2024 State Leadership in Clean Energy Awards: Case Studies of Four Exemplary State Programs that Demonstrate the Benefits of Innovation, Inclusion, and Investment

This report is a series of case studies highlighting the four winners of the 2024 State Leadership in Clean Energy Awards. These biennial awards recognize outstanding programs that are providing the benefits of clean energy expansion to the people in their states, while demonstrating to others how they could establish similar programs. The four winners were chosen by an independent panel of judges, and were evaluated based on leadership, innovation, cost-effectiveness, and replicability.

The winning programs featured in this report are:

• California Energy Commission (CEC) for its Flexible Demand Appliance Standards (FDAS) for Pool Controls program.
• Connecticut Green Bank for its Green Liberty Notes Program.
• Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) for its Community Solar Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Grant Program.
• Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) for its Accelerating Clean Transportation (ACT) School Bus Program.

CESA is hosting a webinar series with representatives from the award-winning programs who will present their work:

• California’s Flexible Demand Appliance Standards for Pool Controls Program – Employing Load Shifting to Lower Peak Demand and Avoid Emissions (August 15, 2024)
• Massachusetts’ Accelerating Clean Transportation (ACT) School Bus Program (September 24, 2024)
• Expanding Clean Energy Access and Benefits: Award-Winning Programs in Connecticut and Maryland (November 19, 2024)