Stefan Koester

The science of climate change has been clear for decades. The IPCC shows that it is increasingly clear that active carbon management technologies must be in the climate mitigation toolbox. With its wealth of know-how and innovative start-up economy, the United States is well-positioned to dominate this burgeoning global industry and will do so if the federal government has the vision to realize this potential.

Technologies to capture and store carbon must be part of the arsenal to fight climate change. To deploy them at scale, policymakers should expand federal incentives, increase RD&D for traditional and novel technologies, and expedite permitting and siting of requisite infrastructure.

The modeling is clear: Building a reliable grid that will serve as the backbone for a cleaner, more electrified economy without raising energy costs, will require technological improvements that drastically drive down the costs and improve performance.

U.S. industry does do not yet have all the necessary technology to decarbonize while maintaining its competitive edge in manufacturing. Only with continued federal and private investment in low-carbon RD&D will the United States be able to achieve the twin goals of supporting a robust manufacturing sector while reducing and ultimately eliminating emissions.

ITIF is pleased to submit the following comments to the Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Managements request for information regarding the opportunity for carbon capture and direct air capture technologies.

Allies and partners like the United States, the EU, the United Kingdom, and Canada should avoid destabilizing trade frictions that threaten to derail much-needed climate progress and instead work toward a collaborative climate innovation club.

ITIF’s comments identify clean energy technologies that offer opportunities for U.S. exports, discuss challenges, and offer recommendations to overcome these challenges.

ITIF responds to the Department of Energy’s request for information on the establishment of a new clean energy manufacturing institute, supporting the establishment of a new institute focused on industrial decarbonization and electrification, and the decarbonization of metal manufacturing.

Levying carbon tariffs is a difficult and counterproductive way for nations with ambitious climate policies to create a level playing field for their higher-cost industrial sectors. A more workable solution would be to design a flexible open-trade club for climate innovators.

The linchpin of President Biden's strategy to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035 is a national clean electricity performance program, or CEPP, which encourages utilities to produce an increasing amount of power from low-carbon resources.

An integrated clean manufacturing strategy will pay dividends for both the economy and the global environment.

Join ITIF for an overview of the potential climate tech applications of 5G and what is needed going forward to help ensure that this critical infrastructure can facilitate the low-carbon transition.

ITIF hosted a discussion on the current state of carbon tariffs, their challenges, and potential multilateral alternatives.