How Does Legislation Affect
Wind and Solar Power in Connecticut?
“Human behavior flows from three main sources:
Desire, emotion, and knowledge.” - Plato
When it Comes to Sustainable Energy,
Our Small State Has Some Big Plans!
Did You Know?
Here are Seven Interesting Facts about
Wind and Solar Power in Connecticut
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Connecticut is 5th nationally for science and engineering doctorates within the workforce, which will support the wind and solar power industry
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Connecticut will aim to reach a goal of reducing greenhouse gasses by 45% by 2030, and has introduced a goal of net zero carbon electricity by 2040
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Prices in Connecticut for solar power equipment have fallen 52% over the last ten years
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Connecticut is 5th in supporting offshore wind power in the United States
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174,000 homes in Connecticut could be completely fueled by solar power on the current Connecticut grid
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Connecticut is seventh in the country for energy efficiency policies and programs
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There are currently 2,275 solar jobs in the state of Connecticut
ederal, state, and local regulations govern many aspects of wind and solar energy development. The nature of the project and its locations will largely drive the levels of regulation required.
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In August 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which extends the Production Tax Credit (PTC) and the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for wind projects through 2024. The Inflation Reduction Act will help boost a number of incentives for clean energy not just in Connecticut, but throughout the nation.
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In May of 2022, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed two bills that would help mitigate climate change, assisting with solar energy production and creating a greener economy,. The bills also work to drive the state to become a leader when it comes to the impacts of climate change. Public Act 22-5 and Public Act 22-14 will culminate in four years of strong climate change initiatives to decarbonize multiple sectors of the economy. Public Act 22-5 will create shared goals between the state and private sector who rely on gas and oil sectors to fully transition to electric supplies. Public Act 22-14 will expand credits for solar use and fuel cells on a residential level - especially for moderate and low income homes.
Connecticut is one of the fastest growing of the small states in the solar industry. The state has launched the Connecticut Property Assessed Clean Energy program (C-PACE) to offer property assessed clean energy financing and services to municipalities and commercial property owners. This unique program will serve as a model for other states to follow. In 2021, Connecticut created 2,275 solar jobs, and $2.8 billion has been invested in solar technology.
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For wind power, Connecticut ranks 5th in offshore wind turbines. The state is currently part of of a coalition – led by Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region (seCTer) and supported by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, to diversify and expand the supply chain, providing waterfront industrial sites for development. Only seven wind turbine farms control power off the east coast of the United States - five offshore near Block Island, RI and two offshore in Virginia. In the coming years, larger electricity-producing machines will rise from the
sea floor from Maine to Florida, reflecting current scenes already etablished in Europe. No wind farms are planned for Long Island Sound as of yet, but projects in nearby ocean waters will certainly affect Connecticut. Governor Lamont believes that the offshore wind industry has the ability to create many good paying jobs in Connecticut.
Our Educators at Connecticut Universities
are Driving Wind and Solar Policy
The UConn School of Law and CIRCA Support Solar and Wind Energy Legislation
The Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) works to increase the resilience and
sustainability of communitiesvulnerable to the growing impacts of climate change on the natural, built, and human
environments. They work to accomplish this by:
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Creating a climate-literate public that will understand our changing climate and use that knowledge to make scientifically-informed decisions
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Helping to reduce the loss of life, property, as well as supporting natural systems from ecological damage
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Creating resilient and sustainable communities along the Connecticut shoreline through assistance in stopping the impacts and hazards caused by climate change, such as sea level rise
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Developing tools for municipalities to assess infrastructure in the next 25 to 50 years through the Municipal Resilience Planning Assistance
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Creating policy and supporting legislation for the State of Connecticut that supports sustainable energy and protects our natural environments
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The University of Connecticut School of Law has a close relationship with CIRCA through UConn Law’s Center for Energy & Environmental Law (CEEL), directed by Professor Joseph A. MacDougald.
Professor MacDougald teaches and researches Environmental and Energy Law, focusing on climate change and its interaction with different levels of government. He is an Executive Board member and director of applied research at the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation. He has helped guide research projects that explore policy responses to rising sea levels at a state and municipal level, and policy supporting sustainable energy such as solar and wind power.
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication Supports Solar
and Wind Energy Legislation
The mission of the Yale Climate Change Communications program is to conduct scientific research on
climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behaviors in society. The goal of the program works to:
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Engage the public in climate change communications, helping concerned citizens understand they can work with their legislators on policy solutions
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Understand state-level opinions, which is important because many climate and energy policies have to be enacted by state leaders
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Influence Connecticut legislators on state-level trends in public opinion supporting clean wind and solar power laws
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My Interview with Louanne Cooley and Kirt Mayland
My Artist's Statement By Jack M:
My name is Jack Marzi, and I am currently a Post Graduate student at Watkinson School. My main goal is to help educate those who are interested in climate change and why there should be more done in the state of Connecticut in terms of solar and wind power legislation. My work focuses on the need for the advancement of more solar power and wind turbines in our state and how different groups push for clean energy legislation. Climate change is the defining challenge of our time. By creating my brochure, website and podcast, I will help bring awareness to this issue. My vision is to bring together these ideas so that people will understand the work that goes into instigating the need for better legislation for solar and wind power. My podcast with Louanne Cooley, the Legal Fellow of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaption (CIRCA) and Kirk Mayard, Legal Fellow the UConn School of Law will give people an idea of how CIRCA supports climate change awareness, and why the state, for its size, has actually done quite a bit to support solar and wind power. I also took the content from my research and built a two-page brochure that explains how Governor Ned Lamort is supporting this cause, and how organizations such as CIRCA, UConn School of Law, and Yale University are supporting that work. I expect my audience to be engaged and well informed with my topic, and I feel as if this project will allow them to understand things they didn’t already know about the solar and wind industry, including key facts about employment, funding and the impact of clean energy on our economy. My current work is different from my previous work because initially I wanted to learn more about how climate change affects mental health, as well as social, and economic impacts. However, I believe that narrowing my topic to how wind and solar power legislation could play a role in how climate change affects Connecticut would be easier to research. I am inspired by images of wind turbines, which are powerful and unexpected to see on the land or the ocean. I thought it was important to show images of people behind the support for wind and solar power, because without activists and experts at places like UConn, CIRCA, and Yale, it can be difficult to convince lawmakers to pass clean energy bills. My work fits into a large body of work because it demonstrates how communities and activists can come together as one group to make an impact on climate policy. I expect that some people who read my brochure or listen to my podcast will disagree that climate policy for wind and solar isn’t necessary, and that it’s okay to only rely on fossil fuels. In conclusion, I’ve enjoyed my work understanding how legislation, and the people who influence legislation, can impact the use of solar and wind energy in the state of Connecticut. Before I began this intriguing journey, I had doubts about finding the answers I was looking for. I didn’t know what tools would serve me best, and wasn’t sure what resources would be best suited for this type of work. However, over months of hard work, I was provided not only with the answers, but also with new methods to help me explore the things that I’m most curious about. I'd like to thank Louanne Cooley and Kirt Mayland for their contributions and especially Professor MacDougald for his mentorship.
Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments or suggestions. And let me know what you think of my site!