Weekly Address: Doubling Our Clean Energy Funding to Address the Challenge of Climate Change

[cal04]

Source: White House

In this week’s address, the President discussed climate change and how the most ambitious climate agreement in history is creating private sector partnerships that are advancing the latest technologies in clean power. Reiterating his State of the Union call to invest in the future rather than subsidize the past, the President said the budget he will present to Congress on Tuesday will double funding for clean energy research and development by 2020 in an effort to help private sector job creation and lower the cost of clean energy. The President also highlighted ways American entrepreneurship is addressing one of the greatest challenges of our time, and called on leaders in Washington to do the same.

Read more: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/02/06/weekly-address-doubling-our-clean-energy-funding-address-challenge

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transcript
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/02/06/weekly-address-doubling-our-clean-energy-funding-address-challenge

(snip)
As I said in my State of the Union address, rather than subsidize the past, we should invest in the future. That’s why the budget I will send to Congress this Tuesday will double funding for clean energy research and development by 2020. This will include new investments to help the private sector create more jobs faster, lower the cost of clean energy faster, and help clean, renewable power outcompete dirty fuels in every state.

And while Republicans in Congress are still considering their position on climate change, many of them realize that clean energy is an incredible source of good-paying jobs for their constituents. That’s why we were able to boost clean energy research and development in last year’s budget agreement. And I hope they support my plan to double that kind of investment.

Because it’s making a difference across the country. In Idaho, our Battery Test Center is helping electric cars run longer on a single charge. In Ohio, entrepreneurs are pioneering new ways to harness wind power from the Great Lakes. In Tennessee, researchers are partnering with utilities to boost storage and solar power to create a more resilient electric grid.

The point is, all across the country, folks are putting their differences aside to face this challenge as one. Washington should do the same. That’s how we’re going to solve this challenge – together. And that’s how we’re going to give our kids and grandkids the future they deserve – one with a safe, secure, and prosperous planet. Thanks everybody, and have a great weekend

[lark]

1. Bravo, President Obama.

However I will be greatly surprised if the contrarian repugs will let anything pass which would help our country and not pour billions into the entrenched oil/gas energy oligarchs. Hope I'm wrong.

[newthinking]

2. This is so true. If we embraced an aggressive policy toward renewable energy

and using technology to conserve energy there would be a HUGE boom.

Of course, THEN also be sure to change our laws so that we don't sell out all the innovation and shift the wealth out of country before we have been able to fully enjoy the economic benefits.

It was such a SHAME to watch our home grown IT advantage purposely shifted out of country in the middle of what should have been a much longer benefit domestically.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. K&R

And thanks for the weekly post!

I hope that the fact that the oil bubble has burst will encourage companies to go with the clean energy and more importantly, working on optimizing the grid for distribution of that energy...

[daleo]

4. He's talking a good game

I hope he can push some of this through, though we all know it will be tough.