Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: Advanced Energy United (United), formerly Advanced Energy Economy, is actively engaging on US climate policies with positive positions. The group advocates for federal, state, and regional climate policies, with a focus on transitioning the energy mix away from fossil fuels.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: United demonstrates positive top-line messaging on climate policy. The group has consistently advocated for ambitious government policy to respond to climate change: for example, then-CEO Nat Kreamer published a March 2022 press statement urging Congress “to pass President Biden’s clean energy agenda without delay.” As reported by Utility Dive in January 2021, the group appeared to support the US re-entry into the Paris Agreement.
Engagement with Climate-Related Policy: United engages with positive positions on a wide array of climate-related policies at all levels of government. At the federal level, the group advocated for greenhouse gas (GHG) vehicle emissions standards, submitting June 2023 comments in support of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s proposed standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles. Previously, United submitted a June 2022 joint motion to intervene in support of the California Clean Air Act waiver. The group also repeatedly advocated for the climate provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Build Better Act, submitting a May 2022 joint letter and June 2022 joint letter to policymakers in support of the clean energy tax credits, followed by November 2022 comments in support of the IRA’s energy efficiency incentives.
United also actively supports state-level climate policies, with evidence of advocacy across multiple states. In Virginia, the group has repeatedly advocated to preserve the state’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative: for example, following the state’s move to repeal its inclusion in the scheme, United published a June 2023 press release that urged regulators to reconsider the decision. In Pennsylvania, United submitted December 2023 comments advocating for policymakers to include community solar provisions within the state’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard. Previously, in Indiana, the group organized a December 2022 sign-on letter to the Utility Regulatory Commission calling for utilities Duke and AES to offer a green tariff program in the state.
Positioning on Energy Transition: United takes a positive position on the energy transition and supports specific federal and state measures toward decarbonizing the economy. The group’s leadership has been vocal about the need to transition the energy mix, with CEO Heather O’Neill releasing an April 2024 press statement that supported the EPA’s finalized power plant rules for existing coal plants and new gas plants and simultaneously urged utilities to rapidly move away from fossil fuels. The group had previously submitted June 2023 comments in support of the proposed power plant rules, appearing to counter fossil fuel narratives by emphasizing that the proposal “did not pose a threat to the reliability of our grid” and actually would serve to “enhance resilience and reliability.” O’Neill also supports President Biden’s target to reach 100% clean electricity by 2035, publishing a January 2024 press release launching the group’s “Transmission Possible” campaign to generate support for transmission policies that facilitate progress toward that target. Previously, in April 2022, then-CEO Kreamer wrote a blog post that called for a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels in response to the crisis in Ukraine and pushed President Biden to invoke the Defense Production Act toward increasing electric heat pump production.
United has positively engaged on state-level policies to transition the energy mix, particularly on transport electrification. In Illinois, during a February 2024 committee hearing, the group registered as a proponent of legislation to adopt the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation; similarly, in New Mexico, United submitted August 2023 comments advocating for the state to adopt both the Advanced Clean Cars II and Advanced Clean Trucks standards. In New York, during a January 2023 public hearing on implementing the state’s climate plan, the group provided testimony that advocated for more ambitious transport electrification funding.