Since the U.S. Congress passed historic climate legislation in August, both the American government and the private sector have been building on that progress with more commitments and actions toward clean energy.
“No one can doubt any longer that the climate crisis is real, and we are beginning to respond to it,” President Biden said on September 13. “This law will create well-paying union jobs and increase energy security.”The U.S. Private Sector Intensifies Efforts
In the past month, American companies have announced plans to open new clean energy production facilities and increase the capacity of existing manufacturing plants.
First Solar, one of the largest solar panel manufacturers in the U.S., is committing $1 billion to build a new facility in the Southeast. The company expects to directly and indirectly support more than 18,000 jobs across the country by 2025. First Solar is also allocating funds to expand its solar manufacturing plant in Ohio to meet growing demand nationwide.
“Congress and the Biden-Harris Administration have entrusted our industry with the responsibility of enabling America’s clean energy future, and we must rise to this moment in a timely and sustainable manner,” said Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar.
The American battery company Piedmont Lithium is building a factory in Tennessee to expand its manufacturing of rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs). The goal is to produce 30,000 metric tons per year of lithium hydroxide used in these batteries.
On August 31, Toyota announced a $2.5 billion investment to increase production at its battery manufacturing facility in North Carolina. The company says the investment will accelerate battery production for electric vehicles and create 350 new jobs.
Although Toyota had already planned to announce this facility before the climate legislation was passed, the company states that the legislation will help boost EV production.Government Initiatives for Clean Energy
In addition to climate legislation:
The White House launched a formal partnership with 11 East Coast governors to boost the offshore wind energy industry, aiming to distribute 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. This is enough to power 10 million homes. The Interior Department is surveying over 700,000 acres in the Gulf of Mexico for potential offshore wind energy sites that could power more than 3 million homes.
Biden is directing the Secretary of the Interior to advance clean energy development in federal waters off Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina to ensure that southeastern states benefit from well-paying jobs in offshore wind energy. “We will ensure that the ocean is open for the clean energy of our future,” Biden said. “We will pave the way for clean energy and connect these projects to the grid.”
Source: share.america.gov, by Noelani Kirschner