By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
They don’t mean to seem ungrateful, but …
At the Electrification 2018 conference, Greentech Media was anxious to find out how utilities felt about the new rules surrounding easing regulations on coal plants. Would they turn away from renewable energy and decide to keep their failing coal plants open? Would they slow the pace of renewable energy purchases? Would this signal the end to renewable energy as we know it?
Well, what the Greentech Media editors (which surprised no one, including them) is that most utilities, no matter where they were in the United States, remained committed to closing coal plants and purchasing more renewable energy, though they did appear thankful that the federal government was turning regulation of the coal plants back over to the states.
Just a couple of samples (read the entire article for the full discussion, and it is 100% worth your time) of what utilities told the Greentech Media team:
American Electric Power:
“AEP said it will continue to pursue lower carbon dioxide emissions “through a variety of actions” that include renewables, efficiency, natural gas and demand response. The utility will continue to “review the rule,” but offered a positive take on keeping coal plants running.”
Southern Company:
“But going forward, we want to do that while transitioning to the low- to no-carbon future. We have come out and stated that Southern Company wants to be a low- to no-carbon future by 2050. We believe that’s also what our customers want from us.”
This reaction comes as no surprise to anyone who has watched the renewable vs. coal battle over the past several years. This is not the first time the federal government has tried to make it easier for energy companies to keep coal plants open, and yet they are still committed to moving forward with further renewable energy purchasing and building. The battle has been won by renewable energy, and there’s no going back. Just ask the utilities – most of them would wholeheartedly agree.
More:
Utilities Recommit to Clean Energy in the Wake of the Trump Administration’s Regulatory Rollback