President Joe Biden’s plans to bring 100% renewable electricity production to the United States should be implemented sooner to save hundreds of thousands of lives.President Joe Biden’s plan to bring 100% renewable electricity production to the United States should be implemented sooner to save hundreds of thousands of lives.   

According to a new report, up to 317,500 American premature deaths could be averted before 2050 if the country’s electricity supply was 80% renewable by 2030. Biden’s current plan is to reach a 100% carbon pollution free power sector by 2035.   

Financially, the overall benefits outweigh implementation costs by $295 billion. An extra $1.13 trillion could be saved on medical costs by 2050, thanks to healthier and cleaner air. 

The report came from the Clean Energy Futures project, a multi-institutional research initiative with researchers from Harvard University, Georgia Institute of Technology and Syracuse University.   

The Clean Energy Futures project thinks its recommendations, which it calls 80×30, require a Clean Electricity Standard (CES) to ensure success. 

Clean Electricity Standards Improve Health 

The 80×30 prediction model would require “unprecedented levels of investment in new clean generation from wind and solar,” but would bring the “largest total benefits, climate-related net benefits, and health benefits” of scenarios studied. Utilities would also need incentives to preserve existing clean energy production from nuclear and hydropower sources.   

Results showed health benefits across every U.S. state thanks to better air quality. Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania and Illinois — all states with substantial fossil fuel infrastructure — would reap most rewards for its citizens’ health.    

To work, a CES would need to use federal financial incentives and reward utilities with federal payments for achieving clean energy goals, plus penalize any that don’t. A Clean Electricity Standard would also ensure all regions reduce emissions and gain employment opportunities and air quality and health benefits, according to the report. 

Major Firms Want Clean Electricity Standards  

The report comes on the heels of growing calls for CES adoption across the country. Recently, nearly 80 major U.S. companies circulated a letter urging Congress to adopt a federal Clean Electricity Standard.   

Firms such as Apple, Etsy, PayPal, Tesla, eBay and Google demanded a standard that “hit[s] an 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions from 2005 levels by 2030 — and meet President Joe Biden’s goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2035.”     

Many states have already made 100% renewable pledges, though the timing varies from 2030 to as late as 2070.   

A CES is popular with people, too. Polling by Data For Progress showed that most voters (62%) support the government moving the country to a 100% clean energy electricity grid by 2035.  

But the push for a nationwide CES was dealt a blow when the Biden administration dropped its inclusion in its major infrastructure bill after negotiations with Republicans. 

Biden’s Renewable Electricity Promise 

President Biden’s government has set a goal of reaching 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035.    

It has promised that the switch to renewable electricity production will bring “good-paying jobs deploying carbon pollution-free electricity generating resources, transmission, and energy storage.”    

Other ideas include retrofitting existing power plants with carbon capture facilities and keeping nuclear on board in order to reach its target.   

The Clean Energy Futures report concluded that: “The costs of achieving the Biden Administration’s clean electricity goal through a CES are modest. The additional health benefits would be immediate, widespread, and substantial.”   

Calls for a Clean Electricity Standard across the United States are growing. Businesses and public opinion support action that could bring significant long-term health benefits to hundreds of thousands of people. 

Opinion writer: Tom Shearman

The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, or viewpoints of Interactive Energy Group, LLC (IEG) or its parent companies or affiliates and may have been created by a third party contracted by IEG.  Any content provided by the bloggers or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any individual, organization, company, group, or anyone or anything.

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