State of the Union Highlights Need for Clean Energy Solutions

State of the Union Highlights Need for Clean Energy Solutions

Phyllis Cuttino, director of Pew's clean energy program, discusses opportunities for clean energy policy in reaction to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address and Sen. Marco Rubio's Republican response. Both leaders promoted renewable energy as an important component in the nation's energy mix. The Pew Charitable Trusts recently released new research (http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/press-releases/pew-delivers-clean-energy-recommendations-to-administration-and-congress-85899443432) finding that revenues from clean energy installments globally could total $1.9 trillion from 2012 through 2018. To strengthen America's global competitiveness in this growing economic sector, the report also outlines policy recommendations (http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/data-visualizations/policy-matters-the-future-of-us-clean-energy-85899450414), including investments in energy research and development, extension of key manufacturing incentives, and establishment of a national Clean Energy Standard that sets milestones for deployment of renewable and other clean sources in the electric power sector.