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Pennsylvania State Senate
04/18/2024 10:09 PM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20230&cosponId=40080
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: March 6, 2023 02:20 PM
From: Senator Sharif Street
To: All Senate members
Subject: Clean Energy Standard and a Modern AEPS
 
In the near future, I will introduce legislation to modernize the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard Act (AEPS) and create a new Clean Energy Standard in Pennsylvania to help make Pennsylvania energy emissions 100% carbon neutral by 2050 while supporting the Commonwealth’s thriving energy sector job base.

We currently have a chance to build a framework better suited to our current climate and energy challenges. A new AEPS, together with a Clean Energy Standard framework running parallel to the AEPS, will put Pennsylvania on the path to becoming a national leader in the fight against climate change while protecting good Pennsylvania jobs.

The original AEPS gave an important boost to the renewable and alternative energy industries in Pennsylvania. Our legislation builds on this success by incentivizing the use of net-zero carbon emission fuel sources. This new and updated AEPS will expand the tier system to ensure all aspects of Pennsylvania’s energy sector are considered as we progress towards our goals. This includes an expansion of renewable energy, carbon capture, advanced nuclear, and hydrogen.

Running parallel to the AEPS will be a Clean Energy Standard. The Clean Energy Standard is defined as an overarching standard for total reductions in carbon emissions encompassing all energy sources within the AEPS tier system. Starting in 2024, the Clean Energy Standard will lay out a number of carbon reduction goals and the dates in which they should be accomplished. The end goal of the Clean Energy Standard will be to have a 100% carbon neutral Pennsylvania by the year 2050.

Introducing a Clean Energy Standard and running it alongside a new and expanded AEPS will ensure Pennsylvania protects our important energy jobs and joins the rest of the world as a leader in tackling the challenges of climate change head on. Not only will the new AEPS tiers give a boost to integral Pennsylvania energy industries, the Clean Energy Standard promises to ensure an environmentally friendly Pennsylvania for a long time to come.

I urge you to reach out with any ideas and join me a co-sponsor of this important piece of legislation. Please contact Dustin Morris at dustin.morris@pasenate.com if you have any questions.