How Big Can Renewable Energy Get in the Next 10 Years?
Growth in clean energy is accelerating, both in the U.S. and abroad. Last year, the world added a record of more than 260 gigawatts of renewable-electricity capacity, almost 50% more than in 2019, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. The U.S. was one of the biggest growth markets, the agency said, adding 29 gigawatts of capacity, almost 80% more than the year before. The U.S. now generates almost 20% of its electricity from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydropower, while nuclear accounts for another roughly 20%. The Biden administration, which is targeting at least a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, wants Congress to pass its clean-electricity standard, which calls for 80% of U.S. power to come from clean sources by the end of the decade. To that end, the White Houses infrastructure proposal included billions of dollars of investment in renewable energy. We asked three experts to weigh in: Kevin Book, managing director at Clearview Energy Partners in Washington, D.C.; Jesse Jenkins, assistant professor at Princeton University with a joint appointment in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and Environment; and Leah Stokes, assistant professor of political science at University of California, Santa Barbara. Here are edited excerpts of the discussion: