Federal Investment
Federal investment in research, development, and deployment can bring new, low-carbon technologies to the market in greater numbers and support America’s continued leadership in global emissions reductions.

This briefing paper is part of CRES Forum’s Understanding the Facts Series, providing substantive background information on why and how conservatives should lead on climate change policy. The issues and approaches are rooted in CRES Forum’s Conservative Climate Policy Directives. These directives were developed to help policymakers and the public better understand how policies can …
Why U.S. Climate Policy Must Focus on Addressing Global Emissions Read More
American innovation is undoubtedly the key to overcoming some of our nation’s most difficult challenges. Our innovation engine is made up of the government, providing guidance and support; the research community and academia, seeking new discoveries and building the knowledge base; the private sector, bringing those discoveries to the market in new and useful ways. …
Energy storage is considered the “holy grail” of energy because it allows for stockpiling unused power for when consumers need it the most. Currently, the U.S. electricity grid only has enough cumulative storage capacity to provide power for around 20 minutes – or a mere 10 seconds if only battery storage is considered. The development …
Hydropower is the United States’ oldest and most reliable renewable energy resource, and its potential still is not fully tapped. As we work to decarbonize the power sector, hydropower’s unique benefits are an essential part of any climate solution. Moreover, hydropower has great potential to produce more power with a smaller environmental footprint than ever …
Last year marked the third-strongest year for domestic wind power development. Wind developers added over 9,000 megawatts wind power to overall U.S. capacity. That’s 20 percent over the progress made in 2018, which sets 2020 on a course for strong progress in wind power. Now there are almost 60,000 wind turbines in operation across the …
The United States is continuing to diversify its renewable energy sources, including a recent commitment to research and development in geothermal energy. Geothermal energy is a clean and renewable energy source that uses the heat of the Earth. It is growing rapidly in the U.S. and globally, with tremendous economic benefits and a bright future. …
When we talk about the astounding advances in our national energy sector that have provided energy choice, freedom, and security for consumers and businesses alike—not to mention emissions reductions—the energy efficiency industry often gets brushed over. That’s probably due to the fact that the vital role energy efficiency plays in innovating American energy development is …
New energy technologies inch closer to commercial viability every day. And although markets are beginning to open up to these technologies, there are still a number of financial hurdles that exist between the R&D phase and consumer-ready products. Green banks address these hurdles by financing clean energy projects through long-term, low-interest loans that would not …
Sustainable Finance Breaks New Ground with Green Banks Read More
Facebook, Google, Walmart and Sony; Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Minneapolis—these are just some of the major corporations and U.S. cities that have pledged to transition to 100% renewable electricity sources over the next few decades. With new commitments being announced on a near- daily basis, it seems clear that growing numbers of citizens, civic organizations …
As published in The Morning Consult on February 19, 2019. BY CHARLES HERNICK & LISA JACOBSON From coast to coast, America’s economy kicked into high gear in 2018 — and the clean energy sector had a record year, too. The Business Council for Sustainable Energy’s annual “Sustainable Energy in America Factbook” documents strong fundamental trends …
Federal Policy Support that Leverages the Private Sector Will Accelerate Clean Energy Read More