White House Announces Commitment to Renewable Energy

President Obama isn't letting the lack of accomplishments in Congress stop him from taking on climate change.

In preparation, for Climate Week, the White House announced a series of public and private sector commitments, plus a several executive actions, to advance solar deployment and promote energy efficiency. These actions include investing $68 million in 540 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in rural areas across the country, 240 of which are solar projects.

Some of the other actions include implementing energy saving measures, increasing funding for clean energy and energy efficiency for affordable housing, and strengthening both commercial and residential building codes.

The White House also announced a project that will create a solar job training pilot for veterans between the Department of Energy's Solar Instructor Training Network and up to three military bases. This partnership will connect veterans with DOE's large network of more than 400 community college-based solar training institutions. The network aims to help at least 50,00 highly qualified new solar installers to get into solar by 2020.

Also, 50 companies, states, communities and multifamily housing leaders from all over the country announced commitments for onsite solar and energy efficiency projects. This represents more than 35 MW of solar deployed, which is enough energy to power thousands of homes, as well as investments that will lower energy bills for more than 400 million square feet of buildings.

Combined, these actions are expected to cut carbon emissions by almost 300 million metric tons through 2030, the equivalent to taking more than 60 million cars off the road for one year, and save homes and businesses more than $10 billion on their energy bills.

Courtesy of PV Solar Report

Source: PV Solar Report