Clean Energy is Building a Better Future for our Planet

This week, the clean energy industry celebrated the second annual American Clean Power Week – an entire week dedicated to recognizing the ways clean energy is powering American jobs, driving critical investment into local communities, and building a more equitable, resilient, and independent future for the United States.

The final day of #AmericanCleanPowerWeek celebrates how the clean energy industry is building a better, healthier future for our planet. 

Transitioning to zero-carbon energy sources – like land-based wind, offshore wind, and solar – will help drive the clean energy economy forward while also benefiting our planet and the health of the American people through reducing carbon pollution produced by conventional generation sources. 

Clean power sources are critical in the quest to decarbonize our electric grid and significantly reduce emissions. Wind and solar power use avoided emitting more than 413 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year – the emissions equivalent of removing nearly 90 million cars off the road each year. And because clean power does not require water for cooling like conventional power plants, wind and solar projects also save nearly 208 billion gallons of water each year.

Not only do conventional sources of energy generation damage the environment, but the harmful air pollutants they create are threatening American lives, with 60,000 American deaths attributed to air pollution in 2019. Wind and solar power cut significant amounts of pollutants from entering our atmosphere – such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) – that impair the respiratory system and exacerbate asthma. Investing in clean energy safeguards the health of Americans today and for generations to come.

Looking ahead, the recently signed Inflation Reduction Act is a historic step toward achieving the nation’s climate goals – driving an estimated 40% reduction in economy-wide emissions by 2030, relative to 2005 levels. This compounds the direct economic benefits of these projects by reducing health problems attributed to pollution and reducing extreme weather that disrupts supply chains, worker productivity, and people’s quality-of-life. 

Investing in clean energy is investing in a healthier, safer future for everyone.

Author:

American Clean Power