Energy Exchange

FirstEnergy Campaign Gets Graphic: EDF Launches Online Ads, Reaches Millions

By Dick Munson / Published: June 2, 2015

FE300_V1 In the past few weeks, I have written extensively on the $3 billion bailout proposed by FirstEnergy, the giant utility that provides electricity across Ohio and multiple other states. For those of you who want to catch up on what FirstEnergy is up to and why the proposal is such a bad idea, take a look at our recent blog posts on the topic.

But we haven’t just written about FirstEnergy’s nefarious antics. A few weeks ago, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)began running online ads in local Ohio markets and on some of the web’s most influential financial news sites. Since we launched, our ads have generated more than 2 million impressions on computers, tablets, and phones across the country. And, we’re just getting warmed up.

Thank you to the nearly 1000 EDF members who have already urged the Public Utility Commission of Ohio to reject FirstEnergy’s proposed bailout. If you see one of the below ads online, we hope you consider taking the same action! Read More »

Also posted in FirstEnergy / Comments are closed

Moms and Parents Gather in Sacramento to Show Support for Climate and Clean Energy Action

By EDF Blogs / Published: May 27, 2015

Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez with Mama Summit participants

By: Loni Russell, California Field Manager, Moms Clean Air Force

Who among us has not felt the power of a mom? My mom was one of the hardest-working women I’ve ever known, yet she still found the time to do so much for me. So when moms take on the role of advocates and activists, watch out.

Last week, moms in California showed up big time. And as the lead organizer for that event, I’m here to give you a birds-eye view of what happens when moms decide to raise their voices.

On Thursday, May 21, over 40 mothers, parents, grandparents, and supporters from across California gathered in Sacramento at the state capitol building for our Mamma Summit California. The Mamma Summit is part of a series of events hosted by Moms Clean Air Force (MCAF), an organization which encourages and enables moms and parents to advocate for climate action for the health and future of their families. We at MCAF teamed up with Environmental Defense Fund, Climate Parents, the American Lung Association in California, The Greenlining Institute, and California Interfaith Power and Light to put together a full day of advocacy for participants.

Our group of moms, motivated to make their voices heard, showed up bright and early to the Capitol. They came to tell lawmakers that they expect California to continue to lead on fighting climate change and supporting clean energy to protect their air and keep their kids healthy and thriving. We were honored that the Senate Pro Tem Kevin de León, architect of this year’s Senate climate package on which the Summit’s advocacy was based, greeted us first thing in the morning to thank the parents for their resolve. Senators Fran Pavley, mother in her own right of California’s climate leadership, and Richard Pan, staunch defender of children’s health, also came by to thank us for being there and reinforce the importance of our presence. Read More »

Also posted in California, Cap and Trade, General, Renewable Energy, State / Comments are closed

Debunking FirstEnergy’s Bailout Arguments

By Dick Munson / Published: May 26, 2015

FirstEnergy, the giant Ohio-based company that owns power plants and transmission lines in several midwestern and northeastern states, is running out of arguments for its proposed bailout.

The Public Utility Commission of Ohio (PUCO), which is currently considering the proposal by FirstEnergy for substantial, customer-funded subsidies to bail out its uneconomic power plants, has suggested the utility must prove four points.

Financial need

As we all know, need is different than want. And with a balance sheet showing $12.4 billion in shareholder equity, clearly the giant utility is able to keep these plants open. But FirstEnergy and its shareholders are reluctant to subsidize their own risk – instead, they want Ohio customers to take on the cost and associated risk. Strike one. Read More »

Also posted in Energy Efficiency, FirstEnergy / Read 2 Responses

EDF and Other Environmental Groups Call on Pennsylvania to Step up Energy Efficiency

By Dick Munson / Published: May 21, 2015

Update: The Public Utilities Commission recently extended Pennsylvania’s energy efficiency and conservation programs for an additional five years – the longest phase yet, and among the longest in the country. Pennsylvania can expect to save 6.6 million megawatt-hours of electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 5.1 million metric tons.

Utilities across the country offer energy efficiency programs, many of which obtain good results simply by replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs). In Pennsylvania, however, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and other environmental groups are going further by seeking more comprehensive and longer-term efficiency measures.

Compared with neighboring states, Pennsylvania’s efficiency programs tilt heavily – 65 percent – toward the residential sector. Since residents account for only 37 percent of the state’s total electricity, environmental groups see substantial efficiency opportunities exist in the commercial and industrial (C&I) sectors. Read More »

Also posted in Energy Efficiency / Tagged Pennsylvania | Comments are closed

We Need to Support All Types of Solar: Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Community, and More

By Jim Marston / Published: May 20, 2015

Solar energy is booming – and you needn’t look further for proof of its success than Brian H. Potts’ recent op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. When a utility lawyer like Potts is arguing for what type of solar energy our country should be investing in –utility-owned, large-scale solar versus customer-owned, rooftop – you know this renewable energy resource has gone mainstream. And that’s a good thing.

We should support a wide variety of clean energy resources precisely because these technologies eliminate the costs of pollution now being socialized by fossil fuel generators. And this is becoming all the more critical as the costs of a changing climate grow. Read More »

Also posted in Climate, Electricity Pricing, Energy Financing, Renewable Energy, Utility Business Models / Comments are closed

Energy Efficiency Grades Are In – How did Los Angeles Do?

By EDF Blogs / Published: May 20, 2015

By: Jorge Madrid, Coordinator, Partnerships and Alliances, and Kate Zerrenner, Clean Energy Project Manager

School’s out for summer! It’s time to check those report cards and figure out if we made the energy efficiency grade or if we’re stuck trying to catch up.

For Los Angeles, the marks are pretty consistent: “Not great yet, but getting there…”

According to the American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy (ACEEE), who just released their 2015 City Energy Efficiency Score Card, Los Angeles is the most improved city in the country – rising the fastest of all cities and finally breaking the top 15 rankings (up to #12 from #28 last year). ACEEE cites “a strong new suite of climate goals and high marks in energy and water utilities” as key factors in the city’s improved score.

For a city the size and scale of Los Angeles (second largest U.S. city in total population, a regional economy larger than most countries, and the largest manufacturing sectors and ports in the U.S.) these are impressive accolades. The city has consistently kept water demand relatively flat despite a booming population and desert-like climate. L.A. also has a gold star from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for being ranked second on a list of the top 25 U.S. cities with the most energy efficient buildings in the nation. Read More »

Also posted in California, Energy Efficiency, Energy-Water Nexus / Comments are closed