Know Your Ballot Carson City: Question 6, Renewable Energy

On Nov. 6, Nevadans will face the final question on the ballot, Question 6. If adopted, electric utility companies would be required to acquire 50 percent of their electricity from renewable resources by 2030.

This is no surprise, as Nevada is a hot bed for renewable energy resources, and great strides have been taken recently in renewable energy technology. Entire countries now run off of renewable energy such as solar, geothermal and wind.

As of 2018, Nevada’s Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) is 25 percent by 2025.

Question 6 then would increase the RPS from 25 percent in 2025 to 50 percent in 2030.

The energy sources would include solar, geothermal, wind, biomass, and hydroelectric.

The ballot initiative needed 112,543 valid signatures to get on the ballot. Over 230,000 signatures were logged by June 18, 2018.

Tom Steyer, the founder of NextGen Climate Action, said, "It turns out Nevada is the Saudi Arabia of solar energy in the United States, and Arizona is number two. Between the two of them they could actually produce enough energy to produce enough electricity for the whole United States."

According to Ballotpedia, In 2016, 21.78 percent of Nevada’s electrical power was derived from renewable resources, including 8.43 percent from geothermal and 7.85 from solar sources — an increase from 10.10 percent in 2007.

If Question 6 is adopted, the following text would be added as a new section to Article 4 of the Nevada Constitution.

1. Statement of Policy
The People of the State of Nevada declare that it is the policy of this State that people and entities that sell electricity to retail customers in this State be required to get an increasing amount of their electricity from renewable energy resources such as solar, geothermal, and wind. Increasing renewable energy will reduce the State’s reliance on fossil fuel-fired power plants, which will benefit Nevadans by improving air quality and public health, reducing water use, reducing exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices and supply disruptions, and providing a more diverse portfolio of resources for generating electricity. This Act shall be liberally construed to achieve this purpose.

2. Implementation
(a) Each provider of electric utility service that is engaged in the business of selling electricity to retail customers for consumption in this State shall generate or acquire electricity from renewable energy resources, including solar, geothermal, wind, biomass, and waterpower, in an amount that is:
(i) For calendar years 2022 and 2023, not less than 26 percent of the total amount of electricity sold by the provider to its retail customers in this State during that calendar year.
(ii) For calendar years 2024 through 2026, inclusive, not less than 34 percent of the total amount of electricity sold by the provider to its retail customers in this State during that calendar year.
(iii) For calendar years 2027 through 2029, inclusive, not less than 42 percent of the total amount of electricity sold by the provider to its retail customers in this State during that calendar year.
(iv) For calendar year 2030 and each calendar year thereafter, not less than 50 percent of the total amount of electricity sold by the provider to its retail customers in this State during that calendar year.
(b) Not later than July 1, 2021, the Legislature shall provide, by law, for provisions consistent with this Act to implement the requirements specified in subparagraph (a).

3. Severability
Should any part of this Act be declared invalid, or the application thereof to any person, thing or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the remaining provisions or application of this Act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are declared to be severable. This subsection shall be construed broadly to preserve and effectuate the declared purpose of this Act.

Currently, 29 states have an RPS. The highest mandated percentages are found in Hawaii, California, Vermont, and Oregon. Hawaii and California have a 100 percent renewable energy mandate by 2045, Vermont has a 75 percent by 2032, and Oregon has a 50 percent by 2040.