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Clean Power Council

The Special Clean Power Council (CPC) is a two-year initiative, started in 2018, comprised of leading U.S. electric utilities and an array of their major commercial and industrial customers—representing the technology, manufacturing, automotive, and retail sectors.

The electricity industry transformation is driven in large part by changing customer preferences – specifically, ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets – and the rising competition for their business. Thus, innovation between utilities and customers on integrated product design is essential.

CPC members include: Adobe, American Electric Power, American Honda Motor Co., Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Best Buy, Consumers Energy, General Motors, IBM, Levi Strauss & Co., Southern Company, Target, Tennessee Valley Authority, Walmart and Xcel Energy.

The CPC drives innovation to achieve an economic and efficient transition to clean energy resources. We focus on large-scale clean energy solutions that reduce emissions, including renewable energy procurement innovations, electric vehicles and incorporating customer demand in utility asset planning. At the completion of the initiative, the CPC will showcase a portfolio of regional best practices for clean energy procurement among utilities and customers. Mutually beneficial solutions – which combine the needs of utilities and customers, while serving the greater public interest – will be shared with regulators and policy makers across the United States.

WRI also coordinates this work with complementary efforts underway within the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA). Together the REBA network aims to enable companies to buy 60 gigawatts of renewable energy in the US by 2025. 

For an overview of the Clean Power Council, see this brochure. To learn more, contact Heidi Ratz or Norma Hutchinson.

Resources

The Clean Power Council operates in three workstreams, focusing on emissions factors, utilities’ strategies and customers’ renewable energy goals and electric vehicles. Through the CPC’s three subject matter working groups, the members are driving innovation in the utility sector to achieve an efficient and economic transition to clean energy resources and working to enable technologies, that reduce GHG emissions – while growing businesses across America.

Workstream 1: Aligning Interests – The Intersection Between Utility Emissions Factors & Customers’ Sustainability & Energy Goals

Workstream 1 explores alignment between corporate renewable energy and emissions targets and utility emissions trajectories. The workgroup examines customer/utility values, reporting metrics and policy/regulatory considerations for achieving clean energy goals.

Workstream 2: Bending the Curve Together – Leveraging Common Goals in IRPs & Asset Strategies

Workstream 2 explores ways to use utilities’ integrated resource plans and other strategies in order to help companies meet their renewable energy and emissions goals. The workgroup looks at the intersections between utility and customer plans, and asks how customer goals can encourage and support more clean energy on the grid.

Workstream 3: Leveraging Electric Vehicles to Drive Toward a Cleaner Grid

Workstream 3 explores the ways that electric vehicles can help meet clean energy requirements of large companies. The workgroup discusses what role customers can play in accelerating the transition to electric vehicles, and looks at the ways electric vehicles can reduce the costs of the clean energy transition.