Biden Presents An Ambitious Plan for Solar Energy


The Biden administration released a plan Wednesday to generate nearly half of the country’s electricity from solar by 2050, as part of efforts to combat climate change.

solar energy It supplied less than 4 percent of the nation’s electricity last year, and the administration’s 45 percent target will represent a major leap forward and will likely require fundamental reshaping of the power industry. Inside a new reportThe Ministry of Energy said the country should double the amount of solar installed each year over the next four years, compared to last year. Then by 2030 it will need to double the annual installations again.

Adding so many solar panels to roofs and open floors won’t be easy. In February, part of the Department of Energy reported that the share of electricity produced by all renewable sources, including solar, wind and hydroelectric dams, will reach 42 percent By 2050 according to current trends and policies.

The new partition plan is in line with what most climate scientists say is necessary. These experts say that reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 is necessary to limit the worst effects of global warming, and that achieving this goal will require far greater use of renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines.

But management officials have only provided a broad outline of how they hope to get there. Most of the details will be decided by lawmakers in Congress who are working on a bipartisan infrastructure bill and a much larger Democratic measure that could authorize $3.5 trillion in federal spending.

One thing for management is that the cost of solar panels has dropped significantly over the past decade, making them the cheapest source of energy in many parts of the country. The use of solar and wind energy grew much faster more than most government and independent analysts estimate in recent years.

“One of the things we hope people see and take away from this report is that it is cost-effective to decarbonize the grid,” said Becca Jones-Albertus, director of the Solar Technology Office in the Energy Department. “The network will remain reliable. We just need to build.”

The administration argues that the United States must act quickly because doing nothing to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels comes with significant costs, particularly from climate change-related extreme weather. Tuesday visit check for damage from heavy rainfall “The country and the world are in danger,” said President Biden, who was caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida in New Jersey and New York.

Some recent natural disasters combined with weaknesses in the energy system. Ida, for example, a major blow to the electricity grid in Louisiana, where hundreds of thousands of people have been without electricity for days. Last winter, a storm left most of Texas without electricity for days, more. And in California, auxiliary equipment ignited several large wildfires, kill scores and destroy thousands of homes and businesses.

Even so, many analysts, and even some in the solar industry, are skeptical that management can achieve its green goals. In addition to the 45 percent solar target, Mr Biden said he wants to bring net planet-warming emissions from the energy sector to zero by 2035. hundreds of offshore wind turbines Nearly half of all new cars sold will be electric by the seven people currently in the country’s coastal waters and by 2030.

While renewable energy is growing rapidly, contributes about 20 percent country’s electricity. Natural gas and coal contribute about 60 percent.

“This kind of rapid deployment acceleration will only happen with smart policy decisions,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “This is the part where having a goal is important, but the problem is taking clear steps on how to get there.”

Challenges such as trade disputes could also complicate Mr. Biden’s demand for more solar power. China dominates global supply chain and governance for solar panels recently started to block imports It is linked to concerns over the use of forced labor with the Xinjiang region of China. While many solar companies say they are trying to move away from materials produced in Xinjiang, energy experts say the import ban could slow the construction of solar projects across the country in the short term.

Mr. Biden wants to use tax credits to encourage the use of solar systems and batteries in homes, businesses and utilities. The administration also wants local governments to make the process of obtaining permits and building new solar projects faster – in some places it can take months to install panels in a single-family home. Authorities want to offer various incentives to utilities to promote the use of solar energy.

Mr. Biden’s energy secretary, Jennifer M. Granholm, said part of the administration’s strategy will focus on the Clean Electricity Pay Program, which will reward utilities for adding more renewable energy to the electricity grid, including rooftop solar. Many utilities have fought against rooftop solar panels because see a threat they prefer to set up large solar farms that they own and control.

“There needs to be both, and utilities will be encouraged to remove barriers,” Ms Granholm said. “We have to do a number of things.”

In addition to their efforts, the administration noted changes made by state and local authorities. For example, regulators in California are changing the state’s building code to: new buildings require solar power and batteries.

Another major focus of management is the increased use of batteries to store the energy produced by solar panels and wind turbines at night or when the wind is not blowing. The cost of batteries is falling, according to many analysts, but still too high for a rapid transition to renewable and electric cars.

According to some solar industry officials, the new solar target will help focus people’s minds on the future.

“In essence, the DOE says America needs a ton more of solar power, not less, and we need it today, not tomorrow,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California Solar and Storage Association, which represents solar developers in the state. by far the largest number of solar installations. “This simple call to action should guide every policy-making decision, from city councils to legislatures and regulators across the country.”

Brad Plumer contributing reporting.



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