Excited about the new administration

Energy policy changes abound.

NegaWatt welcomes the new administration and the fresh start it brings about. President Biden has expressed that tackling climate change will once again be a core priority. We applaud this decision loudly. It is not an easy task, not to mention the extra burden of undoing what the previous presidency has done. Regardless, it is a challenge that must be taken on with utmost urgency, as we observe ever greater consequences of human interaction with the planet’s ecosystems.

Moments after President Biden’s first steps into the White House, he signed an executive order to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. This signals the world that the U.S. is once again taking its responsibility toward global climate change seriously. Well done! Climate change cannot be solved unilaterally by just some countries. It affects everyone, and everyone is responsible to contribute to solutions. The U.S. in particular carries a huge burden, being the #2 GHG emitter worldwide. Th U.S. must step up.

According to special climate envoy John Kerry, the U.S. is looking to aggressively shift the nation away from coal, the worst GHG offender, and from other fossil fuels. He is calling out other countries to do the same. President Biden will instruct the DOE, DOT and EPA – as applicable – to revive and strengthen energy efficiency and emissions standards across all industries and sectors. The U.S. has set a target date of 2050 to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. This means phasing out coal 5x faster, ramping up renewable energy 6x faster, and transitioning to EV 22x faster, as compared to 2020.

Congress will play a key role in carrying out these plans, by creating more incentives for clean energy technology and EVs, by increasing funding for research & development, and by introducing more tax credits for renewable energy. Wheels will also be set in motion for increasing offshore wind production, for strengthening efficiency standards for appliances, for revisiting tariffs on solar panels, for placing a price on carbon emissions, and for many more necessary steps.

We will excitedly monitor these activities as they unfold. And as always, we will be available to support our customers with navigating these waters with a wide array of consulting services.

Welcome Joe Biden!