As part of the Northeast Clean Energy Council’s (NECEC) Clean Energy Day, clean energy business leaders visited the Connecticut State House today to advocate for legislation to extend Connecticut’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and support solar and distributed generation markets, among other clean energy priorities.

“This is a critical legislative session to keep Connecticut on a path towards a sustainable and economical clean energy future,” said NECEC President Peter Rothstein. “It’s critical that lawmakers increase the RPS to enable businesses and residents to obtain the economic, energy and environmental benefits provided by a strong clean energy market."

NECEC’s legislative agenda is detailed in its 2018 Connecticut Clean Energy Priorities, which outlines key legislation needed to advance clean energy in the Constitution State. NECEC’s top priority is increasinging Connecticut’s RPS to achieve 50 percent renewable energy by 2030. The current RPS is set to end at 20 percent in 2020. According to a recent study, an increase of two to three percent per year will create jobs, lower wholesale energy prices, improve energy diversity and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

During Connecticut Clean Energy Day, NECEC recognized Bryan Garcia, President and CEO of the Connecticut Green Bank, as its 2018 Clean Energy Champion. As the first state-sponsored green bank in the nation, Connecticut Green Bank has mobilized over over one billion dollars of investment in clean energy and energy efficiency in only six years. Garcia’s leadership of the bank has helped lower energy costs for over 24,000 Connecticut homes and businesses, reduce over 3.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, and generation of 235 MW of clean energy. Prior to joining Connecticut Green Bank, Garcia served as Program Director of the Yale Center for Business and the Environment.

About NECEC

NECEC (Northeast Clean Energy Council & NECEC Institute) is the premier voice of businesses building a world-class clean energy hub in the Northeast, helping clean energy companies start, scale and succeed with our unique business, innovation and policy leadership. NECEC includes the Northeast Clean Energy Council (a nonprofit business member organization), and NECEC Institute (a nonprofit focused on industry research, innovation, policy development and communications initiatives). NECEC brings together business leaders and key stakeholders to engage in influential policy discussions and business initiatives while building connections that propel the clean energy industry forward.