Federal Climate Policy

CRS works within existing networks of public interest nonprofits and seeks to build new coalitions (in particular bringing together environmental groups and renewable energy industry stakeholders) around energy and climate policy positions. We promote progress at the federal level by transmitting lessons learned from climate policy advances in the West and from our involvement in the development of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Model Rule. We also seek to advance federal policy by communicating optimism about the potential and benefits of investment in clean energy solutions to global warming. Our ability to do this is enhanced by our location in California, which has been the top destination for venture capital investment in clean technology. In 2007 alone the state drew $1.7 billion in clean tech venture capital, which amounted to 45% of all North American venture capital investment and more than all of Europe combined.

In July of 2009, CRS contributed to the development of two letters on topics important to the renewable energy market. We also participated in the assembly of supporters to sign on to the letters. One letter, addressed to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, advocates for the set-aside and retirement of allowances to account for voluntary renewable energy activity in order to preserve the greenhouse gas emission reducing benefits of voluntary renewable energy purchases. The other letter, addressed to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, emphasized the importance of making clear the demarcation between voluntary and compliance markets for renewable energy—claims should be allowed for one or the other, but not both—and calling for language to clarify federal renewable energy certificate (FREC) ownership for contracts involving unbundled RECs created prior to enactment of federal legislation.