A Latest Survey of State and Local Governments' Clean Energy Policies in the United States

The United States has been lagging in climate change policy development at federal level. It is not the same at state or local government levels.
The National Governors Association's "Securing a Clean Energy Future" initiative launched in 2007 was a wonderful proof of American people's serious concern about climate change.
Local governments' recent efforts to address the concern are well documented in the following report from three renowned organizations, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), Alliance to Save Energy, and American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE).
I can call the report an encyclopedia of policies to improve energy efficiency and promote renewable energy at sub-national and local government levels.

The report, "Compendium of Best Practices: Sharing Local and State Successes in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy from the United States," is organized as follows:

1) POLICIES, RULES AND REGULATIONS:

• Renewable Portfolio Standards
• Energy Efficiency Resource Standards
• Public Benefit Funds
• Energy Code Implementation
• Appliance Standards

2) FINANCING SOURCES AND MECHANISMS

• Government Loan Programs
• Property Assessed Financing Districts
• Municipal Bonds
• Direct Cash Subsidies- Rebates
• Feed-in Tariffs
• Tax Incentives
• Commercial Methods- Power Purchase Agreements
• Energy Service Companies (ESCOs)

3) UTILITIES AND TRANSMISSION

• Transmission Planning- Renewable Energy Zones
• Net Metering and Interconnection Standards
• Revenue Stability Mechanism

4) LEADING BY EXAMPLE IN PUBLIC FACILITIES, OPERATIONS, AND FLEETS

• Leading by Example in Public Buildings and Facilities
• Green Power Purchasing
• Greening Fleets
• Optimizing Traffic Signals
• Wastewater Treatment

5) HIGH PERFORMING CITIES

• Austin, Texas
• San Francisco, California
• Seattle, Washington

Source: Ellingson, M., Hunter, L., Lung, R. B., Carey, K., & Plunkett, E. (2010). Compendium of Best Practices: Sharing Local and State Successes in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy from the United States. A collaborative report by: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), Alliance to Save Energy, & American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE). [Full-text at http://j.mp/Best_Practices_for_EE_and_RE]