WASHINGTON—Following the release of a new report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) on the need to accelerate the decarbonization of the U.S. energy system, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the leading think tank for science and technology policy, released the following statement from ITIF Senior Policy Analyst Colin Cunliff, who served on the committee that produced the report. In an ITIF blog post, Cunliff said:
Transitioning to an energy system with net-zero emissions is critical for mitigating climate change, protecting human health, and revitalizing the economy, but it can’t happen unless we accelerate clean energy innovation.
The problem is that net-zero alternatives haven’t yet been commercialized for some sectors that are particularly hard to abate—from aviation and shipping to steel, cement, and chemicals manufacturing. Meanwhile, many of the clean technologies that have been commercialized so far, such as electric vehicles, are still more expensive than the dirty technologies they would replace. The solution to both of those problems is to accelerate clean energy innovation.
That’s why the National Academies’ new report is so important. It issues a clarion call for more clean energy innovation, finding that “deep decarbonization is technically feasible, but proactive innovation is essential.” It also recognizes that innovation won’t happen without an assertive federal policy that involves much more than just basic research funding. As the report says, achieving deep decarbonization requires “both proactive public investment in research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) and the creation of markets to hasten early adoption and ignite private sector innovation and competition.” All of these policies must work together if the United States is to reap the full benefits of its investments and regain global leadership and competitiveness in clean energy.
Cunliff provided further analytical context in his blog post as he summarized the NASEM report’s key findings and recommendations. Read the blog post.
