CTLCV 2024 Achievements in Clean Energy

CTLCV's national affiliate, the League of Conservation Voters, has released their latest annual Clean Energy For All: Clean Energy Success in the States report. 

Below is the excerpt highlighting Connecticut's achievements over the past year. To explore the full CEFA report, click here.

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Connecticut

Connecticut enacted legislation to encourage solar development, which included extending two statewide solar programs that were set to end in 2025, allowing municipalities to simplify approvals of solar canopies, and requiring school boards to assess the feasibility of installing solar on new buildings that they are seeking state funding to construct. Connecticut also committed to examining their solar taxes to ensure projects generate needed revenue for municipalities while remaining affordable.

In support of solar and clean energy advancement, Connecticut LCV (CTLCV) held its largest-ever annual Environmental Summit this year, which connected 377 advocates and lawmakers, in-person and virtually, for sessions exploring clean energy and climate policy. CTLCV also co-hosted four lobby days with over 100 attendees, helped organize a climate march at the capitol with more than 200 attendees, and launched an “Action Hour” series that brought experts into seven virtual public forums to discuss climate solutions, including a testimony training with over 60 participants.

CTLCV successfully prevented a fossil fuel-intensive series of bills that would have increased reliance on methane gas, undermined regulatory oversight of energy companies, and diminished the state’s clean energy program and Renewable Portfolio Standards. In addition, CTLCV joined local advocates and environmental justice partners to defeat a proposed trash incineration plant in an environmental justice community.

​CTLCV is active in the state offshore wind table and a member of the CVM-led New England for Offshore Wind coalition. In this role, the organization helps advocate for the development of the offshore wind industry in Connecticut, including working with labor allies and state agencies to renovate the port in New London to support offshore wind. Completed this year, the State Pier Terminal is now the only active East Coast offshore wind marshaling terminal with unobstructed ocean access and was critical to the construction of South Fork Wind, the nation’s first commercial-scale offshore wind project.

"I’ve witnessed the challenges and what it takes to bring the offshore wind industry to America. Thanks to CTLCV and partners, we transformed the State Pier into a state-of-the-art offshore wind terminal, which played a key role in building America’s first utility scale offshore wind farm. We rely on strong advocates to ensure there is informed public, private, and government support for the realization of our state’s clean energy goals. CTLCV has been at the forefront as Connecticut’s leading voice in sustainability and the renewable energy transition."

​– Ulysses Hammond Interim Executive Director, Connecticut Port Authority