Hartford, CT -- The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) released an updated draft of the Connecticut Comprehensive Energy Strategy (CES) today. Advocates are urging Governor Malloy and DEEP to improve the draft plan, helping the state meet its goals of reducing carbon pollution and delivering affordable and reliable clean energy to families and businesses within the state.
By the administration’s own analysis, the state’s draft plan is not sufficient to achieve Connecticut’s carbon reduction goals. Advocates say the final plan should do more to accelerate clean energy requirements, end subsidies for heating homes with gas, expand energy efficiency policies, and put forward a more ambitious path to further invest in the electrification of transportation and heating.
Analysis for the Governor’s Council on Climate Change showed that Connecticut needs to reach nearly 100 percent carbon free electricity, power virtually all vehicles with that clean electricity, and transition most oil and gas heating to heat pumps by 2050, and that faster deployment of those resources through 2030 would grow Connecticut’s economy and create more jobs (1). Instead, Connecticut ratepayers are currently subsidizing 900 miles of new gas pipeline, and other accompanying infrastructure, to connect nearly 300,000 customers to fracked gas.
Greater emphasis on clean, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and deploying home heat pumps for heating and cooling would reduce carbon pollution contributing to climate disruption, avoid the need for new dirty energy infrastructure, save families and businesses money, all while creating jobs and building economic prosperity.
In a statement, Martha Klein, Chair of the Connecticut Chapter of the Sierra Club said:
“There are good elements in the proposal, but the draft Comprehensive Energy Strategy ultimately fails to fully deliver on the promises Governor Malloy has made to Connecticut voters. The draft plan falls short of charting a path to the prosperous clean energy future his own Council on Climate Change has identified as necessary, including by continuing to subsidize costly and risky fracked gas. Connecticut residents want more clean energy, electric vehicles, and heat pumps, which will reduce pollution, increase prosperity, save money and create jobs. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection needs to improve this plan to deliver what Governor Malloy’s constituents want.”
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(1) http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=4423&Q=568878&deepNav_GID=2121