In this edition:
- RFF hosts the US release of a report on China’s renewable energy strategies
- New research on utility bill savings from municipal energy disclosure laws
Note: Registration is still open for Looking Ahead toward Paris: International Perspectives on National Commitments, a policy dialogue hosted by RFF, the Embassy of Sweden, and Mistra Indigo, on April 21 at the House of Sweden.
China’s Renewable Goals
The Chinese government recently reaffirmed its commitment to reducing pollution at its annual session of the National People’s Congress, where it increased its goal for solar power in order to “more than tripl[e] its solar power capacity” by 2020.
Researchers at the China National Renewable Energy Centre (CNREC) have been working to better understand the potential for increasing renewable energy in China and overcoming the associated policy, regulatory, market, and institutional barriers. Join RFF on April 20, when CNREC Director Wang Zhongying will present the results of this work at the US release of a new CNREC report on China’s renewable energy roadmap. A panel of experts from China and the United States will offer additional perspectives on energy transformation in China. RSVP to attend the event or watch the live webcast.
Disclosing Energy Use in Buildings
Officials in Phoenix, Arizona had hoped to be able to require commercial building owners to report their energy consumption to the city, noting that such transparency would help save on energy costs. However, the Arizona state legislature passed a bill that bans cities from adopting such ordinances, citing the need to protect local businesses. The decision now sits with the Arizona governor.
In new research on such programs, RFF’s Karen Palmer and Margaret Walls “find that the policies have resulted in a roughly 3 percent reduction in utility bills in affected properties.” They note that building owners may have made short-term adjustments, such as for temperature and lighting controls, while investments in long-term solutions such as upgrading equipment would take more time.
