Stoel Rives partner and environmental lawyer Tom Wood was cited in an article in North American Windpower titled “AWEA: EPA Rules Could Be Third Biggest Driver For Wind Behind PTC And RPS Policies.” The article discusses how the EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan, which the agency intends to reduce carbon emissions from the power sector by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030, can benefit solar, wind power and other renewable energy providers.
Wind power industry experts believe the plan could be the third largest driver of wind-powered generation, behind state renewable portfolio standards (RPS) and the federal production tax credit (PTC). According to Wood, the EPA plan will likely have a profound effect for the 29 states plus the District of Columbia that feature an RPS, stimulating “regulatory and market-based actions” to acquire additional wind and solar generation. On the other hand, states with no RPS have already indicated that they consider any “outside the fence line” options to be illegal and subject to extensive legal and legislative challenges.
Read “AWEA: EPA Rules Could Be Third Biggest Driver For Wind Behind PTC And RPS Policies ,” published June 2, 2014. (Subscription required.)