Published
August 05, 2019
Our natural world faces many challenges – from climate change to resource management to pollution and energy poverty. The good news? The American energy sector is pioneering groundbreaking solutions to each of these problems, bringing to market innovations that will make energy cleaner and more affordable and improve our quality of life.
The business community is investing billions in technologies that are changing today’s energy landscape. Take, for example, NET Power, a company that is developing a revolutionary new power plant that compresses and recirculates carbon dioxide and turns it into an energy source. This process allows for zero-emissions electricity and creates value for carbon dioxide that otherwise would be contributing to climate change.
NuScale Power is another business creating buzz. Its team of engineers has designed a small modular nuclear reactor that makes emissions-free energy more affordable and easier to deploy. This has the potential to provide clean water and affordable, reliable electricity to millions across the globe, including people in remote regions who currently lack access to power.
Whether reducing carbon emissions or alleviating energy poverty, the business community can and must lead the charge. Private sector-led research and development are key to solving these and other problems. To spotlight the role businesses play in addressing our most pressing challenges, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Energy Institute hosted EnergyInnovates: ALL IN, a national summit to showcase the innovations that are making the world a better place.
The summit convened a who’s who of industry leaders, including the CEOs of major energy companies, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and former Obama administration Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. Moniz used the opportunity to unveil his Green Real Deal, a blueprint for addressing climate change.
Moniz’s choice to unveil his plan at the Chamber underscores his recognition that business will be part of the climate solution. To encourage continued business leadership, the Chamber launched its Cleaner, Stronger Agenda, which promotes the private-public partnerships necessary to bring new innovations to market. A component of this agenda is our push for bipartisan energy innovation legislation that brings together good ideas from Congress and the private sector. Our plan reflects the priorities of the American people, 79% of whom agree that the best way to address climate change is through greater investment in research and technology.
With climate change, as with many other issues, business is leading the way. That’s why the Chamber will continue to advocate vigorously on behalf of America’s energy sector and the innovations it unleashes every day.
About the authors
Thomas J. Donohue
Thomas J. Donohue is advisor and former chief executive officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
