Date: 8/3/2015

On August 3, President Obama and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy released the final Clean Power Plan, an integral part of the Administration's fight against climate change. Under the plan, the United States must reduce its carbon emission 32% below 2005 levels by 2030. U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz released a statement saying, "This is the most ambitious initiative any president in history has taken to reduce heat-trapping emissions." In related carbon emissions news:

• The White House launched the American Business Act on Climate Pledge, and 13 of the nation's largest companies joined and pledged to reduce their carbon emissions and increase renewable energy in their procurement plans. The companies are Alcoa, Apple, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Cargill, Coca-Cola, General Motors, Goldman Sachs, Google, Microsoft, PepsiCo, UPS, and Walmart.
• The Energy Information Administration's report Analysis of the Impacts of the Clean Power Plan reveals that wind energy plays an important role in Clean Power Plan compliance, with wind electricity generation capacity more than tripling over 2013 levels by 2040 in the Base Policy case (205 gigawatts in 2040 vs. 61 gigawatts in 2013).
• According to an analysis recently published by the Union of Concerned Scientists, 31 states have committed to carbon emissions reductions that put them more than halfway to meeting their 2020 benchmarks.
• Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas announced that it would hire for 350 positions at its Colorado plants in response to the expected increase in wind turbine orders in the United States.
• Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology examined options to help states define their preferred approach for complying with carbon regulations and published a report, Low-Carbon Electricity Pathways for the U.S. and the South. According to the report, the low-carbon pathways would cause increases in wind energy, biomass, and solar PV.
• Navigant published a report, Anticipating Compliance Strategies and Forecasts for Satisfying Clean Power Plan Requirements, that summarizes a scenario analysis and compliance options identified by the authors. Navigant researchers expect the Clean Power Plan to drive some wind development, especially in the Midwest, Texas, and the West.
• The Maine Renewable Energy Association released an analysis of the avoided emissions impacts of wind energy in the state.
• A recent Analysis Group report shows that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative cap and trade program added $1.3 billion in economic activity to the New England and Mid-Atlantic region since 2011 while reducing carbon emissions by 15%. Energy consumers in the nine states encompassing the program paid $460 million less for electricity during that time.
• The Washington Post published infographics depicting electricity power sources in the United States, one of which shows wind energy generated 5% of the nation's electricity this year.

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