Transmission pricing and the cost of renewable energy

摘要

Energy policy in the United States does not appear to be on the front burner for the current legislative session. There is, however, continued interest in expanding the renewable generating portfolio and reducing U.S. reliance on fossil fuels. In fact, more than two-thirds of states already have renewable or alternative energy standards or goals in place.rnNuclear power is the predominant non-fossil-fuel energy producer in the United States, but it appears to be in a class by itself in the energy policy debate, since it is not "renewable" like wind or solar power. As a result, the transition to clean energy in the United States has focused on wind and solar. Nuclear power continues to produce about 20 percent of the electricity generated in the United States, but the hoped-for expansion of the industry—the nuclear renaissance—has not yet occurred.