is Changing Fast

� Energy Bill Passed

• Green Jobs Act

� Important Renewables Legislation is on the Table

� Climate Legislation is Moving in House & Senate

� Stimulus and Infrastructure are going green

The terms of debate are changing…

Discussion of the Environment is Changing too

� Green is becoming an organizing principle for all policy

� Focus on investment and reconstruction

� Economic security linked to energy independence� Economic security linked to energy independence

� Green Jobs Acts: Economic opportunity & equity

� National security being linked to renewables policy

� Policy driven market creation is becoming accepted

Solving Global Warming means Rebuilding Everything

Green Building is increasingly relevant to all policy

Energy Bill of 2007

1. CAFÉ Standard (+40% to 35 MPG by 2020)

2. Renewable Fuel Standard (36B Gal. by 2022 / 21B advanced)

3. Appliance and Lighting Efficiency (-30% by 2014 / -65% by 2020)3. Appliance and Lighting Efficiency (-30% by 2014 / -65% by 2020)

4. Building Efficiency (Goal of 0 net energy commercial by 2030)

5. Federal Buildings (all - 30% by 2015 / new -100% by 2030)

6. Green Jobs Act (125 Million for training in ee and renewables)

7. Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (2B, 5 yrs.)

8. Carbon Capture and Storage & Smart Grid Research

Key Renewable Energy Provisions Dropped

� Federal Renewable Electricity Standard

• 15% of all electricity from renewables

• Would have saved $35B through 2030, 41k Jobs• Would have saved $35B through 2030, 41k Jobs

• Cut 121M metric tons CO2

� Renewable Energy & Conservation Tax Act

• 9B in tax incentives / 13.5B Oil Subsidy Rollback

• Investment Tax Credit (for Solar & Geothermal)

• Production Tax Credit (for Wind & Biomass)

• 4K Energy Efficiency Prperty Tax Credit

Action on Climate: Coming Soon…

� Lieberman Warner voted out of committee

• Flawed but strong bill, getting serious consideration

• 65 to 70% reductions from 2005 by 2050 (not enough)

• Significant free allocations = windfall to polluters• Significant free allocations = windfall to polluters

• Auctions: 26.5% in 2012, 41% in 2022, 69.5% in 2031

• No performance standards on new coal

� This is the warm up for a serious bill in 2009

� Pricing Carbon & Auctions = $50 to $300B / Year

Climate bill + real energy policy = major change for cities.

More on Horizon -- Stimulus & Infrastructure going

green!!

States and Cities are Leading the Way

� 36 States have climate action plans

� 17 States have GHG reduction targets

� Over 1/2 of all states have RPS laws

� Many over 20% renewables (CA, OR, NV, NM, IL…)

� KA, NV, FL, TX, new battle grounds for coal plants

� 3 Regional Cap and Trade programs

• RGGI, Western Climate Initiative, Midwest Regional Accord

� Over 700 Mayors - US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement

• Task now is to implement agreements = green development

Local Initiatives are Breaking New Ground� Washington DC Experience (Just one example…)

• Green Building Law

• Moving to the Space Between the Buildings

• Looking at Economic Development Pipeline (LSDBEs)

• Job Training & Green Collar Jobs (Advisory Council)

• Infrastructure (Storm Water, eg.)

• Green Team created by Mayor to cut across agencies

• Community Action (Ward 8 Green Jobs Fair)

Organizing gets results, and builds local markets for green!

Clean Tech and Green Building = Investment

� Wind Power is growing: $17.9B in 2006 to $60.8 B in 2016

� Solar PV is growing: $15.6B in 2006 to $69.3 in 2016

� 3 largest IPO’s in 2005 were all solar companies� 3 largest IPO’s in 2005 were all solar companies

� 4 largest clean techs will grow (4x) to $226.5B in 2016

� Green as a sector:

• 5.3 million jobs

• $341B in sales & $47B in tax revenue

• 3x Chemicals, 10x Pharmaceuticals

• Larger than biggest Fortune 500 company

Green = Jobs, Growth, and Economic Security� Renewables and EE = 2x the jobs of fossil fuel

� 25% renewables = $700B for US Farmers

� Renewable Energy and Efficiency

• will create 8.5 million jobs (MISI/ASES)

• $970B industry revenue

� EE is the most cost effective energy source and creates

the greatest local investment and job creation.

Clean energy politics is a winner if it can be mobilized

Positive jobs focus brings new partners to the table…

In Conclusion

� The environmental debate has changed

� Green building has much to gain from this shift

� Green building has much to teach these new approaches

� We need a broad based movement - more than green…

� We are being offered a new political moment

� It is time to organize and build on political support

The scale of the challenge is enormous,

but so is the scale of the opportunity.

What do we want to build ???

Bracken Hendricks, Senior Fellow

Center for American Progress

1333 H Street, NW. 20005

Phone: 202-481-8227

bhendricks@americanprogress.org