{"id":19521,"date":"2019-06-19T14:05:47","date_gmt":"2019-06-19T19:05:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?p=19521"},"modified":"2019-06-19T15:08:30","modified_gmt":"2019-06-19T20:08:30","slug":"clean-energy-innovation-an-important-piece-of-the-climate-puzzle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2019\/06\/19\/clean-energy-innovation-an-important-piece-of-the-climate-puzzle\/","title":{"rendered":"Clean Energy Innovation: An Important Piece of the Climate Puzzle"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bipartisanship and congressional action aren\u2019t words associated with climate change in recent years. But we may be taking steps away from that stalemate. There is growing momentum in Congress to support innovation in clean energy \u2013 which can play an important role in reducing climate pollution.<\/p>\n

Members from both parties recognize that investing in innovation can accelerate the development of high-impact breakthrough clean energy technologies. That includes \u201cnegative emissions technologies\u201d (NETs)<\/a> that remove carbon from the air and that scientists say will be needed to meet climate goals. Innovation programs can also help drive down the costs of existing essential options like solar, wind, and electric vehicles.<\/p>\n

The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology\u2019s Subcommittee on Energy recently held a hearing<\/a> to discuss two proposals that would direct the Department of Energy to develop and improve technologies that would reduce emissions from using fossil fuels. For example, DOE would be authorized to spend significant funding on technologies that capture carbon from power generation and industrial facilities as well as those that can cut emissions from difficult to decarbonize parts of the economy, like aviation, shipping, and cement, iron and steel production. Meanwhile, the House version of the Fiscal Year 2020 Energy and Water appropriations bill reflects the growing bipartisan support for innovation. It is a clear rejection of President Trump\u2019s recommendations to cut or eliminate funding for renewable energy development, building and industrial energy efficiency programs, sustainable transportation technologies, and the popular and successful ARPA-E program that invests in high risk, high reward technologies.<\/p>\n

These investments in innovation<\/a> are an important step forward, but they are also not sufficient on their own to solve climate change \u2013 we must also act swiftly to put in place policies that set declining limits on greenhouse gas emissions and account for the real costs of that pollution. Together, these policies will lead to deeper pollution reductions, accomplished more quickly and affordably. That\u2019s because a limit and a price on emissions will accelerate demand for clean energy, creating powerful economic incentives to adopt new technologies and providing a market for innovators who develop better ways to cut carbon. Investment in innovation can help make new technology options available, but we also need policies that create a level playing field such that clean technologies can thrive on the timeline and at the scale consistent with meeting our ambitious climate goals.<\/p>\n

When it comes to innovation policies specifically, details matter, which is why we are outlining a set of key principles that together can form the foundation for well-designed innovation policy. Of course, not every individual bill can be expected to meet all of these principles, but a comprehensive national innovation strategy should strive to achieve them collectively.<\/p>\n