The Governor’s Energy Advisory Council (GEAC) is charged with providing recommendations to DNREC’s State Energy Office on updates to the Delaware Energy Plan and with monitoring and proposing actions to enhance Delaware’s energy system, including actions to lessen the climate change impacts and providing counsel to the Governor on promoting an economic, reliable and competitive energy market for all Delaware consumers.

In 2022, the Delaware Energy Act was amended to expand the council to 25 members and update its mission.

The Act was further updated in 2023, directing the State Energy Office, located within DNREC, to “provide technical and administration support” to the council and “develop and update, at least every 5 years, a comprehensive State Energy Plan” that includes but is not limited to “…encouraging and promoting conservation of energy … and encouraging and promoting the use of renewable electric generation facilities and alternative energy technologies…” and “support[s] the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets…”

Developing the State Energy Plan

In developing the latest version of the Plan, the council will build on the policy work of two previous planning efforts — the 2009 Delaware Energy Plan and the 2021 Climate Action Plan — as well as the many energy programs and policy initiatives currently being implemented.

DNREC staff, working with consultants, developed a draft framework to serve as an introductory summary and reference to inform and guide the deliberations of the Council. It provided a high-level overview of Delaware’s energy generation, use, laws, programs and policies.

DNREC held a series of three public information meetings in 2023 to give Delawareans an opportunity to learn about strategies incorporated into the latest State Energy Plan update.

Visitors were able to review posters highlighting the updates and ask questions of DNREC staff. Those unable to attend the in-person meetings offered feedback through an online survey.

These meetings and public process resulted in a summary report on the input received.

Workgroup Recommendations

The Governor’s Energy Advisory Council approved a set of final recommendations and submitted them to DNREC’s State Energy Office for inclusion in the latest State Energy Plan update.

The recommendations were made by the four workgroups the council established to review past plans and study topics in greater detail:

• Renewable Energy and Clean Technologies Workgroup Recommendations
• Energy Efficiency and Electrification Workgroup Recommendations
• Grid Modernization Workgroup Recommendations
• Environmental Justice and Energy Equity Workgroup Recommendations

The State Energy Office incorporated the recommendations into the Plan update.

Council Meetings

Meetings of the council and its workgroups are posted on the DNREC Calendar of Events and on the Delaware Public Meeting Calendar.

Meeting materials are posted following each meeting on that meeting’s page on the DNREC Calendar of Events.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the council and workgroup meetings. All meetings of the council and the workgroups include the opportunity for the public to offer comments. Comments and questions can also be submitted to the council staff via email at DNREC_GEAC@delaware.gov or by calling 302-735-3480. 

Council Makeup

The Governor’s Energy Advisory Council is composed of 25 members as follows:

• A Chair appointed by the Governor
• The Chair of the Public Service Commission or their designee
• The Public Advocate or their designee
• The Chair of the Weatherization Assistance Program Policy Advisory Council or their designee
• The Executive Director of the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility or their designee
• Fifteen members appointed by the Governor and representing a variety of interests
• One member of the Delaware Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate
• One member of the Delaware House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives

The Secretaries of Transportation, Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and Agriculture, or their designees, serve as ex-officio members.

Workgroups

The Delaware Energy Act authorizes the council Chair to establish workgroups and appoint their members. The Chair has established four workgroups to help review past plans, study particular topics in greater detail and offer recommendations to the council as a whole. Most of the workgroup members are members of the council itself. A small number of members from outside the council have been added to broaden the perspectives and expertise of the workgroups.

The Renewable Energy and Clean Technologies workgroup will explore renewable energy portfolio standards, offshore wind, clean hydrogen, energy storage, emerging technologies and other topics raised by members.

The Energy Efficiency and Electrification workgroup will explore current energy efficiency programs, transportation electrification, electric vehicles, building electrification, reliability and other topics raised by members.

The Grid Modernization workgroup will explore transmission and distribution systems, resiliency, reliability and other topics raised by members.

The Environmental Justice and Energy Equity workgroup will explore the impact of energy systems on environmental justice communities, societal benefit programs, the Justice40 Initiative, Workforce development and other topics raised by members.

All four workgroups have been asked to consider climate change impacts, public health and safety, workforce development, business opportunities, ratepayer impacts and innovative technologies.

Related Topics:  advisory council, boards and commissions, climate coastal energy, climate plan, efficiency, energy, energy conservation