Congress Should Oppose A Mandatory Federal Renewable Portfolio Standard

December 4, 2007

Congress is expected to begin consideration this week of an energy bill that includes a provision to impose a 15-percent federal renewable portfolio standard (RPS). Under a federal RPS mandate, electric utilities would be required to meet a certain percentage of their electricity sales each year with electricity produced from a limited list of renewable resources or through the purchase of renewable credits from other renewable generators or the Department of Energy.

A federal RPS mandate would raise electricity prices for many consumers; upset ongoing renewable energy programs in the states; create winners and losers among states, electricity generators and electricity suppliers; and impose new burdens on electric reliability. Moreover, a federal RPS mandate is not a solution to achieving energy independence, nor is it a cost-effective means of reducing greenhouse gases. 

• Read EEI's position paper on the RPS issue.
• Read EEI's letter to Congress opposing a federal RPS mandate.
• Find out what others are saying about this issue.
• Learn the top 10 things you should know about the federal RPS and the top 10 reasons to oppose the federal RPS.
• Compare the "eligible resources" under existing state plans to federal RPS
  proposals .
• Find out why an RPS does nothing to help achieve energy independence.
• Congress should not preempt state renewable energy efforts.
• Congress should not impose an electricity tax on consumers and businesses.
• Access a U.S. map showing the states with existing RPS plans.
• View maps prepared by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory showing:
  • U.S. wind resources
  • U.S. solar resources
  • U.S. geothermal resources
  • U.S. biomass resources
• Learn more about the transmission infrastructure costs associated with wind power.

© 2008 Edison Electric Institute