The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made clear that state clean energy programs—including those related to renewable energy—can contribute to a state’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) compliance. A key challenge for state regulators will be tracking the results of renewable energy programs, which can occur inside and outside of state boundaries. Renewable energy tracking systems, together with state policies designed to increase the production and use of renewable energy, will provide one key element to helping states reduce the carbon intensity of their power sector.

On Thursday, May 14, Jennifer Martin (Center for Resource Solutions) and David Farnsworth (Regulatory Assistance Project) explored the ways in which states are using renewable energy, and discussed how the functionality of existing regional renewable energy tracking systems can be used by states to track renewable energy and support compliance with the Clean Power Plan.

The presentations draw on several recent collaborations between the Center for Resource Solutions and RAP to address the use of renewable energy to comply with the Clean Power Plan.