This month, the U.S. Department of Energy introduced the “Building a Better Grid” Initiative to push nationwide development of new and upgraded high-capacity electric transmission lines, as enabled by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The project is intended to improve energy reliability and works toward President Biden’s goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2025 and a zero-emissions economy by 2050.
“This program will make the U.S. power grid more resilient to the impacts of climate change, increase access to affordable and reliable clean energy, and create good-paying American jobs across industry sectors – boosting transmission jobs which employ over one million workers across the country,” the U.S. D.O.E said in a statement.
Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego) introduced The Power On Act in March 2021, and it will be a part of the grid update. The legislation aims to boost reliability, help decarbonize the power sector, electrify the transportation sector, adapt the grid to withstand the devastating effects of climate change, and lower electricity costs for consumers.
“Too many Americans, including many Californians, have experienced the harsh consequences of power grid failures in the face of mounting extreme weather events due to climate change. The Department of Energy’s actions today will build a more secure, resilient, clean, and efficient energy system that our nation can rely on,” Rep. Peters said.
According to the project’s Notice of Intent, the United States faces challenges as its electric grid infrastructure continues to age – studies from the past decade find that 70 percent of the grid’s transmission lines and power transformers were over 25 years old. Upgrading and expanding the current transmission system will enhance grid reliability and resilience and enable the cost-effective integration of clean energy.
On a local level, San Diego County government officials are creating a Regional Decarbonization Framework which aims to eliminate the region’s dependence on fossil fuels. This would be done by expanding the use of renewable energy and by converting buildings and transportation systems to electric power. The final framework would be adopted by the Board of Supervisors in early 2022.
