This Week in Climate & Clean Energy Wins: Week of 11/13/23

In private sector news, Lyft is partnering with charging network EVCS to offer Lyft drivers discounts on charging electric vehicles in California, Oregon, and Washington – as part of the company’s efforts to reach 100% electrification by 2030. Amazon is building three new solar farms in Ohio, in addition to their 21 other current projects, and Forge Nano has announced plans for a $165 million battery factory in North Carolina, set to be finished in 2026. 

A new report from the Clean Investment Monitor found that in the year since the passage of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, low income, and fossil-fuel dependent communities have experienced the greatest windfall of the clean energy transition – receiving nearly 40% of clean energy investments in 2022, demonstrating the massive opportunity in the Rust Belt, and rural America. New International Energy Analysis found that clean energy employment represents over half of total energy sector jobs – with solar PV being the largest energy employer in the world, accounting for 4 million jobs.

This week, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $3.5 billion investment in the domestic battery manufacturing sector, which will support retrofitting and expansion plans for facilities around the country. The Investing in America agenda also set aside $444 million to strengthen carbon storage projects across 12 states. DOE has awarded $31 million in energy efficiency and conservation grants to 19 state and local governments. The White House announced that $6 billion will go towards strengthening climate resilience efforts across the country, following the release of the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). 

Lastly, the Michigan state legislature passed five bills to accelerate the shift to clean energy this week, including a law requiring 100% carbon-free energy generation from Michigan’s two leading utilities by 2040. According to The Washington Post, Ohio and Pennsylvania are leading the country in building a national electric vehicle charging network, with the former opening the first chargers funded by the infrastructure law this year and the latter now breaking ground on its new chargers. In Georgia, Cox Enterprises is expanding its clean energy technology portfolio with a $250 million investment in DSD Renewables. In New York, 116 farms will receive nearly $16 million to help with their sustainability needs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Private Sector

• Lyft is partnering with charging network EVCS to offer Lyft drivers discounts on charging electric vehicles. [Clean Technica, 11/15/2023]
  • The discount includes DC fast chargers and Level 2 charging stations in California, Oregon, and Washington, as part of the company’s efforts to reach 100% electrification by 2030. 

• Amazon has announced plans to build three new solar farms in Ohio. [NBC41, 11/14/2023]
  • The farms will be built in Crawford, Champaign, and Fayette counties, increasing the total of Amazon solar projects in Ohio to 21.
• Forge Nano announced plans for a $165 million battery factory in North Carolina in 2026. [ABC11, 11/14/23]
  • The battery manufacturing operation plans to make lithium-ion cells for use in defense, aerospace, and specialty electric vehicle markets.

New Reports

• More than a year since its passage, Biden’s historic climate bill has delivered on bringing the clean energy transition to rural communities. [Washington Post, 11/15/2023]
  • Although communities home to coal, oil, or gas infrastructure make up only 18.6% of the population, they received 36.8% of the clean energy investment in 2022.
  • Rural communities have also received over half of the investments in U.S. wind power in the past year
• In the past year solar PV has been the largest global energy employer, accounting for 4 million jobs and adding over 1 million jobs since 2019. [IEA, 10/15/2023]
  • All in all, clean energy employment represents over half of total energy sector jobs, having overtaken fossil fuels in 2021.

Biden Administration

• DOE announced $3.5 billion to boost domestic battery production nationwide. [DOE, 11/15/2023]
  • Part of Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the funding will create new retrofitted and expanded facilities for battery manufacturing. 
• DOE also announced a $444 million investment in permanent safe storage of carbon dioxide pollution. [DOE, 11/14/2023]
  • Funds will support 16 selected projects across 12 states working to bolster the nation’s carbon management industry. 
• Biden is awarding state and local governments $33 million through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants Fund. [DOE, 11/14/2023]
  • Grants will go towards advancing clean energy and infrastructure upgrades. 
• In coordination with NCA5, the White House announced $6 billion in climate resilience funding. [WH, 11/14/2023]
  • Investments will strengthen aging electric grid infrastructure, reduce flood risk, support conservation efforts, and advance environmental justice.

State-Level  

• The Michigan state legislature passed five bills aimed at accelerating the shift to clean energy, including a law that requires 100% carbon-free energy generation from Michigan’s two leading utilities by 2040. [CNET, 11/10/2023]
  • The legislation will also make it easier for Michiganders to put solar panels on their roofs.
• Ohio and Pennsylvania are taking the lead in building a national electric vehicle charging network, with the former opening the first chargers funded by the infrastructure law this year and the latter now breaking ground on its new chargers. [Washington Post, 11/11/2023]
• Georgia-based Cox Enterprises is expanding  its clean energy technology portfolio with a $250 million investment in DSD Renewables, which builds and finances solar power arrays. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 11/14/2023]
• New York is investing nearly $16 million in 116 farms across the state to help with addressing their sustainability needs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. [Spectrum News, 11/14/2023]
  • The funding will support projects in three different categories: livestock management for methane reduction; adaptation and resiliency projects to combat extreme weather; and soil that will increase oil organic matter, reduce erosion and nutrient pollution in waterways, and increase crop yields.