Clean Energy Innovation and Deployment Act is a Valuable Addition to Climate Change Debate

(Washington, D.C. – July 9, 2020) Today, Representative Diana DeGette, introduced the Clean Energy Innovation and Deployment Act of 2020 to help reduce climate pollution and protect Americans from the threat of climate change.”Cleaning up the way we produce electricity is critical to achieving our national climate change goals. It is especially important that we make large and rapid cuts in emissions from the power sector since clean technologies like solar and wind are already cost competitive today in most areas. With this new legislation, Congresswoman DeGette is adding a thoughtful proposal to the search for climate solutions.

“EDF looks forward to working with Congresswoman DeGette and all members of Congress to advance strong climate policy. We need to target emissions across the economy, and rapidly transforming the power sector to 100% clean electricity is a vital step that also eliminates one of the largest sources of unhealthy air pollution. We hope this bill and any other serious proposals will encourage members on both sides of the aisle to provide the kind of leadership on climate change and clean air that all Americans need.”

• Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President, Political Affairs

Background

The Clean Energy Innovation and Deployment Act of 2020 would establish a federal program to promote innovation and deployment of clean electricity to achieve 100% zero-emission electricity no later than 2050. Under this plan, every company that sells retail electricity would be required to increase the amount of clean energy provided to its customers. The bill also includes incentives for retail electricity providers to take early action to transition to 100% zero-emitting electricity before 2050 and to address emissions “upstream” from the power plant, meaning the greenhouse gas emissions in the extraction, processing and transport of coal, natural gas and oil used to generate electricity. ­­­­

The United States will need dramatic reductions in climate pollution across all sectors of the economy, including transportation and industry as well as electricity in order to avoid the worst impacts of a changing climate.