Biden unveils plan for solar power to produce 45 of US electricity by 2050

The Biden administration has issued a plan to increase the country’s reliance on solar power from 3 per cent to almost half in under 30 years.

The Department of Energy published a blueprint on Wednesday on how to get 45 per cent of US electricity from solar by 2050, which would involve ramping up production of solar panels and transforming energy infrastructure.

President Biden has touted clean energy as how the country will tackle the burgeoning climate crisis but also provide thousands of jobs.

The Solar Futures study found that solar power capacity could reach 40 per cent in the next 15 years, by doubling the installation of solar energy annually.

Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm noted that solar is the country’s “cheapest and fastest-growing source of clean energy”, producing enough power to run all American homes by 2035 while employing 1.5 million people.

Environmental activists cautiously welcomed the announcement. Jean Su, Center for Biological Diversity’s energy justice program director, said: “An ambitious solar target shows real promise in addressing the climate emergency, but it has to include careful considerations of scale and design.

“By prioritizing rooftop and community solar and storage, Biden’s team could boost energy affordability and resilience in extreme weather events like Hurricane Ida. Because private utilities are fighting distributed energy, the Biden administration should make utility reform a key part of this important climate and justice transformation.”

This is a developing story

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