Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012 - Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to require, beginning in calendar 2015, each electric utility that sells electric energy to electric consumers in a state (other than Alaska or Hawaii) to obtain a percentage of such electric energy from clean energy.
Prescribes a schedule for calendar year minimum annual percentages.
Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to: (1) establish a federal clean energy credit trading program under which electric utilities may submit clean energy credits to certify their compliance, and (2) issue to each generator of electric energy a quantity of clean energy credits determined in accordance with this Act.
Authorizes the Secretary to delegate: (1) administration of a national clean energy credit market for purposes of establishing a transparent national market for the sale or trade of clean energy credits; and (2) the tracking of dispatch of clean generation.
Subjects to a civil penalty an electric utility that fails to meet the requirements of this Act.
Requires the Secretary to establish a state energy efficiency funding program.
Exempts from this Act any electric utility that sold less than the prescribed quantity of megawatt-hours of electric energy to electric consumers during the preceding calendar year.
Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on mechanisms to supplement the standard under this Act by addressing clean energy resources that do not generate electric energy but that may substantially reduce electric energy loads, including energy efficiency, biomass converted to thermal energy, geothermal energy collected using heat pumps, thermal energy delivered through district heating systems, and waste heat used as industrial process heat.
Directs the Secretary to submit a report to Congress that: (1) quantifies the losses of natural gas during its production and transportation, and (2) recommends programs and policies to promote conservation of natural gas for beneficial use.