Today is the comment deadline for the Clean Energy Incentive Program (CEIP), a voluntary component of the Clean Power Plan. The program encourages early investments in renewable energy and targeted investments in efficiency and renewables in low-income communities. In our comments, we urge every state to join the program and take advantage of the CEIP’s incentives, and also offer the EPA some recommendations to help improve it.
Which clean energy technologies should be eligible for the CEIP?
In our comments, we have emphasized the need for robust criteria for technologies that should be eligible for credits.
For the renewable energy project pool, we have proposed that the EPA allow wind, solar, hydro and geothermal projects to be eligible. These clean energy technologies can be quickly deployed, in the timeframe for the CEIP, and help cut emissions cost-effectively.
For the low-income project pool, we have proposed that the EPA include efficiency investments, solar projects (at the residential and community scale), and appropriately scaled geothermal, wind, small hydro, and combined heat and power (CHP) projects, where these resources have a similar ability to generate direct economic benefits for low-income communities.
