Responding to Signals
The Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS Act and other incentives are boosting industry investments, and accelerating clean energy.
$4 billion from Panasonic in Kansas for lithium-ion battery production, and possibly another in Oklahoma
$4.4 billion from Honda and LG Energy Systems for lithium-ion battery production in Ohio and the Southeast.
$1.2 billion from First Solar to build solar panels in the Southeast US
$6.5 billion from Hyundai in new EV and battery plant near Savannah, GA.
Rivian to build a 2000-square foot factory in Georgia.
And this is just the beginning.
Thousands of jobs back in America rather than abroad, accelerated production of technology to support a clean energy transition, reduced dependence on foreign supply chains, and ultimately, cleaner air, energy, and transportation for all of us.
The most important part of any legislation is not the specific dollar amount, nor whether it is incentive or regulatory-based (though those are important), but it’s the signal it sends.
I’d say the signals are clear that America wants to once again, be leading the biggest energy and infrastructure evolution in over 100 years.
We have been stuck in 30 or more years of arguing, denying, and then hand-wringing and doomsday projections instead of getting on with the business of creating something better. It’s now time to get excited about a new future that is emerging in this very moment, in our own towns.
Is technology and large-scale manufacturing the only or even main solution to a cleaner and more equitable future? No, of course not, but it IS one critical component and it just took a big jump forward.
Right here.
BRILLIANT.