The Governor’s Energy Advisory Council approved its final 45 recommendations from the Renewable Energy and Clean Technologies and Energy Efficiency and Electrification working groups, in addition to the 35 passed on Friday.
The 26 renewable energy recommendations focus on promoting the transition to low carbon fuels, including alternatives like renewable diesel, renewable natural gas and biodiesel blends.
Council member Mark Baker of Baker Petroleum notes Delaware should strongly consider partnering with its neighboring states to reach biofuel goals because of its market size.
“But the problem with Delaware is we’re such a small market. We can’t really do a lot of things on our own, so we can’t get renewable diesel in Delaware just for Delaware to market. So what we’re advocating here is for a Mid-Atlantic sort of regional approach – take a look at this to see if there’s something that works with our neighboring states," Baker said.
The council passed an additional recommendation to conduct a cost/benefit analysis of partnering with neighboring states on clean energy projects as opposed to Delaware pursuing stand-alone projects.
Electric vehicle policies took center stage in the 21 energy efficiency recommendations, including endorsing legislation to establish a revised fee structure for zero and low-emission vehicles.
This fee could take shape in many forms – proposed examples included a mileage tax or a registration tax on electric vehicles. Baker explains this fee would help offset the decline in revenue from motor fuel tax income.
“If those of us in the Energy Council are going to be making recommendations that are in fact reducing state revenue for the maintenance of roads, which is what we’re doing as we move to these types of vehicles, I feel we need to be accountable and provide solutions to that revenue loss that is very much needed.”
Baker notes this type of fee is not uncommon in the U.S. – close to 33 states have enacted an EV registration fee and 11 others have proposals, including Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
It will be up to the General Assembly to decide if they will implement such a fee, as well as the pricing structure and fee type.
All of the recommendations will now be sent to the DNREC State Energy Office to be used when creating the updated Delaware Energy Plan.
