On Monday, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released a new report outlining the steps it deems necessary for America to “accelerate the pace of change in energy technologies” and secure our “economic competitiveness, environmental stewardship, and enhanced security.”
The report to President Obama, titled “Accelerating the Pace of Change in Energy Technologies Through an Integrated Federal Energy Policy,” represents one of the most comprehensive sets of recommendations recently offered by the Executive Branch for U.S. energy policy reform. The report’s most significant recommendation is to triple federal investment in clean energy technology research, development, and demonstration to $16 billion per year — a figure we have been advocating at AEL along with the Breakthrough Institute, American Energy Innovation Council, and a number of other groups.
Two things are especially notable about the report’s recommendations. First is that the emphasis is on research, development, and demonstration but not deployment. Second, and potentially most significant in their near term possibility, are the measures to improve energy policy coordination and long term planning amongst federal departments. While the revenue streams necessary to make a significant increase in energy related spending viable remain vague, opportunities for increased inter-governmental cooperation should be achievable in the short term. The following are the reports recommendations:
On Monday, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu warned that in the global clean energy race, “America still has the opportunity to lead” — but “time is running out.” While our nation seems to be standing still, countries like China, South Korea and Germany have been speeding ahead to develop and deploy new technologies — and reap the economic benefits.
