US wind, solar, hydropower and storage associations unite to achieve market majority by 2030

The American renewable and clean energy industries officially joined this week with the partnered goal of achieving an electricity market majority within the decade.

“We are pleased to join forces with our clean energy friends to substantially reduce carbon emissions by 2030, building a more resilient, efficient, sustainable, and affordable grid for generations to come,” Kelly Speakes-Backman, Energy Storage Association (ESA) CEO, said. “A majority of generation supplied by renewable energy represents a significant change in the way we operate the grid, and the storage industry is a fundamental asset to provide the flexibility that a more modern, decarbonized grid will require. We look forward to actively collaborating with our colleagues to make this vision a reality by 2030.”

Together at the first annual CLEANPOWER renewable and clean energy conference, the ESA, American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and National Hydropower Association (NHA) announced their industries would actively collaborate to achieve this goal. They released a collection of shared advocacy principles that include building a more resilient, efficient, sustainable, and affordable grid; reducing carbon; and promoting greater competition in the market.

“These principles are just another step toward realizing our vision for a Solar+ Decade,” Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the SEIA, said. “In the face of this dreadful pandemic, our nation must chart a path forward that puts a premium on innovation, jobs recovery, and a smarter approach to energy generation.”

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has hard hit many of these industries, so a collaborative effort could also bring much-needed relief amidst recovery. Demand for integration and mixed technologies are also opening up in ways previously inconceivable, according to Tom Kiernan, CEO of the AWEA. NHA President and CEO Malcolm Woolf noted that by tacking additional generation onto existing non-powered dams and developing pumped storage hydropower capacity, they could help accelerate a clean energy electricity grid with the flexibility to integrate other renewables.

“Individually and cooperatively, these sectors will continue growing to meet that demand and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs to strengthen economies from coast to coast, building a better, cleaner tomorrow,” Woolf said. “In the face of significant challenges the country is currently facing across pandemic, economic, climate, and social injustice problems, we are prepared to help lead toward a healthier and more equitable future.”