Clean energy industry hails confirmation of Jennifer Granholm as U.S. Energy Secretary

Published on February 26, 2021 by Chris Galford


Warning: Undefined variable $post_id in /var/www/dailyenergyinsider.com/wp-content/themes/dei/single.php on line 31
Jennifer Granholm

Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm became the 16th U.S. Secretary of Energy this week, following Senate confirmation, and earned accolades from across the energy industry as she stepped into the role.

“EEI and our member companies congratulate Jennifer Granholm on her Senate confirmation to serve as the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and we look forward to working with her, the DOE team, and the Biden administration on a range of critical issues, including the clean energy transition and grid security,” Edison Electric Institute (EEI) President Tom Kuhn said.

EEI was one of the numerous organizations to hail the news for a variety of reasons. For example, the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC), which acts as a liaison between the federal government and the electric power industry in preparing for and responding to disasters and threats, congratulated her while stressing the need to continue building collaboration, particularly in the wake of new COVID-19 safety protocols, the devastating 2020 hurricane and wildfires seasons and the cyber vulnerability of the SolarWinds Orion Platform.

“The ESCC remains committed to working across the industry and with Secretary Granholm and our government partners to apply the lessons learned in 2020 to our work to enhance the resilience and security of the North American energy grid,” the ESCC said in a statement.

The Energy Storage Association (ESA) noted that the former two-time governor’s appointment comes at a critical time. The Energy Act of 2020, which became law in end-of-year legislation, granted expanded investment authority to energy storage. Additionally, the Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a program called the Energy Storage Grand Challenge (ESGC) to accelerate the development, commercialization, and utilization of next-generation energy storage technologies domestically by 2030.

“Energy storage is fundamental for the transition to a resilient clean energy economy,” the ESA said. “As the grid disruption in Texas has shown, tackling the climate crisis requires both mitigation through decarbonized power & transportation and adaptation through a more resilient infrastructure. Energy storage is central to meeting both of these challenges. ESA is committed to supporting the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress to expand the benefits of storage–including job creation, decarbonization, and resilience–for all Americans.”

The American Clean Power Association (ACPA) addressed Granholm’s appointment from a more personal note.

“Having worked on energy policy with Secretary Granholm, I know that she is committed to the Biden administration’s interlinked goals of boosting the U.S. economy and combating climate change, and the new Secretary well understands the importance of building transmission infrastructure to unlock renewable energy potential and help meet America’s climate needs,” Heather Zichal, ACP CEO, said. “The clean power industry looks forward to working closely with Secretary Granholm and her team to accelerate clean energy research, development, and deployment while creating jobs for American workers and investing in American communities.”

As secretary, Granholm has pledged to help President Joe Biden achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 goals through the advancement of clean energy technologies, promoting energy justice and recognizing climate change, as well as creating clean energy union jobs for the new world.

“To meet our clean energy goals and to achieve a 100-percent clean energy future, we will need the right policies and the right technologies,” Kuhn said. “We support the research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of new, affordable, 24/7 carbon-free technologies, and DOE and the national labs are critical to this mission and to driving innovation.”

EEI pointed to Granholm’s interest in working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to develop additional transmission as a healthy sign, as well as her past experience in government.

“DOE also plays a critical role in electric transportation RD&D,” Kuhn said. “As a former governor of Michigan, Secretary Granholm brings unique experience that will help both industry and government identify opportunities to advance electric transportation and drive down carbon emissions in the transportation sector… Our nation and our industry will benefit greatly from Secretary Granholm’s leadership experience, as we work together to enhance the reliability, security, and resilience of our nation’s energy grid to create a cleaner future for all.”