Ever since the first Earth Day on April 22nd, 1970, people have become more concerned about humanity’s impact on the environment yet have become increasingly reliant on the energy sources that pollute our ecosystems. Renewable Energy has become an all-encompassing solution to combat both concerns at once. The U.S. government has become increasingly involved in protecting our environment by creating the Environmental Protection Agency and implementing policies that have pushed for environmental conservation through innovation. Thus far, the Biden Administration has proven to be pro-renewable energy with the introduction of the two trillion dollar Infrastructure Bill.

Both President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and many other administration members focused on climate change as a part of their platforms. Their multifaceted solutions included transitioning to renewable energy, building “green” buildings and residential areas, repairing and creating infrastructure, decreasing waste and emissions, and more. Compared to the prior administration, Biden has made significant strides to push the country toward renewable energy being the norm and to actively combat human-driven climate change. On his first day in office, president Biden rejoined the Paris Climate Accord – one of the first steps to his commitment to renewable energy. The agreement, signed by heads of several other countries, started a five-year cycle of ambitious actions to combat climate change (United Nations Climate Change Committee 2020). One of those actions included the transition to renewable energy. President Biden has recently proposed The American Jobs Plan. This two trillion-dollar infrastructure bill outlines ways renewable energy will become a much more significant part of how the United States runs.

Some of the aspects of the plan that incorporate renewable energy are retrofitting, repairing, and building commercial spaces, schools, federal buildings, etc., for efficiency. In this case, solar panels could be used on these buildings to shift to renewable energy. Renewing the country’s grid is another aspect that boosts the renewable energy industry. By innovating and connecting the grid throughout the country, it would be much easier to use wind and solar—most likely—and perhaps hydropower to power homes or commercial areas in places where those sources are geographically viable. Another objective is adding a considerable increase in manufacturing, research and development, and energy industry jobs. When asked for more detail, President Biden said that many jobs would be added in the renewable energy sector. These include jobs focusing on energy storage, hydrogen, nuclear, off-shore wind, biofuel, and quantum mechanics. Transportation infrastructure is another primary objective in the plan. Although not explicitly outlined in great detail, solar energy will play a role in this component. Biden also includes tax incentives for private companies and local governments that modernize their energy sector using clean, renewable energy. Through this bill, the Energy Efficiency and Clean Electricity Standard will cut electricity costs and pollution using nuclear and hydropower. The end goal is to use energy that is free of carbon pollution by 2035. This bill also indirectly helps transition the county toward renewable energy by plugging all abandoned oil and gas wells and cleaning up old mines, establishing more protections for undeveloped land from drilling (White House 2021).

         While the infrastructure plan is full of objectives incorporating and supporting renewable energy, President Biden has implemented other policy changes as well. In an executive order, the president ordered a doubling of energy produced by wind turbines by 2030 (Matt Mcgrath 2021). In another executive order, Biden called an end to all fossil fuel subsidies, started the transition to a fossil-free energy industry by 2035, and increased renewable energy production on federal lands (Jennifer Dlouhy, Ari Natter 2021). Biden has also created a slew of committees and task forces to focus on specific areas of the climate change crisis like modernizing the energy sector, protecting public lands, using government buying power to leverage renewables, monitoring renewable resource research and development, etc. (White House 2021). Furthermore, he ordered a shutdown on the Dakota Access Pipeline construction indefinitely. On an international level, Biden is working on creating a plan to help low-income countries combat climate change and shift toward renewable energy. Biden is also encouraging China to mitigate its pollution and trash levels with carbon-capturing technology and using emissions from landfills and other plants to power their country, and joining the fight to end human-driven climate change (Olivia Rosane 2021).

         The climate was an essential topic of the 2020 presidential debates. When asked about the existence of a climate crisis, both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris agreed that significant steps are necessary to combat it. They also both supported the Green New Deal, to an extent, which outlined a drastic shift toward renewables, and, outside of that, both repeatedly referred to transitioning towards renewable energy via repairing and building infrastructure as a way to do it. However, as the campaign trail narrowed, the two candidates started to back off the progressive climate actions they were promising and supporting earlier on in the race to gain popularity with the more moderate democrats. Once Biden secured the democratic ticket and Harris was added on as his vice president, both of them backed off again, this time to please Republican voters, they needed to convince to vote across party lines. The flip-flopping is typical of a politician and seems to have successfully secured the election. Since many of Biden’s first actions reflect his and Harris’ earlier, more progressive views on climate change, there is no reason to believe they have changed their views since the election.

Even during his time as vice president during the Obama Administration, Biden’s personal views on climate change were the same. Now, maybe because of public pressure or new scientific findings, Biden seems to be more ardent about the climate crisis and getting the US to be a leader again in combating the crisis and leading the world in renewable energy development and environmentally-friendly innovation. However, while he is eager to move the country towards cleaner energy, He has promised workers and companies in oil-heavy states that he is not shutting down the oil and gas industry or ending it entirely any time soon.

During her term as senator and on the campaign trail, Kamala Harris championed sustainability and environmental justice. Several times, she has paired racial justice and environmental justice together as intertwined issues and talked about how important it is for the U.S. to start changing and improving now. She supports a transition to renewable energy to combat these issues and sees the economic and social benefits that it could bring (Merchant, Emma 2020). Based on her track record, Harris is the more passionate supporter of environmental activism. In a recent visit to a North Carolina electric bus manufacturing plant on Monday, April 19th, 2021, Kamala Harris expressed concern for the toxic diesel fumes inhaled by millions of children riding to and from school. Her speech exemplified the intersectionality of racial, economic, and environmental justice. Her visit was a part of a tour to promote the American Jobs Act, which focuses significantly on electric vehicles and increasing renewables.

Still, both Harris and Biden are on the same page of needing to take action now, not only for the sake of US citizens but also for the world as a whole. These new policy changes and plans are also about putting the United States back on top globally, which addresses a criticism brought up by Biden, Harris, and many other political figures and pundits during the Trump Administration.

President Biden’s announcement of two new White House positions, the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, chaired by John Kerry and the National Climate Advisor, chaired by Gina McCarthy, distinctly displays his intentions to put climate change action at the forefront of national and foreign policy. John Kerry will meet with foreign leaders and advocate for climate-forward policies on the global state, while Gina McCarthy will handle domestic matters with oversight of federal agencies. John Kerry has a long and tenuous history of climate action. As a senator, he introduced one of the most ambitious climate legislation, which ultimately failed. During the Obama Administration, in his role as the Secretary of State, Kerry was a key negotiator of the Paris Climate Accord. In 2019, he launched World War Zero, a bipartisan climate coalition to address increasing carbon emissions. (Jeff Turrentine 2020)

Kerry’s goals as the “Climate Czar” make the United States a clear world leader on climate action. Follow through on the Paris Climate Accord, and advocate for renewable energy abroad. In a newly established initiative, Kerry is working alongside the Vietnamese government on the diversification of their energy sources and a decreased reliance on coal-fired power. (Amy Harder 2019) In conversation with the Vietnamese Prime Minister in the summer of 2019, he encouraged increased investment in renewable energy before his role as the Presidential Envoy for Climate. Thus far, he is reportedly in talks with large financial institutions to aid the administration in supporting sustainable development. (Hannah Miao 2021) In doing so, it would mark a tremendous collaborative effort between the government and the private sector to reach Biden’s ambitious net-zero emission goal.

The head of the EPA during the Obama Administration, Gina McCarthy, is the president and CEO of the Natural Resources Defense Council. The NDRC is a non-profit environmental advocacy group that has fought and won many lawsuits for reducing greenhouse emissions during the Trump Administration. In her current role, she will ensure climate-forward thinking across all federal government sectors and advocate for clean jobs. Whereas John Kerry, her Co-Climate Czar, will focus on international matters, McCarthy’s role will address domestic climate policy. Currently, her plans include setting renewable energy standards, carbon capture, nuclear power, and she doesn’t rule out a carbon tax, either. 

It is apparent that a majority of relevant cabinet members under the Biden administration support the renewable energy transition. Many of them have had a history of their own climate advocacy. This advocacy is apparent in their recent push to sell the American Jobs Act. Pete Buttigieg, the secretary of transportation; Jennifer Granholm, the Secretary of Energy; along with Gina McCarthy and John Kerry have been hitting the trails. They have appeared in countless interviews, visits, and speeches advocating for renewable energy, electric vehicles, and the American Jobs Act.

 Michael S. Regan, the current head of the EPA, has had over 20 years of experience in environmental advocacy. In his role as the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, he led the transition to clean energy in the state, with the ultimate aim to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. This goal is paralleled by president Biden’s current plans to eliminate the United States’ carbon emissions by 2050, as announced on April 22nd, 2021, at a virtual climate summit with 40 world leaders. In his time at the Environmental Defense Fund, Regan served as the vice president for clean energy. As the southeast regional director of EDF, he advocated for economically viable, pragmatic solutions to combating the climate crisis; this included conversations with business leaders and entrepreneurs to reduce emissions, switch to renewables, and lower their environmental impact. It is apparent that in his role as the head of the EPA, he will continue with such a mindset when discussing the clean energy revolution.

Pete Buttigieg, a former 2020 democratic presidential candidate turned secretary of transportation, had grand ambitions during his presidential campaign for renewable-led infrastructure. During the primaries, he disclosed a 17-page plan to infuse 1 trillion dollars in sustainable infrastructure by boosting renewable energy, new science-based standards, and audit of the electric grid. Although his run for the presidency was short-lived, some of his policies are reflected in the current proposed American Jobs Plan. (Kelsey Tamborrino 2020)

Jennifer Granholm, the Secretary of Energy under the Biden Administration, is focused on the scientific advancements necessary to transition to renewable energy work. In her second term as the governor of Michigan, she devoted herself to requiring at least 25% of Michigan energy to be renewable by 2025. This standard is attributed to tens of thousands of jobs in Michigan from over 40 renewable energy companies. Michigan, in part due to her commitment, now produces at least one-third of electric vehicle batteries in North America. (Department of Energy 2021) Through investment in engineers, entrepreneurs, and scientists in the field, she hopes to deploy technologies that will deliver the clean energy revolution.

The government has been moving towards renewable energy since well before Biden became president. In 2018, 10.23% of the electricity used by federal agencies came from a mixture of different renewable energy sources (Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy 2018). When reviewing data provided by agencies like the IPCC, the NOAA, NASA, the EPA, and the EIA, it is evident that the technology to switch to renewable energy is nearly developed. When looking at the Biden Administration’s Infrastructure Bill, the proposed focus on wind and solar seems reasonable. For years, wind energy has become more efficient and significantly cheaper, with onshore wind prices dropping 39% and offshore wind prices dropping 29% since 2010 (IRENA). When looking at solar energy, another major player in the Infrastructure Bill, prices for solar photovoltaics have dropped by a staggering 82%, and prices for concentrated solar power have dropped 47% since 2010 (IRENA 2019). The advances made in wind and solar technology, coupled with the drop in prices, make renewable energy sources competitive with oil and gas. 

While oil and gas reliably provide consumers with power whenever needed, rain or shine, the fact remains that wind and solar power outputs depend on cooperating environmental conditions. The problem of not having power at night or during low wind is still a significant hurdle to jump when moving to large-scale implementation of these power sources—the solution to this problem: advanced battery technology. Currently, utility-scale batteries are being used worldwide to extend the range of electricity generated by wind and solar and account for around 44% of battery storage worldwide (IRENA 2017). Another developing battery storage technology is behind-the-meter (BTM) batteries. These batteries are installed along with rooftop solar panels to store excess electricity produced during the day to be used at night (IRENA 2017). With these battery technologies and falling costs, wind and solar can be easily implemented through the Infrastructure Bill. 

Another concern the general public has in making the switch to renewables is the loss of jobs. People who have been employed at coal plants for years are worried about their job security. Currently, coal power is essential and kept the electric grid functioning during the winter storm blackouts in February 2021. With the construction of new wind and solar farms, however, coal plants around the nation have been slowly shutting down over the past 20 years. With new plants using renewables coming online, the jobs lost in the coal industry will be made up for in the renewable sector.  If every laid-off coal worker finds a job in the solar photovoltaic field, retraining each worker will cost $4,295 per person with an overall cost of $148 million (Louie et. al 2016).

Another item on the Infrastructure Bill is getting more electric vehicles on the road. Currently, the average cost of one gallon of gas at the pump in the U.S. is $2.79, which means it would take around $40 to fill up a 14-gallon tank in an average-sized car. To fully charge an electric vehicle, the average cost is around $9 (U.S. Department of Energy). The average range of a Tesla is approximately 120 miles on an open highway. One thing to consider is the practicality of an electric car in remote places like West Texas. Such remote places do not have easily accessible gas stations, much less any charging stations. This is one of the biggest concerns when purchasing an electric vehicle, thus causing range anxiety. If more charging stations are put in place, more consumers may switch since charging an electric car is cheap. Another issue that the Biden Administration might run into when pushing for electric vehicles is getting consumers to give up their current vehicles and invest in an electric one. Therefore, government incentives are necessary to encourage electric vehicle use instead of gas vehicles.

Some renewable energy sources not discussed in the Infrastructure Bill have real untapped potential. Most of these renewable sources are already being integrated into the grid. An interesting renewable source of energy comes from our country’s garbage dumps. Landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane gas in the United States and create a 50:50 mixture of carbon dioxide and methane gas (EPA 2021). There are currently companies that capture the gas created by the landfill and convert that gas into a renewable energy resource to power the grid and fuel vehicles. In 2012, companies specializing in capturing landfill gasses produced 14.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and captured 102 billion cubic feet of landfill gas (National Waste and Recycling Association 2020). Not only does this reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses being pumped into the atmosphere, but it provides another source of energy that is consistent (landfills put off these gasses 24 hours a day). The Biden Administration should not dismiss such energy sources as they can potentially be both economical and environmentally friendly.

Bruce Usher, the author of “Renewable Energy: A primer for the Twenty-First Century,” suggests that the U.S. government should move forward with renewable energy sources due to their increasing cost-efficiency. In looking back to the transition from wood to coal, Usher notes the similarities in the new Energy revolution, especially regarding how it was impacted by economics. For the United States to reap the economic benefits of renewables, it must be the world leader in advancing technology. His findings are consistent with the current administration’s outlook.

The Biden Administration’s policies are on track to make the United States a leading force for positive change and combating climate change. Upon analysis, the Politeia Group recommends that the administration continue to push for more electric vehicles and building infrastructure for a renewable-powered grid. We also recommend that the administration looks into some of the less conventional renewable energy sources, such as capturing landfill gases, to expand the country’s energy sector while providing more jobs for those displaced from the coal, oil, and gas industries. With these recommendations, President Biden will reach the climate goals outlined in his campaign promises and mitigate the adverse effects human activities have created.

References

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