Manatt partner David Huard, chair of the firm’s Energy, Environment and Natural Resources practice group, authored an article, “Planning to Manage the Renewable Generation Gap: the ‘Nudge’ vs. the ‘Shove’,” for the September 17, 2010, edition of BNA Daily Environment Report.
Government incentives, Huard says in the article, are needed to develop renewable and sustainable energy sources and to reduce the carbon footprint of overall electricity generation. He reports on efforts to promote renewable energy development in California, Germany, and elsewhere to show that governments should focus on individual consumers to maximize conservation and local renewable energy generation while managing large-generation replacement and new technology development to keep the lights on at the lowest reasonable cost. Incentives for conservation, smart grid technology and renewable energy development, Huard writes, must be presented in concert with clear policies to nudge rather than shove consumers to participate in the adoption of alternative energy sources.
Read the article here.