Environmental Sustainability, Climate Change, and Advanced Energy Technology

Addressing climate change is one of the most critical global issues of our time, and policymakers, businesses, and consumers require immediate action to build a cleaner and more sustainable future for our planet.  Solving the climate crisis will require enacting the right policies by lawmakers combined with innovation from the private sector.  TechNet supports sound environmental justice policies that address this crisis based on global geopolitical engagement, cooperation, and accountability.  TechNet further supports advanced energy policies that foster and promote a climate for innovation while providing safeguards against inaction and mitigating the impact of new regulations on the economic prosperity of our nation and the world.  TechNet member companies are committed to addressing climate change and leading by example through innovation and sustainability efforts while driving the public policy discussion toward a cleaner, brighter, and more energy-efficient future.

TechNet supports technology-neutral, market-based policies that address the climate crisis and that: accelerate the deployment of low and zero-carbon energy technologies; promote innovation; bring competition to the renewable energy market; foster clean transportation; and mark success through scientific benchmarking and successful policy development supporting a new climate future.

TechNet calls for the following actions:

• The federal government should set science-based targets for climate action that limit warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius by the year 2050. These targets should be aspirational.
• A federal clean electricity policy that will drive large amounts of new renewable energy generation with investments to improve energy reliability and resilience, which will provide businesses with a clear path and expectations to make needed investments at the scale and speed necessary.
• State and federal governments should prioritize removal of regulatory and process barriers to clean energy deployment, such as by implementing permitting reform.
• The federal government should align its energy, tax, and procurement policies to address both the causes and consequences of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting energy resilience to climate change-induced extreme weather.
• The federal government should prioritize the modernization and greening of federal data center infrastructure that will lead to greater efficiencies and cost reductions and work with industry to replace and consolidate larger and older data centers with next-generation facilities that would lower costs, cut energy consumption, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Policies should be developed so that historically disadvantaged communities are not left behind in this transition. Policymakers should focus on ensuring that all communities are able to also benefit from the transition to a clean energy and transportation economy.
• We support investment in non-combustion energy infrastructure and non-wired energy alternatives directed at low-income communities and communities of color.
• Specific policies should promote the adoption of hydrogen for hard-to-decarbonize sectors like heavy-duty transport, steelmaking, and other chemical and industrial processes.
• There should be renewed investments made in climate infrastructure and clean transportation, including the national buildout of public charging infrastructure, and incentive programs to encourage their development.
• The federal government should prioritize and incentivize the electrification of vehicle fleets and conversion to low-emission zero-waste buildings across government-owned properties. We also support policies that enable the widespread adoption of zero emissions light- and heavy-duty vehicles.
• The federal government should improve its energy purchases by working with public utilities and the private sector to source clean, reliable energy.
• State and federal resources should be invested in climate science, technology research, and development efforts to build a pathway forward through innovation.
• Tax incentives to promote the adoption of low and no-emissions technologies.
• Non-discriminatory policies that further the use of advanced technologies in energy markets.
• Policies that promote market competition by enabling the interconnection of distributed energy resources.
• Adoption by the federal government of advanced energy technologies and clean transportation that can improve the mission of federal agencies.
• The implementation of grid modernization technologies as well as electric and clean transportation and charging infrastructure.
• Forward-looking policies that ensure open access to and enable market-based deployment of wholesale and distributed energy resources.
• Fair and equal access to data to enable industry and empower consumers to deploy and utilize clean energy solutions effectively.
• Public/private partnerships between the federal government and industry to help specific sectors of the economy reduce their carbon emissions.