The following is a joint letter from Renewable Energy Advocates to the House Committee on Energy and the Environment Chair Sheldon and Vice Chair Sibilia on the concerns of the introduction of H.289. Instead, we support the passage of H.309, a bill to increase in-state and regional renewable energy. See below:
Dear Chair Sheldon and Vice Chair Sibilia:
A requirement for new renewables is central to any meaningful Renewable Energy Standard (RES) reform bill because it is the only way we can ensure that Vermont's energy policy results in true reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. We believe that because H.289 in its current form does not contain any requirements to bring new renewable energy online, it fails to meaningfully address the climate crisis.
A well-known flaw in the existing RES statute is that it allows over 99% of the existing Tier 1 requirement to be met by purchasing and retiring renewable energy credits (RECs) from older, large scale hydropower, and the only requirement for new renewables – 10% “Tier 2” by 2032 – falls far short of both the level of deployment the climate crisis requires and the level of ambition of other New England states’ requirements for new renewables.
Unfortunately, purchasing and retiring RECs from older, existing projects does not have a meaningful impact on climate pollution because it does not change how electricity is generated in our region. This flaw was highlighted in the Department of Public Service’s 2022 Annual RES Report which states, “Much of the Tier I savings are a result of purchasing RECs from existing resources, so while Vermont is reducing its fossil fuel consumption, the regional impact on incremental renewable energy is limited.” In other words, the language in H.289 will continue to disincentivize the deployment of new wind and solar power not just in Vermont but throughout New England.
In addition, the deployment of new distributed renewable generation in state provides Vermonters with additional benefits including greater resiliency against the increasing power outages occurring due to climate change and enhanced energy security from market pressures from energy purchased from the grid. Purchasing more RECs from older, existing renewables – the construct H.289 endorses and expands – cannot provide those benefits to Vermonters.
If Vermont is going to prepare for the effects of the climate crisis and play its part in reducing climate pollution, the move towards “electrifying everything” must be fueled by new renewable resources.
We are therefore calling for RES reform language that transparently encourages the deployment of new renewables both in Vermont and throughout New England as a critical piece of any RES reform bill moving forward in the House Committee on Environment and Energy this year.
We look forward to working with you and your committee to advance legislation that will get new renewables deployed and strengthen Vermont’s electric grid.
Chase Whiting, Conservation Law Foundation
Vanessa Rule, 350Vermont
Dan Fingas, Rights and Democracy
Peter Sterling, Renewable Energy Vermont
Lauren Hierl, Vermont Conservation Voters
Robb Kidd & Steve Crowley, Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club