The DC Council passed a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) in 2005 to encourage clean energy use in the city. Unfortunately, some of the energy sources that qualify as "renewable" aren't so renewable. Currently, "black liquor," a byproduct of the pulp and paper industry, qualifies as a renewable energy source under the law -- even though the carbon content of black liquor is comparable to coal.
The good news is that the DC Council is considering a bill to fix this problem and clean up our energy supply. "The Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Amendment Act of 2013," introduced by Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmember Mary Cheh, would remove black liquor from qualifying as a renewable fuel, paving the way for more truly renewable energy sources, like wind, to power our city.
Promoting real sources of clean energy like wind and solar has the potential to bring thousands of new jobs to the Mid-Atlantic region. And, if DC removes black liquor from its RPS, wind energy could make up 70% of our renewable energy portfolio by 2020.