It’s no secret that the presidential campaign is now in full swing, and voters are starting to pay attention to the myriad of issues presented to them. One of those issues that is likely going to be on every voter’s mind at one time or another is how to get to clean energy as quickly as possible. Democratic presidential nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, has presented a plan that can potentially make clean energy in 15 years possible.
What does the plan do and how does it help us get to clean energy by 2035?
One of the linchpins of the plan is dealing with our nation’s energy grid. For example, there are power plants in parts of our nation that are relying on more traditional energy producing technologies such as coal, oil, and gas which would certainly not qualify as clean. In addition to harming the environment, these technologies often make us dependent on at least one foreign source of energy, such as in the case of oil. Biden’s plan makes cleaning up the energy system one of its biggest priorities.
How much will Biden’s plan cost and what do some argue the benefit is?
Former Vice President Biden’s plan is wide ranging and very comprehensive with a total cost of around $2 billion to implement it over the course of four years. For those who are concerned about the environment, this plan is a long overdue step toward helping stop and reverse the catastrophic events surrounding climate change. Getting rid of a major source of pollution will help us take better care of our planet, which will pay dividends for generations to come.
What are the specific requirements of the energy industry under Biden’s plan?
The Biden plan calls for clean electricity by 2035 with no attendant carbon production. For those who stressed energy independence, this is a benefit due to the federal attention that will be paid to this plan and its implementation if the Biden/Harris ticket should win. However, some skeptics have noted that while some states have fairly advanced standards for power generation and specific sources and thus would have no problem meeting Biden’s plan, there are others where that would be much more difficult given their lax energy standards. This plan, no matter if it is truly implemented in four years, is a huge step forward for clean energy.
What happens going forward with this plan?
As with most things in politics, it is likely to be litigated, criticized, and picked apart over the course of the campaign. Should Biden win, the official White House policy may be something resembling this plan, but it may have some changes given the tone and tenor of the campaign or there may be some adjustments due to Congress’ input. No matter what happens during the campaign, the people who will have a say as to whether this plan or one similar to it gets implemented are the voters.
