Despite many attempts, Congress has failed to pass a broad renewable energy standard and seems unlikely to create an effective one in the near future. Meanwhile, twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia now provide some form of renewables mandate. While these standards vary in terms of ambition, timing, and the way “renewable energy” is defined, they prescribe the renewable energy mix of more than 50 percent of the power delivered in the United States. In most instances, the results would be better than those likely to be achieved under the proposals recently considered in Washington. Congress might serve a more useful role by requiring that each state set its own standard and by rewarding good outcomes. This paper focuses on the reasons for concluding that Congress is unlikely to create an effective national standard and the steps Congress could take to bring out the best from each of the states.

Key words:                                                                        
National renewable energy standard, renewable portfolio standard, renewable energy, national energy policy, Congress, climate change, cooperative federalism, solar energy, wind energy, coal, natural gas, fossil fuel

 

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