$2 Trillion Man. As expected, Joe Biden announced a $2 trillion plan green infrastructure plan. The plan centers around two fundamental truths, we can create a generation of great jobs while also achieving 100% clean energy by 2035. With less than 100 days to the election, I can’t emphasize enough how feasible this plan is. Both to get this done legislatively and have the leadership to push this as a must have for future generations. As I mentioned, my oldest turned 10 yesterday and I spent a good part of the day thinking about the future and the year 2035 kept coming up in my mind. 2035 is the year my oldest goes to college and 2020 is the year that Columbia opens its climate school. That being said, my kids know that they are bound to Hopkins.
The Tech Is Already Here. One of the realities with a 2035 plan is that we already know how to execute it and the costs already near competitiveness across the board. We need to scale up some of the manufacturing but otherwise the industry is ready to act. Where this falls short is regulatory leeway. Whether it means approvals for projects, allowing companies to enter into competitive agreements for energy or instant permitting for residential solar, the regulations still prioritize incumbent monopolies.
Location, Location, Location. The concept of buying the land around coal plants makes all the sense in the world if only for the proximity to the substation and transmission. Much like the PG&E project at Moss Landing, California, where the coal plant building is being retrofitted with massive banks of batteries. Why not just buy the coal plant instead?
Biden Talks Transmission. In a Clean Energy event with Biden which raised over $1 million for the campaign the Vice President brought up his focus on transmission not once but twice. It reminds me of when Senator Warren got into a policy discussion about net metering, this time with the VP wanting to get serious about reducing the barriers of implementation for cleaner generation.
- CNBC: Joe Biden unveils $2 trillion green infrastructure and jobs plan
- Vox: Many technologies needed to solve the climate crisis are nowhere near ready
- Energy News Network: Solar firm buying land rights near coal plants with eye toward transmission
- Solar Power World: Final Massachusetts SMART program regulations protect already-planned solar projects
- Utility Dive: Duke, Southern plan path for Southeast Energy Imbalance Market
- Greentech Media: Say Hello to the Biggest Battery in America (for Now)
- Rocky Mountain Institute: Solar Under Storm
- Axios: Electric vehicle companies are reeling in cash without producing a car
Opinion
Best, Yann