Trump should emulate Nevada’s energy-smart Republicans

Monday, Nov. 28, 2016 | 9:02 a.m.

With so much focus on scandals, tweets, leaks, intemperate remarks, and other drama, this year’s presidential race did not focus a whole lot on issues and policy. This is especially true with regard to energy. Even in the debate held here in Las Vegas, which was praised as the most policy focused of the three, the moderator failed to ask a single energy-related question.

Energy is a vital issue for both Nevada and the nation. It would have been useful for voters to hear them discuss their energy plans, especially with respect to the renewable energy sources that are so abundant in this state.

President-elect Trump would do well to follow the lead of Nevada’s energy smart Republicans, Gov. Brian Sandoval and Sen. Dean Heller. They are both leaders in pushing forward-thinking energy policies, polices that reflect the tremendous opportunity renewable energy and related technologies offers this state.

Nevada is better positioned than many states to take advantage of America’s shift toward cleaner and more sustainable forms of domestic energy. This state is located next to energy-hungry California, its solar potential is unmatched, it has abundant geothermal resources, and is home to Tesla’s Gigafactory — the world’s largest electric car battery factory.

Too often states miss out on such opportunities because their elected officials are so locked in to the fossil fuel industry’s “drill baby drill” worldview that they fail to recognize the potential offered by a different kind of energy future. Trump himself reflected these tendencies at times during the campaign.

This is not the case with Sandoval and Heller.

Earlier this year Sandoval signed the Governors’ Accord for a New Energy Future, a joint commitment by 17 governors to promote clean energy, clean transportation choices and a modern electrical grid. The policy direction encouraged by the Accord plays to Nevada’s strengths and was probably a no-brainer for Sandoval, who has been a champion of renewable energy and related economic development opportunities since he took office.

When the Nevada Public Utilities Commission decided to end retail-rate net metering — the practice of fully crediting solar customers for the excess energy they send back to the grid — Sandoval recognized how bad that decision was for Nevadans, and for future of solar energy in the state.

He responded by reactivating his New Energy Industry Task Force, and asking it to address a number of policy issues, including net metering.

After months of deliberation, that task force came back with a strong set of legislative recommendations that promote energy efficiency and encourage clean energy investment. These align with the goals set forth in the aforementioned accord and ensure a fair net metering return for solar customers.

Heller, for his part, has emerged as the leading Republican advocate for solar energy in the U.S. Senate. He was instrumental in securing the 2015 extension of the investment tax credit (ITC) for solar.

Heller is also a champion for advanced energy storage. He is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to establish investment tax credits for home and business use of energy storage, and a separate bill to ensure that electric utilities adequately consider investing in energy storage systems.

Both Sandoval and Heller approach energy policy with an open mind and an eye toward opportunity. They recognize that there is no such thing as a Republican or Democrat source of energy. Energy is just that, energy. Each source comes with its own strengths, weaknesses and tradeoffs, many of which can change over time. And each state has its own unique energy opportunities.

That is why for energy policy to be prudent, and therefore conservative, it must be forward looking. It cannot be stuck in the mire of past realities that are no longer valid, or limited by pandering to those afraid of change.

By not allowing themselves to be blinded by preconception, partisanship, or special interests, Sandoval and Heller have been true leaders on energy, able to chart a bold path forward that is in the best interest of Nevada and the nation.

This is exactly the kind of leadership we need from the White House, and these are exactly the kind of forward-thinking Republicans that Trump must emulate in order for America to have a bright energy future.

David Jenkins is the president of Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, a national nonprofit organization.

CORRECTION: Editor's note: The original version of this guest column was posted with the incorrect headline. | (November 28, 2016)