Will Kenworthy for Crain’s Chicago Business:



There has never been a better time for the clean energy economy in Illinois.

Yesterday I joined a meeting with Chicago business leaders and David Friedman, acting assistant secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. It was clear to everyone that no matter who our leaders in Washington are, Chicago and Illinois are determined to power forward on clean energy technologies.

While many are concerned that President-elect Donald Trump is nominating Cabinet secretaries who have fought policies to curb climate change—and who support gas and oil over clean energy—Illinois represents a bright opportunity to move forward. States and cities can act independently in building a sustainable clean energy economy, and ours has established a strong foundation for future growth.

Just weeks ago, the state Legislature passed, and Gov. Bruce Rauner signed, legislation that will help our state become a leader in the clean energy economy. The Future Energy Jobs Bill is expected to bring over $12 billion in private investment to Illinois. This is great news for the 113,000 Illinois residents who make a living every day in homegrown solar, wind and energy efficiency, and this bill promises to create future jobs in our state.

Strong clean energy standards create a virtuous cycle: investing in clean energy now reduces costs and drives demand. This is a cycle that will continue for decades and continue to provide benefits throughout our economy.

For instance, the costs of energy efficient equipment (such as LED lights) and distributed generation technologies (such as rooftop solar panels) are declining. At the same time, consumers’ ability to take control of their energy expenses is growing. Whether it is smart thermostats for homeowners or Big Data-driven energy optimization software for large manufacturing operations, helping businesses and individuals save money on energy costs enables them to use those resources for other things. For a business, it might mean hiring more workers. For a school, it might mean more teachers. By empowering energy consumers to take control of their energy expenses, the clean energy economy contributes both directly and indirectly to economic growth.

The Future Energy Jobs bill recently enacted in Illinois will enhance existing energy efficiency programs and fix our previously broken renewable portfolio standard. The new law will achieve 21.5 percent persistent reduction in energy use in ComEd’s service territory by 2030 and 16 percent reductions for Ameren customers. It is estimated that the net benefits (total energy savings, less program expenses) over the life of the efficiency program will be more than $6 billion in ComEd’s service territory alone.

Likewise, the renewable energy provisions in the bill will lead to both direct jobs in the renewable energy industry and savings for energy consumers. More than $200 million per year will be spent to spur development of solar and wind resources here in Illinois. At a minimum, this will lead to 3,000 MW of solar and 1,300 MW of wind being built over the next decade, resulting in both direct construction and maintenance jobs and increased economic productivity throughout the economy, due to energy cost savings for consumers.

The clean energy industry will help the Illinois economy grow by contributing to our affordable, reliable and diversified energy supply and helping businesses and individuals take control of and reduce energy expenses. This is why I’m confident Illinois will be a model for other states, no matter who our leaders are in Washington.



Trump can’t rain on Illinois’ clean energy parade

