The Future is Bright: Energy Efficiency Outlook for 2021 and Beyond" /> Big changes are coming for energy efficiency in both the short term and the distant future. In this blog, we’re taking a look at recent advances in the industry as well as the energy efficiency outlook for 2021 and beyond.
Recent Developments
Before we look ahead to what’s on the horizon, we need to lay the groundwork of recent developments. Last year, President Donald Trump signed an omnibus bill that included significant energy legislation:
- A two-year extension of the Solar Investment Tax Credit and one year extension of the Wind Production Tax Credit. We can help you take advantage of these savings while they still exist.
- A wind technician training grant program to improve the capacity clean energy jobs in the United States.
There were also advances on the state level in 2020. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker introduced his 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap which requires all cars sold in the state to be electric by the year 2035. As the future of electric vehicles quickly becomes a reality, we are here to help you prepare with electric vehicle charging installations.
The Near Future
Now, here’s a look at what you can expect in 2021.
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden formally requested to join the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change. The President is now taking this a step further and recently announced that the United States will host a world leaders’ summit on April 22, which is Earth Day. This will be used to reiterate his administration’s target of 100 percent clean electricity by 2035 nationwide.
Congress will also have its hands full. With a narrowly divided Senate, bipartisan support will be needed for a variety of clean-energy measures, including the American Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act. This bill includes a national renewable energy standard of 55 percent by 2030, as well as national energy efficiency savings goals for 2035 (22 percent savings for electricity and 14 percent savings for natural gas).
Compromises across the aisle will also be necessary, but not out of the question, for:
- An infrastructure bill to overhaul the energy grid
- An expansion of electric vehicle tax credits
- Federal funding to expand energy efficiency programs and energy storage research
Down the Road
The globally recognized milestone for climate action is 2030—only nine years away. This initiative will help the planet reach a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Despite this long timeline, now is when changes should get underway. As economies reopen, fossil fuel emissions are in danger of surpassing the levels they were at before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Dalkia can help you take the first steps to achieve your energy efficiency goals: going green and lowering your utility bill. Contact us today for a no-pressure conversation to assess what energy efficiency changes you can make.
