Survey of Local Governments on Clean Energy Policy Development
NREL sent a questionnaire in 2010 to 54 local government officials to better understand the status and impact of local clean energy policies. The following main points summarize the survey's results:
- Local government officials, departments, and community members are the main people and/or organizations that drive the adoption of clean energy policy at the local level.
- Clean energy options are typically framed as a way to reduce energy-related costs and to mitigate climate change.
- The major barrier to the adoption of clean energy continues to be related to cost. Local governments rely on offering financial incentives to address this barrier.
- There is substantial interaction between local governments on clean energy policy development. The interaction with state governments varies greatly. Only a few local governments are interacting frequently with their state governments.
For more information on the survey's results and methodology, see the full report, Clean Energy Policy Analyses: Analysis of the Status and Impact on Clean Energy Policies at the Local Level.
