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Energy Experts Discuss Role of Markets in Achieving Environmental Goals

Posted on: Thursday, 25 October 2007, 15:00 CDT

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Leading energy experts today briefed reporters on the important role competitive electricity markets play in helping achieve the goals of energy and climate reforms under consideration in Congress.

Former FERC Commissioner Bill Massey, the American Wind Energy Association's Rob Gramlich and Stephen Lynch of Energy Curtailment Specialists (ECS), the largest demand-response provider in the U.S., participated in a roundtable discussion on the possibility of making lasting environmental change in competitive electricity markets. The discussion was hosted by COMPETE, a national coalition advocating competitive electricity markets.

The panelists discussed the five shared goals of all current climate and energy legislation: reducing emissions, improving efficiency, encouraging innovation, meeting growing demand, and ensuring energy security. COMPETE spokesperson Massey explained why competitive electricity markets are uniquely prepared to meet these challenges.

"Competitive electricity markets will be the proving ground for any environmental legislation, because efficiency, renewables, demand response and innovation are so closely connected to our broader environmental goals," said Massey. "Competition provides the incentive for traditional energy providers to use more efficient technologies that pollute less. At the same time, it allows renewable energy providers to innovate and grow. Taken together, this means cleaner air and more environmentally-friendly choices for consumers."

Rob Gramlich of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) pointed out that wind energy production is disproportionately concentrated in competitive markets, and that these markets offer the most promise for wind and other renewables to become more widely available.

"Meeting our environmental challenges will require renewable energy sources to become a more significant part of our energy landscape," said Gramlich. "Competition helps renewable energy providers enter the market quickly and transmit clean power to more consumers."

Stephen Lynch of ECS focused on energy usage, a key component of meeting environmental goals in the face of growing demand. His company provides "demand response" services, through which consumers reduce their electricity consumption in response to market-driven price signals. Less consumption means fewer plants are needed to meet demand, and fewer plants means fewer emissions.

"Demand response gives consumers the option to save energy and money, and to play a more direct role in controlling their energy consumption. This kind of choice, pricing transparency and responsible usage is exactly what we hope to see on a broad scale in the coming years," said Lynch. "Our industry was incubated in competitive markets, and restructuring has allowed new technologies that bring forth new and innovative resources like demand response and renewable energy."

The COMPETE coalition represents over 175 electricity stakeholders, employing over 4.5 million American workers, including customers, suppliers, generators, transmission owners, trade associations, and economic development corporations - all of whom support well-structured competitive electricity markets for the benefit of consumers. For more information, please visit http://www.competecoaltion.com/.

COMPETE

CONTACT: Meg Little, +1-202-292-6975, mlittle@gloverparkgroup.com, forCOMPETE

Web Site: http://www.competecoaltion.com/

Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire

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