Push the Carrots, Hold the Sticks?

The renewable energy sector continues to rally for federal incentives to invest in wind, solar, geothermal, etc. And rightly so. As American Wind Energy Association CEO Denise Bode said in response to President Obama's State of the Union address that touched on the administration's clean energy initiatives:

"We are pleased to see the possibility of the first predictable long-term federal policy toward renewable energy. ... The predictability of the permanent incentives for conventional energy sources is as important as the amounts. Renewable energy currently suffers from the inability to predict whether incentives will be extended every year or two."

Energy efficiency needs healthy doses of carrots, too: As friend and fellow blogger Elisa Wood recently wrote, states that have created effective decoupling policies have prompted investment-owned utilities to pour more resources into EE. 

But should renewables and energy efficiency representatives be advocating for some regulatory "sticks" as well?

Where's the support for EPA's proposed environmental regulations that target power plants or any of the bills that have been kicking around Congress that target emissions reductions? Where are the press releases from the respective associations with statements encouraging support for curtailing greenhouse gas emissions, mercury, particulate matter and other pollutants from power plants? (Biomass people, disregard this: EPA's boiler maximum achievable control technologies, or MACT rule, does not work in favor of biomass and the agency has acknowldged the issues with that proposal). 

Congress is fired up to freeze EPA's efforts to curb emissions from fossil-fueled generation facilities. Are renewable energy lobbyists on the Hill encouraging members of Congress to support policies that aim to reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions? If policies remain "business as usual," utilities can keep their old coal-fired plants in operation and are not as likely to pursue renewable energy resources. Some utilities electric utilities, however, are already investing more in solar and other renewables just in case lawmakers fail to thwart EPA from enacting more stringent environmental policies and the courts shoot down the proposed emissions policies.

Should there be support for the sticks that benefit renewables? If so, where is it?