The theme for the week is the United States of Clean Energy, highlighting clean energy technologies through numerous live and virtual events with public officials, industry leaders and the public across the country.
“American Clean Power Week is a nationwide celebration of clean energy and the good-paying jobs the industry creates for Americans across all 50 states” said Heather Zichal, ACP CEO. “Today, the clean energy industry, wind, solar, energy storage, and transmission, is powering good-paying American jobs nationwide and is driving critical investment into local communities.”
Land-based wind, offshore wind, solar, transmission and energy storage are all key climate solutions that will help meet our national 100 percent carbon free power goals by 2035 while providing job opportunities to Americans across the country.
The clean energy industry employs 415,000 Americans and has invested more than $334 billion in the US economy since 2005. Industry momentum combined with supportive policies and regulations could deliver over one million clean energy jobs by 2030.
ACP kicked off the week with findings in a new national survey commissioned by the Clean Power Institute, conducted by the bipartisan polling team of Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research, which finds strong support for clean energy and recognition of its benefits. Among the key findings:
Ninety-three percent of American voters say clean energy is important to the country’s energy future.
80 percent of Americans believe that clean energy is as reliable or more reliable than traditional generation sources.
Four in five voters, and a majority across party lines, support providing tax incentives for the expansion of the clean energy industry.
86 percent of voters believe it is important that, “The clean energy industry plays a major role in growing our economy by creating good-paying jobs in a fast-growing industry."
83 percent of voters believe it is important that, "Transitioning to majority carbon free energy sources like land-based wind, offshore wind, and solar will help drive the clean energy economy forward while also benefiting our environment."
In addition, 89 percent of Americans favour upgrading the transmission and power grid to enable the expansion of clean energy to more communities.
Clean power projects generate renewable energy in all 50 states with more on the way as the US drives toward its decarbonisation goals.
There are over 180,000 MW of clean power capacity operating in the US more than double the capacity five years ago with more on the way. That is enough to power over 52 million homes.
Wind is the number one source of renewable electricity generation in the US. Land-based wind power creates American jobs, drives innovation, and strengthens the economy. Wind power is also a key climate solution that can help meet the US 100 percent carbon-free power goal by 2035.
Solar power is a key climate solution and is one of the most affordable sources of new electricity across the nation. Solar costs have fallen over 90 percent over the last decade.
Energy storage is a game-changer for American clean energy, allowing the country to store energy for use at another time, increasing reliability, controlling costs for consumers, and helping build a more resilient grid. Energy storage is flexible and can be paired with any clean energy technology.
Modernising the aging American energy transmission infrastructure is essential. Investing in and building new transmission makes the entire energy system more reliable, affordable, and resilient, and ensures that Americans have continued access to the energy they need.
Growing offshore wind in the United States is expected to create a brand-new American supply chain, tens of thousands of jobs, revitalise port communities, and stimulate investment into local economies across the country.
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