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BPC Unveils Policy Design Features for a National Clean Energy Standard

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Miki Carver

Washington, DC – Today, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Energy Project, along with a working group of peer environmental policy organizations, released a set of core design concepts for a national Clean Energy Standard (CES). Although the idea of a national CES is built upon similar policies successfully implemented at the state level, there are a set of important design decisions that must be made when developing a federal CES. For more than a year, BPC and the working group deliberated on these foundational ideas for CES policy design.

“The working group convened by the Bipartisan Policy Center has assembled an important framework representing a strong foundation for advancing the conversation on a national clean energy standard,” said Sasha Mackler, director of the Energy Project. “This group of experts has agreed on the fundamental elements of a CES policy framework that can drive major low-carbon investments in the electric sector, which is critical to achieving a net-zero economy.”

The Policy Design Features for a National Clean Energy Standard is underpinned by the working group’s support for durable policy solutions that address the urgency of climate action, shared interest in cost-effective, technology-neutral approaches encouraging innovation and ambition, and commitment to equitable energy transitions for all parts of the country.

The Policy Design Features for a National Clean Energy Standard offers ideas in the following categories:

  • Clean energy target, trajectory, and emissions outcomes
  • Baseline (starting point) for the standard
  • Coverage and point of regulation
  • Qualifying clean energy resources and credit tracking
  • Consumer protection and implementation provisions
  • Critical enabling and reinforcing policies

For the list of organizations involved and the full joint statement, click here.

Sasha Mackler is available for interview.

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