Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Will Jumpstart EV Charger Buildout

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) includes $5 billion in formula funds to help every state build out a network of EV chargers. Third Way’s new map shows that every state will be able to install thousands of chargers using this money, though how many will depend on what types of chargers each state prioritizes.

In implementing this and the IIJA’s $2.5 billion competitive grant program for EV charging and other alternative refueling infrastructure, the Biden-Harris Administration should get the money awarded quickly so that chargers will be plentiful by the time more people start buying EVs. The Administration …

Building Blocks for a Low-Carbon Economy: Catalytic Policy and Infrastructure for Decarbonizing the United States by 2050

Decarbonizing the U.S. economy to achieve a 50–52% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions by midcentury will require the accelerated deployment of existing low-carbon technologies as well as new technologies that are not yet commercially available. Furthermore, even as low-carbon technologies continue to become more cost-competitive, their pace of deployment needs to increase rapidly. Federal policies and investments are needed to drive technology deployment and market transformation, change consumer behavior, and encourage investment in infrastructure and key technologies needed for a net-zero economy. This working paper identifies near-term policies and federal investments that can catalyze emissions …

Transmission Siting Reforms in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021

This policy brief highlights Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provisions that are relevant to transmission siting, summarizes the changes they effectuate, and describes important implications of those changes for efforts to develop more interstate transmission capacity. It then offers a brief assessment of the IIJA’s overarching significance to such efforts, including by comparing them to a more ambitious legislative alternative.…

Carbon Management Provisions in the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act

The Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law on November 15, contains the largest single investment in carbon management provisions since the Department of Energy (DOE) began funding carbon capture research in 1997.

Importantly, IIJA takes a holistic approach to building out the carbon management ecosystem by funding four major policy areas: carbon capture, utilization & storage (CCUS) research, development, and demonstration (RD&D); carbon transport and storage infrastructure & permitting; carbon utilization market development; and carbon removal priorities.

In conjunction with the 45Q tax credit enhancements proposed in the Build Back Better Act (BBBA), IIJA is one half …

Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act: A Down Payment on Fulfilling Federal Promises for Climate Action

The Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as H.R.3684 or bipartisan infrastructure plan, passed the House of Representatives late on November 5, 2021, and was signed into law in mid-November. The $1.2 trillion package represents months of bipartisan negotiations and is the first critical component of achieving the vision laid out in President Biden’s American Jobs Plan.

IIJA is a significant first step towards meeting the climate crisis and reinvigorating the U.S. economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill’s passage clears the way for billions of dollars of investment in research, development, and demonstration for …

Advanced Energy Infrastructure: A Roadmap for Implementation

With the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, funds will be available to state, local, and tribal governments for a variety of advanced energy infrastructure. The bill provides funding to address some of state and local policymakers’ top energy priorities, such as ensuring a reliable electric grid, lowering energy bills, and supporting advanced energy jobs. This document outlines key federal funding streams for supporting these priorities, as well as information about how to access the funds.…

How-to Guide Hydropower Infrastructure Safety

Hydropower infrastructure can have significant implications for public and environmental safety, and it is important to ensure that any opportunities and risks are managed effectively throughout a project’s life cycle.

IHA’ new guide on Hydropower Infrastructure Safety can help developers and operators manage the impacts of hydropower development.…

Improving Environmental Outcomes from Infrastructure by Addressing Permitting Delays

With the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress together pursuing major infrastructure investments, there is an important question as to how best maximize potential economic and environmental benefits of new infrastructure. Reforming the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is one of the most straightforward and impactful ways to do so. Currently, many major infrastructure projects are delayed due to significant, NEPA-mandated requirements for environmental-impact review. Such delays are frequently exacerbated by vague statutory requirements and exceptional litigation risks. Updated guidance for environmental reviews under NEPA, coupled with strategic judiciary reforms, could expedite infrastructure approval while improving environmental outcomes.…

Modeling The Infrastructure Bills Using The Energy Policy Simulator

The Build Back Better Act currently moving through the House reconciliation process is poised to be the most significant climate legislation in United States history. To help understand its impacts, Energy Innovation modeled multiple climate provisions of the BBB and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, referred to together as the “Infrastructure Bills,” using the Energy Policy Simulator. The modeling finds the Infrastructure Bills would cut annual emissions 1,067 MMT to 1,510 MMT and reach 70 to 85 percent clean electricity by 2030. If a Clean Electricity Performance Program is not included, emissions reductions fall to just 854 to …

Greenhouse Gas Pollution Estimates of Proposed U.S. Fossil Fuel Infrastructure

U.S. President Joe Biden can prevent from entering into service or halt with executive action two dozen United States fossil fuel infrastructure projects — including the Line 3, Dakota Access, and Mountain Valley Pipelines — which would significantly increase U.S. GHG emissions if completed or allowed to continue operation. If the Biden Administration does not stop these fossil fuel infrastructure projects, it will be much more difficult to meet its domestic and global climate goals.

Our research finds that the 24 projects analyzed would release combined annual greenhouse gas pollution equivalent to approximately 20% of 2019 U.S. emissions. This total …