Seizing the clean energy revolution

Our economy is undergoing a rapid transition, with decisive leaps in technology happening every day. Front and center in the changing economy of this decade is a fundamental shift in the way we power our world. The transition to a clean energy economy is happening right now. To seize the opportunity to provide a cleaner, better environment and create the jobs of the future, my colleagues and I have put forward a bold goal for America: get at least half of our energy from carbon-free sources by the year 2030.

The old approach to energy has not worked. It has given us dirty air, dirty water and a planet that just had its hottest year on record. It has given us a methane leak that spewed the equivalent of more than half a million cars’ annual emissions into the Southern California atmosphere. For too long, we have heard that we have to choose between a prosperous economy and a clean environment, insisting that we can’t have both. That is a false choice we cannot afford.

Our military leaders, driven by a desire to boost combat effectiveness, have also made significant investments in alternative energy technologies. They want safer, less expensive sources of power that are not subject to shifts in the oil market and dependent on foreign sources. They also want to save on the resources it takes to transport large amounts of fuel across the battlefield, which is costly and dangerous. 

In August, I joined Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus at Naval Base Coronado to announce the largest-ever purchase of renewable energy by a federal entity. The U.S. Navy purchased enough solar power from Sempra Energy to supply half of its installations on the West Coast, including all seven in my home district in San Diego. Much like the military’s early investment in the Internet, advances in renewable energy by our military can lead to significant progress upon which the private sector can build.

To support our military’s mission of diversifying its fuel supply, I put forward the Department of Defense Energy Security Act, which would centralize DOD energy research and invest in energy security. However, with the exception of extending renewable energy tax credits, Congress has been idle or tried to set us back in the race toward a clean energy future — many members of Congress still flatly deny the science of climate change, while others are beholden to special interests. The good news is more and more of my colleagues now realize climate change is not partisan. Investing in renewable energy is a smart approach.

To get Congress back in the game, my colleagues and I have introduced a resolution calling for more than 50 percent clean electricity in the U.S. by 2030. To meet this goal, we would triple renewable energy capacity and get a portion from carbon-free sources like advanced nuclear energy. “50 by ’30” is a necessary and pragmatic goal for our entire nation. We must seize the clean energy revolution for the unprecedented economic opportunity it is. The U.S. Navy and California set the same objective. Just last year, the city of San Diego set a goal twice as high, aiming for 100 percent renewable energy by 2035.

California’s leadership on this isn’t just because of our year-round sunshine; it is the result of investing in innovation and following the market. States with lower renewable targets, like Utah, and ones with less sunshine, like New York, are generating increasing amounts of their energy from solar. The clean energy revolution is here, and every day more and more people are joining. A national objective of 50 by ’30 will take full advantage of the opportunity in front of us and give our children a better chance at a future, with cleaner air, cleaner water and economic prosperity.

Peters has represented California’s s 52nd Congressional District since 2013. He sits on the Armed Services and the Judiciary committees, and he is chairman of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition’s Climate Task Force.