25 Jun BPC Action Applauds New Bipartisan Climate Bill on Power Sector Innovation and a Clean Energy Standard in Energy and Environment

The following is a statement from Sasha Mackler, director of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Energy Project: 

“Today’s introduction of the Clean Energy Future through Innovation Act of 2021 by Reps. McKinley (R-WV), Schrader (D-OR), Tenney (R-NY), and Costa (D-CA) marks the first and only bipartisan climate bill in Congress addressing power sector carbon emissions. As the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, the electricity sector is key to advancing economy-wide decarbonization. Reps. McKinley and Schrader have taken a bold and innovative approach focusing first on a comprehensive suite of incentives, procurement requirements, and programs supporting clean energy research, development, and deployment. These measures would be followed by the implementation of a Clean Energy Standard that provides long-term business and planning certainty to drive major low-carbon investments in the electric sector.  

This unique pairing of innovation and standards is a historical first for federal environmental and energy policies that have in the past contemplated these policies in silos. Rather than an ‘either/or’ proposition, we are excited by the shift to a ‘both/and’ approach. We know we need every tool in the toolbox to dramatically accelerate the commercial scale demonstration and deployment of zero-carbon technology. We commend Reps. McKinley and Schrader for putting in the hard work to create a bipartisan, regular order legislative proposal proposal that outlines a clear and durable pathway to transition America’s electricity sector to clean, low-carbon technologies.”