This paper—co-authored with Patrick Robbins, Coordinator of the New York Energy Democracy Initiative—traces the recent history of public-private partnerships in renewable energy in four different countries: the United States (focusing on New York and Nebraska), Uruguay, France, and South Africa. By examining case studies from a variety of geographic regions with a variety of ownership systems and decision-making procedures, the paper contextualizes existing decarbonization efforts, and denaturalizes the specific and contingent ownership systems and decision-making procedures of the United States. These national cases have been chosen because of their varying scales and positions within global capitalism, as well as their varying corporate forms, and disparate outcomes. The paper evaluates these state-led decarbonization efforts in terms of their commitment to and their achievement of procedural democracy, efficiency, equity and climate progress.
With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the calculus for US public entities directly investing in renewables has changed significantly. Under the IRA’s direct pay provisions, municipalities and state governments previously locked out of financing for renewable energy development have been given a new, leading role in their own renewable development. Nevertheless, it is more likely the IRA will support public-private partnerships in the renewable electricity sector rather than outright public ownership given limitations internal to public utilities. Understanding the recent past of US decarbonization efforts by public entities in a comparative light sheds light on what is politically possible in the US today.