This NARUC session is both timely and necessary. Green Buyers are the "elephant in the room". The reality is that today, electricity consumers of all different sizes and locations across the US are taking the initiative to embrace and control their energy destiny, by defining what type of power generating resources are morally and economically preferred in order to meet their defined sustainability goals and achieve 100% "green status" in their electricity use. These Green Buyers are sending a powerful signal to the energy industry that they want to work together to achieve their goals within wholesale markets. But some people in whoelsale markets are "committed" to pursuing policies to attach carbon taxes to wholesale electricity prices - which disadvantages and discourages electrification of other sectors, such as heating and transportation. Some very powerful people in the wholesale electricity markets have spent significant political capital to persuade policy makers that carbon taxes are the best way forward to reach their energy goals, and they are now realizing that this political capital was squandered on the pursuit of a policies that were unacceptable both politically and across society. Even today, there are energy leaders that continue to pursue carbon pricing policies for wholesale electricity, in spite of the overwhelming evidence from FERC and State Officials, that there is simply no appetite for carbon pricing policies for wholesale electricity. 

The time has come for energy industry leaders to acknowledge that there are more effective and socially acceptable alternatives than carbon pricing to achieve State Energy Goals.  The valuable contributions of these Green Buyers, such as Google, Microsoft and other REBA members, and the methods they use to secure long term capacity is a viable model for wholesale capacity markets. One way energy leaders can start to transition away from carbon pricing and toward other, more acceptable consumer approaches is to attend this NARUC session today by registering at: How Corporate Renewable Energy Procurement Can Fuel Decarbonization, If Only We Let It, scheduled for 3:00-4:00 Eastern time TODAY!

The Always on Capacity Exchange (AOCE), which is now under consideration by NEPOOL, describes a capacity market solution that incorporates the Green Buyers approach to acquire long term capacity and energy as a means to achieve State Energy goals in New England and satisfy reliability requirements across the region, using a cost effective approach that produces just and reasonable outcomes for New England's consumers, generators and transmission owners.