BCSE presses Congress to prioritize clean energy

The Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) pushed policymakers on Monday to prioritize clean energy provisions at a proposed House-Senate conference on energy legislation.

“Stable and balanced policies and infrastructure are critical for continued growth in the power generation and industrial sectors,” BCSE President Lisa Jacobson said. “Policies must be balanced in order to optimize our energy mix and flexible compliance alternatives. These policies may include federal land management, long-term contracting, and transmission planning among others.

“We encourage Members to go to conference and to begin with, and build upon, the foundation of the bipartisan provisions that have been negotiated over the past months and years. We look forward to working with Congress to finalize legislation this year with meaningful provisions for clean energy.”

Jacobson made her statements in a letter written to Congress. She cited the 2016 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, which found that renewable energy, natural gas and increased energy efficiency strongly contributed to more efficient energy usage and a decrease in carbon-heavy emissions.

Jacobson suggested that Congress prioritize the advancement of clean energy technologies, including improved regulatory processes for hydropower-generated electricity and energy efficiency legislation. Jacobson said doing so could greatly advance the grid and ensure a clean energy future for the country.