The Future of Solar Power: Brighter by 36%

The Biden Administration has recently announced a new goal in environmental sustainability. They are aiming for solar power to supply 40% of electricity in the U.S by 2035. Currently, only 4% of American electricity usage is supplied by solar power, meaning this goal will potentially increase solar power usage by 36%.

President Joe Biden has prioritized sustainability from the very start of his term. On his first day as president, he re-entered the U.S into the Paris Climate Accord and also promised to half the carbon emissions caused by production in the next 20 years. This initiative is very consistent with his agenda to fight climate change and his endorsement of the importance of sustainability.

While this is exciting news for environmentalists everywhere, it’s a goal that will come with various challenges. This initiative demands a large shift in how the U.S is currently managing energy. According to the Department of Energy, achieving this goal would require the solar industry’s growth rate to triple by 2030. While solar energy has grown by over 4000% in the U.S during the past decade, it still supplies only 4% of the U.S total power consumption.

Increasing the use of solar power at the scale required to fulfill this goal may be difficult to finance. Tax credit extensions would be necessary to conduct this shift. While solar energy in itself is free, the installation and maintenance of it’s large scale usage would require a hefty investment.

However, it’s an investment worth making. Having clean energy is not only better for our planet in the long-run, but also proves to be a more financially efficient option, as the sun is a consistent and renewable resource. Along with these benefits, the Administration has claimed to create 1.5 million jobs within this industry by 2035.

All in all, this realization of solar power’s potential will lead to a brighter, sunnier and more sustainable future for all Americans.