The Department of Energy is proud to be a champion of clean energy initiatives and environmental protection, especially on Earth Day. Through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we’re also committed to investing in our planet – here are some of the milestones we’ve achieved in our recent trip around the sun.
Strides Towards Climate Equity
As we continue our fight towards environmental justice, we recognize that pollution and its consequences adversely affect disadvantaged communities. Within the first few weeks of his term, President Biden signed an Executive Order for the Justice40 Initiative, committing to the goal that 40% of overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to these communities.
The Department of Energy continues to uphold this initiative. In December, Secretary Granholm signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Navajo Nation to ensure the benefits of President Biden’s clean energy agenda are inclusive of Tribal Nation partners. This includes support for energy programs, facilitating coordination between federal agencies and the Navajo Nation, and providing technical guidance.
The Fight Against Pollution
Last May, we announced a commitment of more than 3 billion dollars invested in the domestic battery supply chain and are making recycling more sustainable by supporting second-life applications for electric vehicle batteries. In September, the DOE and the Department of Transportation continued to develop America’s electric vehicle infrastructure, approving plans from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico for a national network of rapid EV chargers.
We also aim to address the existing impacts of climate change and reduce carbon dioxide pollution. Last June, we invested over 2.3 billion dollars to combat climate change and U.S. pollution through carbon storage and management. President Biden’s Investing in America plan also includes a 2.5 billion dollar investment for advance nuclear, which would provide 24/7 clean electricity and create well-paying jobs, and created the Civil Nuclear Credit Program, which allocates 6 billion dollars to existing zero-carbon nuclear plants that are at risk of retiring.
Cutting-Edge Science
Last April, we launched an 84-million-dollar program to demonstrate enhanced geothermal energy systems, using the heat beneath our feet to begin powering our homes. Our goal is to tap enough clean, reliable, geothermal energy for the equivalent of 129 million American homes and businesses. Geothermal systems, along with offshore wind and industrial heat, are the three new Energy EarthshotsTM added last September, part of an initiative in search of more abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions within the decade, a fundamental part of our fight against the climate crisis.
In August, President Biden also signed the CHIPS and Science Act, authorizing $68 billion for the Department of Energy and our National Labs to fund game-changing research and development for our clean energy future.
An Empowered America
As the clean energy sector develops, we strive to make it accessible to all Americans. Last year, we awarded new funds and consumer rebates for home energy upgrades, replacing fossil-fuel-powered appliances for more efficient electric ones in homes all across America. Not only will these upgrades lower energy bills and save households money, we estimate the consumer rebates will save Americans $1 billion annually.
We haven’t lost momentum in 2023, either. In March of 2023, we announced that 315 million dollars would be directed into boosting clean energy access in rural, tribal communities across the nation. Communities can now apply for federal cost-share funding in local clean energy projects, increasing energy affordability and building climate resilience.
From breaking ground on a renewable energy transmission lines to a new solar energy deal slated to bring power to over 140,000 homes and businesses, we’re driving America towards a clean energy future.
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs – in Clean Energy!
Our journey towards a sustainable future wouldn’t be possible without the people who make it possible. Last October, President Biden announced a 2.8-billion-dollar investment to expand the domestic battery manufacturing sector. The growing industry is partnering with local community groups and unions to help workers find high-paying jobs, including some that won’t require a college degree.
The Administration is also channeling 450 million dollars into its efforts to turn coal communities into clean energy hubs. The future of sustainable energy will rely on American workers; in this transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, these new job opportunities ensure that no one will be left behind.
Happy Earth Day, from all of us at the Department of Energy. A 100% clean electrical grid by 2035, with net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – the goals that we’ve set for ourselves are steep. We’re proudly working towards them, with your help, on Earth Day and every day.