State RPS policies are widely credited with lowering costs, bring better renewable energy tech to the market and opportunities for local businesses.

• Renewable Portfolio Standards are market-based policies that are supported by Republican and Democratic leaders around the country. (Source: Inside Climate News, http://bit.ly/wdzDc0)  
• RPS mandates have driven creation of 1/3 of current U.S. non-hydro renewable electricity in 2011 – equal to 133,000 GWh – while attracting over $100 billion of new investment. (Source: U.S. Partnership for Renewable Energy Finance, http://bit.ly/PzW1Eq)
• The presence of a state-level Renewable Portfolio Standard had virtually no statistically significant impact on changes in electric rates from 2000 to 2010. (Source: Center for American Progress, http://bit.ly/HpCGkA)
• Michigan’s Public Service Commission has concluded that its current RPS law – 10% by 2015 – is saving money for energy customers. “The Commission determined that new coal plants would cost ratepayers about 13.3 cents per kilowatt hour. But the new renewable plants under contract were coming in at about 9.1 cents per kilowatt hour.” (Source: Michigan PUC, http://1.usa.gov/xpHFHb)
• Costs are dropping in California as well. The California PUC has concluded, “Based on the current 2011 RPS Solicitation, costs are decreasing, making renewable energy more competitive with fossil fuels.” (California PUC, http://1.usa.gov/zzLTpO)
• The Texas RPS has been so successful that its 10-year goal was met in just over six years. According to the Texas State Energy Conservation Office, “more megawatts of renewable energy came on-line as a result of the RPS program than has in the past 100 years.” (Source: Texas State Energy Conservation Office, http://bit.ly/3W9Xsj)
• California’s RPS is one of the most ambitious renewable energy standards in the country. In 2011, California added 839 MW of new renewable capacity. This year, over 300 MW of new renewable capacity came online in the first two quarters and another 2,740 MW is scheduled to come online by the end of the calendar year. (Source: California Public Utilities Commissioner, http://1.usa.gov/QbttCK) 
• Massachusetts has an RPS requiring 15% of their electricity supply from new renewable energy resources by 2020, with special requirements for Solar Photovoltaics. Today, Massachusetts is the top solar market outside of California, spurring local business and economic opportunity. (Source: Ernst & Young, The Boston Globe, http://bo.st/KnRxji)