Calling for a National Renewable Energy Standard and Emissions Caps

As a regular 4CORE reader and efficiency and renewable energy advocate in Empire Electric Association's territory, I want to add a perspective from the dry side. The Renewable Energy Standard for Tri-State was increased to 20% by 2020. Rumblings from the Colorado Rural Electric Association and Tri-State continue to harp on how this will hurt their customers due to price increases of bringing renewables online.

While carbon trading with other four corners states could bring more renewables online in neighboring states, it increases the cost, and without all participating states having renewable energy standards, the other states are just reaping the financial and environmental benefits of Colorado's well intended renewable energy standards. A National Renewable Energy Standard (RES) would cause renewable to come online more quickly without enabling energy produced in states without a RES to sell their renewable energy at higher prices to companies in states that have to meet those standards with no net benefit to the environment.

Another CRITICAL component of carbon trading and renewable energy standards as strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, is that we need to cap our emissions. Without the cap, renewables are being brought on to meet growing energy consumption, not to replace inefficient and dirty power plants, and there is no benefit to people or the planet. Carbon caps would force efficiencies, such as the switch away from incandescent lighting. I, for one, will refuse to charge a cell phone everyday so that anyone can get ahold of me anytime anywhere, to buy a new electric car so that I can charge it with coal fired energy, or to ever read novels on a handheld device.

Based on my Masters Thesis research, which I'll admit is a little outdated, we need:

• A carbon cap to get the U.S. closer to upholding our end of getting global carbon emissions back below 350 ppm, preferably with our nation pulling our head out of the bank and acting with the rest of the world on this; 
• A National Renewable Energy Standard as a strategy to bring our energy industry into the 21st century; 
• A national cap and trade system to make renewables more than just the right thing to do; 
• Electric Companies and Cooperatives that don't fight renewable energy with tooth and nail, but go to bat and help develop creative solutions to challenges with renewables; and 
• More organizations like 4CORE who are furthering energy and all resource efficiency and supporting distributed generation.

Becca R. Samulski
147 S. Washington St.
Cortez, CO 81321
(970) 564-3040