New Report Shows America’s Energy Leadership Requires a $25 Billion Investment by 2030

Washington, DC – Today, Clean Tomorrow released a new report finding America’s energy innovation leadership will require a $25 billion investment in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by 2030. The Re-Energizing America report serves as a roadmap that charts a path forward to the end of the decade to secure American dominance in energy innovation through four policy imperatives: energy security, affordability, economic opportunity and decarbonization.

The new report serves as a follow-up to the 2020 energy innovation roadmap Energizing America, building on its recommendations by taking stock of what has and hasn’t worked and mapping out where to focus efforts for the next generation of energy innovation investment.

America’s future will be defined by how we respond to new challenges like increased energy demand from widespread electrification, AI-driven power demand, industrial modernization and the transition to cleaner energy systems. Clean Tomorrow provides a roadmap to address these challenges, all while ensuring domestic economic benefits, strong supply chains and global competitiveness.

“There is a new frontier in American energy emerging,” said Evan Chapman, co-author of Re-Energizing America and Senior Director of Policy at Clean Tomorrow. “Massive increases in power demand and the ongoing transition to cleaner energy are challenges must be met with bold action and a commitment to keep America at the forefront of energy innovation – like we have been for the previous 150 years. What this report shows is that we can lead the world in energy innovation, all while reaping the economic and geopolitical benefits. But we can’t just sit aside and hope that this happens – we need to act to ensure America leads.”

“American energy innovation leadership is rooted in our willingness to invest and act boldly,” said Claire C. Cody, co-author of Re-Energizing America and Senior Innovation Policy Analyst at Clean Tomorrow. “The United States has historically led the way in advancing new technologies that power the world, but today, the United States ranks 13^th in energy innovation investments globally. If we want to continue discovering the energy technologies of the future and ensure they’re scaled up and built here, we must pursue sustained investment and federal support for this critical work.”

“If we fail to rapidly deliver clean technology at scale, the United States’ national security and economy, as well as the global environment, will suffer,” said David Sandalow, original co-author of the 2020 report Energizing America. “The next fifty years will be defined by how we respond to today’s challenges. Their scale and urgency require forward-looking investment and a renewed sense of national purpose. Now is the time to choose. Let’s show the world that the United States can meet this moment – decisively, boldly and with an unwavering focus on the defining challenges of the 21st century.”

The Re-Energizing America report offers five key recommendations for implementing the $25 billion dollar investment including:

• Build a unified innovation framework: Create a seamless pipeline from research to deployment, redefining success around shared outcomes.
• Enable cross-program planning and funding: Create opportunities for sustained collaboration across organizational boundaries.
• Enhance program agility and responsiveness: Supplement traditional procurement and financial assistance with alternative funding tools.
• Strengthen industry partnerships for market-driven innovation: Systematically expand programs making national laboratory resources available to private companies facing specific technical challenges.
• Build for institutional continuity: Design programs for durability through multi-year budget authority and strong partnerships with states, universities and industry that create demonstrated value through measurable outcomes.