Dive Brief:
- The Nevada Assembly yesterday voted on a bill aimed to boost renewable energy used in the state, one of several clean energy bills that lawmakers have recently advanced.
- Assembly Bill 206 would push Nevada to reach 80% renewable energy by 2040, with an interim goal of 50% by 2030. The current RPS mandates the Nevada power mix must have 25% renewable energy by 2025.
- Lawmakers recently sent bills related to energy storage, renewables, efficiency and conservation to Gov. Brian Sandoval’s (R) for his signature or veto.
Dive Insight:
Nevada became somewhat infamous in clean energy news in 2015, when state regulators eliminated retail rate net metering for all solar customers. But lawmakers appear eager to reverse that image, and have advanced a slate of proposals to boost the state's green profile, including raising the state's renewable energy mandate
The RPS bill passed with bipartisan support and will now head to vote in the Senate Commerce, Labor and Energy committee. It was supported by clean energy advocates, environmental groups, and businesses in the state including MGM Resorts International, who recently exited incumbent utility NV Energy's service in search of greener energy on the competitive markets. If signed into the law by Gov. Brian Sandoval (R), the bill places Nevada in a top tier of states with ambitious renewable energy goals, including Oregon, New York and California.
Elspeth DiMarzio, Sierra Club’s representative in in the state, said in a statement that "Nevada's leaders are serious about making the state a clean energy leader. We have so much clean energy potential and this bill taps into that to create jobs, increase energy security, and protect our air and water."
But not all Nevadans are on board with the push for more renewables. The Nevada Independent reports a nonprofit called Secure Nevada’s Future will spend more than $100,000 developing an advertising campaign opposed to AB 206, the RPS mandate.
