Published ahead of the President's first State of the Union speech on Jan. 30, AEE's Malcolm Woolf conveyed the impact advanced energy has on our economy.
"The economy will undoubtedly dominate President Trump’s upcoming State of the Union address to Congress. The president spent the past year touting his 'energy dominance' agenda. To date, however, one segment of the energy sector has been noticeably and mistakenly left out — advanced energy.
"Instead of recognizing and supporting fast-growing and flexible sources of U.S. energy — natural gas, solar, and wind generation; energy efficiency, demand response, and storage — the administration proposed a bailout for uncompetitive coal and nuclear power plants...
"Now, going into the second year of his term, President Trump should embrace the advanced energy industry as a key contributor to America’s growing energy dominance. Once thought of as futuristic and premium-cost technologies, the advanced energy industry is now a major economic driver throughout the United States. All told, the industry pumps $200 billion into the economy annually, as much as pharmaceutical manufacturing and more than the beer industry.
"The industry supports more than 3 million American jobs, as many as retail stores. The industry is strong and growing, whether it’s wind manufacturing in Iowa and Michigan, solar installations in North Carolina and Nevada, energy storage projects in Arizona and Indiana, or energy efficiency upgrades in every state...
"Instead of recognizing and supporting fast-growing and flexible sources of U.S. energy — natural gas, solar, and wind generation; energy efficiency, demand response, and storage — the administration proposed a bailout for uncompetitive coal and nuclear power plants...
"Now, going into the second year of his term, President Trump should embrace the advanced energy industry as a key contributor to America’s growing energy dominance. Once thought of as futuristic and premium-cost technologies, the advanced energy industry is now a major economic driver throughout the United States. All told, the industry pumps $200 billion into the economy annually, as much as pharmaceutical manufacturing and more than the beer industry.
"The industry supports more than 3 million American jobs, as many as retail stores. The industry is strong and growing, whether it’s wind manufacturing in Iowa and Michigan, solar installations in North Carolina and Nevada, energy storage projects in Arizona and Indiana, or energy efficiency upgrades in every state...
Read the entire Hill Op-Ed here.
Topics: United In The News