Steve Clemmer

Director of energy research, Clean Energy

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Steve Clemmer is the director of energy research and an expert on the economic and environmental benefits of implementing renewable energy technologies and policies at the state and national levels. He holds a master’s degree in energy analysis and policy from the University of Wisconsin. See Steve's full bio.

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Steve's Latest Posts

7 Things People Got Wrong with our Recent ‘Nuclear Power Dilemma’ Report

November 16, 2018 1:29 PM EDT

On November 8, UCS released The Nuclear Power Dilemma: Declining Profits, Plant Closures, and the Threat of Rising Carbon Emissions, which found that more than one-third of existing nuclear plants, representing 22 percent of total US nuclear capacity, is uneconomic or slated to close over the next decade. Unfortunately, some of the media coverage and statements by the nuclear industry and other groups have mischaracterized our report and our past work. Here are seven points to correct the record. Read more >

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The 671 MW Monticello Nuclear Generating Station is located along the Mississippi River 40 miles northwest of the Twin Cities and provides about 10 percent of Xcel’s electricity in the Upper Midwest. Photo: Source: Nuclear Regulatory Commission/Flickr

Carbon Pricing is Key to Economic Viability of Xcel’s Nuclear Power Plants in Minnesota

November 8, 2018 12:01 AM EDT

A new UCS report released today found that more than one-third of U.S. nuclear plants–representing 22 percent of total US nuclear capacity–are uneconomic or slated to retire over the next decade under current market conditions. The UCS study, The Nuclear Power Dilemma, shows that the economic viability of the nation’s nuclear plants is threatened by low natural gas prices, the declining cost of renewable energy, investments in energy efficiency, and the costs of upgrading aging plants to ensure safe operation.

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Photo: Source: Nuclear Regulatory Commission/Flickr
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Major Job Losses in Renewable Energy if Current Tax Plan Passes

December 13, 2017 9:00 AM EDT

In March 2017, I testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on how federal tax credits for renewable energy have been a key driver for the recent growth in the US wind and solar industries, creating new jobs, income, and tax revenues for local communities.  They have also helped drive down the cost of wind and solar power by more than two-thirds since 2009, making renewable energy more affordable for consumers. Read more >

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Photo: Michael Vadon/Wikimedia

7 Things We Expect to See in Rick Perry’s Unnecessary and Biased Grid Study

June 22, 2017 9:25 AM EDT

Do you think we’re going to learn anything new in 60 days that these experts and real-world experience haven’t already answered over the past decade? Read more >

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Photo: UCS

Wind Keeps Creating Jobs, Even as We Pull Out of Paris

June 9, 2017 12:54 PM EDT

President Trump announced last week that he was pulling the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement because, he said, it would impose “draconian financial and economic burdens” on the US. This classic fossil fuel industry rhetoric of pitting the economy against the environment (in this case the climate and future of our planet) has been proven time and time again to be a false choice. The latest, impressive US wind industry results show that more clearly than ever. Read more >

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