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Organized elite power and clean energy: A study of negative policy experimentations with renewable portfolio standards

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Review of Policy Research
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Sojin Jang
Sojin Jang
Sojin Jang
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Hongtao Yi at Florida State University
Hongtao Yi
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Abstract

Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) is one of the most widely adopted clean energy policies in the U.S. However, organized elite power groups, backed by ample political and economic resources, have been known to lead RPS termination efforts. In the context of state renewable energy politics, organized elite power includes legislators affiliated with American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and anti‐renewable energy business groups. Focusing on the roles of organized elite power, this study investigates the drivers of the formulation of RPS rollback (goal freeze) and termination bills, which we refer to collectively as negative policy experimentations. We find that RPS termination attempts are explained by the presence of ALEC legislators and anti‐renewable energy business groups, whereas RPS goal freeze bills are better explained by conditions of policy operations. This study contributes to the policy process theory by providing critical insights into the post adoption decisions, including policy termination and rollback legislations, with a focus on the role of organized elite power.
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8 
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     wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/ropr  Rev Policy Res. 2022;39:8–31.
© 2021 Policy Studies Organization
Received: 17 July 2020 
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  Revised: 28 June 2021 
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  Accepted: 31 July 2021
DOI: 10.1111/ropr.12449  
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Organized elite power and clean energy:
A study of negative policy experimentations
with renewable portfolio standards
SojinJang1
|
HongtaoYi2
1Department of Political Science and 
Public Administration, University of 
North Carolina at Pembroke, Pembroke, 
North Carolina, USA
2John Glenn School of Public Affairs, 
Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 
USA
Correspondence
Sojin Jang, Department of Political 
Science and Public Administration, 
University of North Carolina at 
Pembroke, Pembroke, NC, USA.
Email: sojin.jang@uncp.edu
Abstract
Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) is one of the most 
widely adopted clean energy policies in the U.S. However, 
organized elite power groups, backed by ample political 
and economic  resources, have been known to  lead RPS 
termination efforts. In the context of state renewable en-
ergy politics,  organized  elite power  includes  legislators 
affiliated  with  American  Legislative  Exchange  Council 
(ALEC)  and  anti- renewable  energy  business  groups. 
Focusing on the roles of organized elite power, this study 
investigates  the  drivers  of  the  formulation  of  RPS  roll-
back (goal freeze) and termination bills, which we refer 
to collectively  as  negative policy  experimentations.  We 
find that RPS termination attempts are explained by the 
presence of ALEC legislators and anti- renewable energy 
business groups, whereas RPS goal freeze bills are better 
explained by conditions of policy operations. This study 
contributes to the policy process theory by providing crit-
ical insights into  the post adoption decisions, including 
policy termination and rollback legislations, with a focus 
on the role of organized elite power.
KEYWORDS
climate change, energy, environment, pollution
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