ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Senior Manager Lora Current was on The Lars Larson Show discussing energy affordability and state policies following the release of the 5th edition of the ALEC Energy Affordability Report.
The conversation started with an introduction to energy affordability and a discussion of the ALEC Energy Affordability Report, which compares electricity prices and grid reliability across states. Current gave an overview of the report and how it examines key policies that affect energy costs and reliability, as well as provides a comprehensive guide for the public.
“You can look specifically at where your state ranks as far as electricity affordability, you can look at where they rank as far as grid reliability, you can look at their gas and diesel prices,” Current explained. “Then we went a step further and looked at what are some key policies that might be contributing to some expensive states, or what are states doing really well that are making it more affordable for their people living there.”
Larson then asked about the specific actions states can take to reduce high electricity and gasoline costs. Current pointed to the states that adopted policies that lowered electricity prices and how others could follow a similar path.
“The difference is, when we look at the most expensive states versus the most affordable states, is we do see a correlation of states that have more burdensome mandates or policies such as renewable portfolio standards, which is a set political agenda to set,” she remarked. “States that rely on maybe energy sources that they can’t produce and have reliable sources from have to start then importing energy from other states, and that’s where it gets expensive.”
The conversation went further into the policy discussion and concluded on which measures states could adopt to ensure energy reliability and affordability. Current highlighted how states could consider the ALEC Affordable, Reliable and Clean Energy Security Act (ARC) as a guide to the main questions states should address regarding energy needs.
“Is it affordable and is it reliable?” Current asked “Then we can start looking at how can we add in these renewables in a responsible way for a specific state.”
It is difficult – and perhaps even impossible – to overstate the relationship between readily available access to safe, affordable and reliable energy and individual prosperity and economic wellbeing. This is because energy is an input to virtually everything we produce, consume and enjoy in society. Think for a minute…