{"id":2309070,"date":"2024-07-26T06:22:02","date_gmt":"2024-07-26T10:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/renewable-energy-and-politics-can-the-two-continue-to-mix-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-07-26T06:29:33","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T10:29:33","slug":"renewable-energy-and-politics-can-they-coexist-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/renewable-energy-and-politics-can-they-coexist-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Renewable energy and politics: can they coexist? &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frenewable-energy-and-politics-can-they-coexist-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2309070&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article titled &#8220;Renewable energy and\u2062 politics \u2013 can \u200bthe\u200b two \u200ccontinue \u200bto \u2062mix?&#8221; discusses the intersection of renewable energy production and political dynamics \u2063in the United States, \u2064particularly in Texas, which is a significant producer of both oil and renewable energy. \u200dAs\u2064 a \u200bpredominantly Republican state and a leader\u200c in\u200d wind and solar\u200b power production, Texas \u2062exemplifies a bipartisan approach to energy\u2064 supply. However, with\u2064 the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/donalds-doubts-house-speaker-feud-will-hurt-gop-in-2024-were-gonna-get-past-this\/\" title=\"Trump doesn&#039;t think House speaker feud will harm GOP in 2024: &#039;We&#039;ll move on&#039;.\">upcoming\u2064 presidential\u200d election<\/a> and \u2063the potential return\u2062 of Donald Trump, who advocates drilling, concerns arise about the \u200dfuture of bipartisan support for renewable \u200denergy.<\/p>\n<p>A report from \u2064KKR points out that while political \u2063rhetoric and upcoming\u200c elections could\u200b influence clean energy policies, the overall outlook \u2062for renewables\u2063 remains positive. The article also addresses the uncertainty surrounding the \u2062Inflation Reduction\u200d Act, which introduced funding and\u2064 incentives for clean\u200d energy. \u2064Although the Act may\u200d face\u200c challenges if Republicans gain unified control, its impact on stimulating\u200d the renewable \u200bsector\u200b is \u2062expected to persist.<\/p>\n<p>The growing demand for electricity, driven by developments in artificial\u2063 intelligence and the increased adoption of electric\u200b vehicles, underscores the need for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-congressional-republicans-democrats-oppose-biden-lng-export-ban\/\" title=\"Texas GOP, Dems reject Biden&#039;s LNG export ban\">sustainable energy resources<\/a>. Industry leaders argue that traditional energy sources \u2062such\u200c as natural gas and nuclear\u2063 power will remain necessary to meet this\u2064 rising demand, even as clean energy technologies continue\u2064 to develop. despite potential political hurdles, global economic \u200dtrends and \u200cthe persistent need\u2063 for energy\u2062 are likely \u200bto maintain the momentum \u2064for renewable energy development\u200c in the \u200dU.S.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-sacff-txt\">Magazine &#8211; Business<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Renewable energy and politics &mdash; can the two continue to mix?<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1053949\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/texas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Texas<\/a> is the largest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/oil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>oil<\/a> producer in the United States. Nothing surprising there, but the state is also, perhaps less well known, the largest producer of wind energy. It also comes in second as the country&rsquo;s largest producer of solar power, behind only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>California<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps that makes it a very good example of how energy supply, and the sources of such supply, is predominantly a bipartisan matter. A solidly Republican state is such a large producer of renewable energy after all, something not necessarily associated with so-called red states.<\/p>\n<p>But as a highly polarized presidential election fast approaches, is there a danger that such examples of bipartisanship, or energy source neutrality, may fall by the wayside? After all, Republican nominee <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump <\/a>has said he would &ldquo;drill, baby drill&rdquo; from day one if the former president were to win the election and return to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>White House<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Wind turbines and an oil pumpjack work in Sweetwater, Texas; a city that aims to be the windpower capitol of the world. (Orjan F. Ellingvag\/Corbis\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In a June 2024 report on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/infrastructure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>infrastructure<\/a> trends, investors at KKR acknowledged that partisan politics could play some role in shaping specific policies. However, the extent of such a possible role is unknown and should also be largely balanced by the positive trend of green energy progress across the board.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our upbeat outlook on the renewables sector is generally independent of questions about the future of green energy related to the potential impact of the upcoming U.S. elections,&rdquo; KKR said in the report titled Market Review Infrastructure June 2024.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What about that Inflation Reduction Act?<\/h2>\n<p>Nevertheless, questions remain, partly due to some of the political rhetoric but also over concerns over the uncertain future of the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in August 2022 under President Joe Biden and rejected by Republicans.<\/p>\n<p>That law put in place billions of dollars in funding and tax incentives for clean energy innovation, research and development, and deployment, the KKR report noted.<\/p>\n<p>While the Inflation Reduction Act is &ldquo;unlikely&rdquo; to be fully repealed in any future under a possible unified Republican control of government, there are certain programs within it that could be vulnerable, KKR said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We think that companies that have locked in funding are less risky investments than companies that are counting on funds being approved or allocated in the future,&rdquo; the report said.<\/p>\n<p>But even an unlikely repeal of the law would also not necessarily mean the end of clean energy, most would agree.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Even after a potential repeal, the subsidies provided by the IRA will have set into motion a momentum for U.S. renewable energy which will not be easily halted,&rdquo; said Mathilde Mounier, co-founder and COO at Powerweave, a digital software platform that helps improve energy efficiency.<\/p>\n<p>Economic and political realities will also help prevent a move away from green energy, even in states where it may not be perceived as all that popular an issue.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Subsidies for energy, clean or not clean, will likely continue as long as they show a benefit to some segment of American voters and to the American businesses that are bankrolling the campaigns of our elected officials,&rdquo; said Mothusi Pahl, vice president of business development and government affairs at Modern Hydrogen, a Seattle-based clean energy solutions company.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Insatiable electricity demand<\/h2>\n<p>Meanwhile, the rise of artificial intelligence and its staggering data capabilities, as well as the move toward cleaner vehicles, will keep on pushing up requirements for electricity, whatever its source.<\/p>\n<p>Electric vehicles alone are likely to add an estimated 700 terawatt-hours to the U.S. grid by 2050, said Hunter Bjork, founder and CEO at ISA Industries, an Arizona-based clean energy solutions company.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;With that in mind, developing clean and sustainable energy resources is imperative, and we believe efforts toward this objective will continue to be subsidized,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Green energy can initially augment traditional forms, minimizing grid strain.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Such traditional forms will remain a big issue, some argue.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This rapid increase in demand cannot be met by solar and wind alone,&rdquo; according to Adam Ferrari, CEO of Phoenix Capital Group, a Denver-based oil and gas investment group. &ldquo;It will necessitate substantial increases in either <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wind-farms-dont-just-hurt-the-environment-and-boost-china-theyre-ugly-as-sin\/\" title=\"Wind Farms Don\u2019t Just Hurt The Environment And Boost China, They\u2019re Ugly As Sin\">natural gas-fired power plants<\/a> or nuclear generation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>And while there have been some moves to promote increasing amounts of nuclear power generation, such as from Bill Gates, as well as subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act, the regulatory process can be very burdensome, with projects taking years to approve. Other energy sources are, therefore, more likely to prevail.<\/p>\n<p>Power generation is also a global matter and, therefore, one perhaps way outside of any perceived political control U.S. elected representatives may think they have. Such global forces will drive investments in the sector.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It is clear that rising geopolitical uncertainty and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/al-gore-adopt-the-lefts-climate-agenda-or-else-there-will-be-one-billion-climate-refugees\/\" title=\"Al Gore warns of &#039;One Billion Climate Refugees&#039; if left&#039;s climate agenda is not adopted\">increasingly severe weather events<\/a> are driving investment into next-generation energy around the world, regardless of which way political winds blow here at home,&rdquo; said Michael Jung, director of government affairs and public policy at Modern Hydrogen.<\/p>\n<p>So, while some politicians may like to diss green energy, using it as fodder to rile up easy base support, global economic forces are likely to be a way stronger factor in the long run.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Green energy is undoubtedly here to stay,&rdquo; said Rue Phillips, president and co-founder of SkillFusion, a digital customer service platform for the training of electric vehicle professionals. &ldquo;While political shifts can influence the level of support and funding for renewable energy, the momentum behind green energy is driven by market forces, technological innovation, and a global commitment to reducing carbon emissions.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>All that said, more traditional forms of energy still significantly outpace renewables, with any change to a completely clean economy some way off, Pahl at Modern Hydrogen said.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>But the changes are there, and it will be forces far greater than one U.S. election cycle that will prevail.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The future of clean energy is bright and increasingly bipartisan,&rdquo; Bjork at ISA said. &ldquo;While the economics of subsidies may shift with the results of the next election, the core need for sustainable energy transcends political lines.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><em>Nick Thomas is a writer based in Denver, Colorado.<\/em><\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1053949\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1053949\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>**Magazine &#8211; Business**<br \/>\n**Renewable Energy and Politics: Can They Coexist?**<br \/>\nTexas holds the title of the largest oil producer in the U.S., which is well-known. However, it is also the leading producer of wind energy and ranks second in solar power production, just behind California. This positions Texas as a prime example of how energy supply and its sources can be a bipartisan issue. Despite being a predominantly Republican state, Texas is a significant player in renewable energy, a fact not typically associated with red states. As a highly polarized presidential election approaches, there are concerns that this bipartisanship and neutrality regarding energy sources might diminish. Republican nominee Donald Trump has expressed intentions to prioritize fossil fuel extraction if he returns to the presidency. <\/p>\n<p>In a June 2024 infrastructure trends report, KKR investors noted that partisan politics might influence specific policies, but the overall positive trajectory of green energy development is expected to prevail. KKR stated, \u201cOur optimistic outlook on the renewables sector is generally unaffected by uncertainties surrounding the upcoming U.S. elections,\u201d in their report titled *Market Review Infrastructure June 2024*. <\/p>\n<p>However, uncertainties linger, particularly regarding the future of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), enacted in August 2022 under President Biden and opposed by Republicans. This legislation allocated billions for clean energy innovation, research, and deployment. KKR indicated that while a complete repeal of the IRA is unlikely under a unified Republican government, certain programs within it could be at risk. They advised that companies with secured funding are less risky investments compared to those relying on future approvals. <\/p>\n<p>Even if the IRA were to be repealed, many believe it wouldn\u2019t spell the end for clean energy. Mathilde Mounier, co-founder and COO of Powerweave, remarked that the subsidies initiated by the IRA have created a momentum for U.S. renewable energy that is unlikely to be easily reversed. Economic and political realities will likely sustain support for green energy, even in states where it may not be a popular issue. Mothusi Pahl, vice president of business development at Modern Hydrogen, noted that energy subsidies will persist as long as they benefit certain voter segments and the businesses funding political campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>The increasing demand for electricity, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence and the shift towards cleaner vehicles, will further necessitate diverse energy sources. Electric vehicles alone are projected to add around 700 terawatt-hours to the U.S. grid by 2050, according to Hunter Bjork, CEO of ISA Industries. He emphasized the importance of developing clean energy resources, stating that green energy can complement traditional sources to alleviate grid pressure.<\/p>\n<p>However, some experts argue that the surge in demand cannot be met solely by solar and wind energy. Adam Ferrari, CEO of Phoenix Capital Group, pointed out that significant increases in natural gas or nuclear power generation will be required. While there are efforts to promote nuclear energy, the lengthy regulatory processes can hinder progress, making other energy sources more likely to dominate.<\/p>\n<p>Power generation is also influenced by global dynamics, which may be beyond the control of U.S. politicians. Michael Jung, director of government affairs at Modern Hydrogen, highlighted that geopolitical uncertainties and severe weather events are driving global investments in next-generation energy, regardless of domestic political trends. <\/p>\n<p>Despite some politicians criticizing green energy to rally their base, market forces are expected to play a more significant role in the long term. Rue Phillips, president of SkillFusion, stated that while political changes can affect support for renewable energy, the momentum for green energy is propelled by market dynamics, technological advancements, and a global commitment to reducing carbon emissions.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, while traditional energy sources still dominate, the shift towards cleaner energy is underway, influenced by factors far beyond a single election cycle. Bjork from ISA expressed optimism about the future of clean energy, noting that while subsidy economics may fluctuate with election outcomes, the fundamental need for sustainable energy transcends political boundaries. <\/p>\n<p>Nick Thomas is a writer based in Denver, Colorado<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3127,"featured_media":2309071,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Biz.Cover-073124.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[36278,36279,5894,33430,32076],"class_list":["post-2309070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-coexistence","tag-environmental-policy","tag-politics","tag-renewable-energy","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Biz.Cover-073124.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2309070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3127"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2309070"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2309070\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2309071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2309070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2309070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2309070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}