President Obama has released their action plan for climate change and is pushing for more renewables. The President has set new goals for renewable energy as well as for cutting carbon dioxide emissions.
The President’s Climate Action Plan released on Tuesday has made news everywhere today. In his first term, Obama and his team more than doubled power generation from renewables such as solar, wind and geothermal and now he wants to double it again before 2020. Like us in the industry, he has expressed his frustration with those who do not believe in humanities effects on climate change saying, “We don’t have time for a meeting of the Flat Earth Society.” Facts and figures have been researched time and time again and people are still in denial. In the same way, the positive effects of renewables (on the earth, electricity prices and so on) have also been proved time and time again and people will also argue against them. The research shows the facts, it’s now time to act and push for more renewable energy as President Obama has.
The plan includes, but is not limited to, the following actions to be taken;
– Federal buildings are to source 20% of their power needs from renewables by 2020
– The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to complete performance standards for lowering CO2 emissions from existing power plants
– The EPA must issue carbon limit rules by 20th Sept 2013
– The Department of Interior has been directed to permit a further 10 gigawatts of renewables on public land as well as 100 megawatts on federally subsidised housing
– A commitment to bringing forward the idea of global free trade in environmentals to be brought to the World Trade Organisation
– Federal agencies are to aid ‘climate resilient’ investments and take away barriers making it more difficult
In terms of carbon pollution, the main aim to reduce it by 3 billion metric tonnes by 2030. That is more than half the annual pollution of the US energy sector. New standards will also be developed for heavy vehicles, air conditioners, refrigerators and so on.
Internationally, they plan to support major emitting countries, cut off funding for coal-fired plants overseas (other than in poorer countries where it is a necessity) and continue to work towards a global renewables.
Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said, “We commend him for offering a bold, decisive plan to combat climate change and to mitigate the impacts of carbon pollution. But this isn’t just the President’s legacy at stake – it’s also ours. Let’s not be remembered as the generation of Americans that could have made a difference, but didn’t.”
“This is our moment in time. America’s solar energy industry stands ready to do our part to help fight climate change and usher in a new era of clean energy in America and around the world. Despite what some critics say, this isn’t a choice between clean energy and a robust economy. We can have both, and solar is showing how to make that possible,” said Mr. Resch.