Clean energy innovation is a modern American success story that has been written (and rewritten) for many years, and our progress has been a long time in the making. But, every election is a pivot point. Now, we need to take up the pen again and build on the progress made, so that the United States can continue to lead the world in innovating the technologies of tomorrow; in dominating clean manufacturing; and in building the infrastructure necessary to power our economy with affordable and clean electricity. Let’s take stock of where things stand — and on where and how progress is possible within the next presidential administration. 

Clean Energy Innovation

Innovation, notably clean energy innovation, remains the political, economic, and environmental win it’s always been, regardless of which party is in power. Political momentum strengthened in support of U.S. clean energy innovation leadership the last few years. The push to commercialize cutting-edge energy technologies — whether to compete with other countries or drive down emissions — has bipartisan support. We saw this when Congress passed the Energy Act of 2020 during the first Trump Administration and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known at the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Even the Inflation Reduction Act contains approaches to building a clean economy based on proposals that had strong bipartisan support. The technologies driving clean energy generation today — solar, wind, batteries, and nuclear — originated in the United States. The technologies of tomorrow can, too. Through Congressional investments since 2019, advanced nuclear, enhanced geothermal, fusion, new grid technologies, and industrial decarbonization technologies are all driving our innovation pipeline.

And there are legislative opportunities on the horizon to continue to build on our progress. The Energy Act of 2020, which provided new authority to the Department of Energy to undertake innovative research, development, and demonstration projects around nuclear energy and fusion energy, enhanced geothermal technologies and demonstration of innovative industrial decarbonization processes, expires at the end of Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). This gives Congress the opportunity and responsibility to provide further direction to the Department of Energy (DOE) as we look to continue to lead on innovation. The IIJA expires the following year. Today, the IIJA is providing pivotal funding to bipartisan priorities like nuclear, carbon management, clean manufacturing, and industrial demonstration projects. We can preserve this progress and continue to build the infrastructure for innovation here in the United States. 

Industry

Any industrial innovation taking place today is largely the result of the Energy Act of 2020, the IIJA, and other recent Congressional action, and it is already making United States industry and manufacturing more competitive. With demonstration projects slated to be underway for clean cement, steel, chemicals, paper, and even the food and beverage sector, we have positioned the United States to be the cleanest, most competitive industrial sector on the globe–but not unless we follow through.

We’re finally getting close to demonstrating many of these technologies. But to capitalize on this progress and move these products to market, we will need new, innovative policies to continue to develop modern industrial technologies at scale. Reauthorization of both the Energy Act of 2020 and the IIJA should provide important opportunities in this space, while possible action on tax and trade may provide an important occasion to continue to press our advantage on industrial innovation and clean manufacturing.

Infrastructure

A lot is riding on federal action right now. But, state and local governments also have a big hand in enabling new clean energy projects and creating a clean tomorrow. For the first time in decades, power demand is surging amid increased electrification and data center growth. Our nation’s transmission system needs significant expansion and modernization if we’re going to keep developing and powering new clean technologies and products, use and improve upon artificial intelligence technology, and transition to a cleaner electricity mix.

And now, to bring it local: Unfortunately, clean energy bans and restrictions are proliferating at exactly the wrong time. Organizations like Clean Tomorrow will be needed to perform the analysis and outreach necessary to lift the roadblocks that keep the economic and health benefits of clean energy out of the hands of communities that deserve both. Action in Washington can help, but states will be key in ensuring we are able to build the clean infrastructure necessary to power our economy moving forward.

The only constant in Washington, D.C. is change. The people, the approach, and the policy will turn over and evolve. But the opportunity for clean energy progress is too important to pass up. We need to protect the progress we’ve made — and doubling down on American innovation and ingenuity has never been a bad bet for either party in power. The opportunities are before us—we just need to seize them.