Full Title: Energy Transitions
Author(s): Energy Futures Initiative and the AFL-CIO
Publisher(s): Energy Futures Initiative and the AFL-CIO
Publication Date: September 28, 2020
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
The LEP Framework paper provides a comprehensive overview of a suite of climate and labor policies, supported by the AFL-CIO and EFI, that will accelerate America’s transition to a low carbon economy while preserving and creating access to high quality jobs. The paper provides a summary of the importance of each initiative from a climate perspective and the jobs’ benefit it will provide American communities.
The framework identifies 10 key areas necessary for creating new jobs and advancing social equity in a deeply decarbonized economy:
- 1. A national action plan for the deployment of carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration technology;
- 2. A priority energy infrastructure analysis that provides a roadmap for key energy infrastructure needs, financing mechanisms, and approval and permitting pathways;
- 3. Policies needed to site and permit new electricity transmission projects in the nearterm;
- 4. Options for safe and affordable preservation of the existing nuclear fleet and the deployment of next generation nuclear technologies;
- 5. Development of technology and policy pathways for the use of natural gas consistent with meeting climate goals;
- 6. An exploration of the economic challenges and costs and benefits of developing hydrogen as an alternative fuel for the transportation, power, and industrial sectors;
- 7. The expansion of energy efficiency finance mechanisms and policy recommendations to enable the full utilization of energy efficient technologies in commercial and residential buildings, industrial processes, and transportation;
- 8. An assessment of the capacity of the United States to mine, process, and manufacture the critical minerals and materials necessary for the domestic production of low-carbon technologies including, but not limited to, rare earths, lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and palladium;
- 9. An analysis of the offshore wind supply chain, including its raw material requirements, manufacturing technologies, and geographical differences between the East Coast, West Coast, and Great Lakes’ resources and policy options to encourage domestic manufacturing; and,
- 10. A roadmap for implementing natural and engineered carbon dioxide removal at scale