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Climate change has been an issue to the world for decades, scientists have warned the necessity of change in “stewardship of Earth”, or a vast misery for humans will be unavoidable. Many countries and organizations had devoted themselves to saving the planet, including the U.S. government and President Joe Biden. 

Before he was elected, President Biden promised the American citizens to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in half by the end of this decade and move towards 100% clean energy by 2050 during his campaign. His plan includes rejoining the Paris Agreement, investing $1.7 trillion in developing renewable energy, and leading the rest of the world into using clean energy. 

In human history, the Industrial Revolution had changed the world’s economy from agriculture and handicrafts based to large-scale industry, mechanized manufacturing, and the factory system. To operate the machines, materials such as wood, coal, natural gas, gasoline, and oil are burnt to produce energy, also producing carbon dioxide. The large emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere has trapped the warm air inside the earth and created the Greenhouse Effect, which leads to global warming. 

According to the data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 60% of the energy comes from burning fossil fuels, 19.7% from natural gas, and 19.8% from renewable energy. Based on the number, President Biden faces a difficult challenge to make 19.8% to 100%. 

Twenty-nine percent of the U.S. carbon dioxide emission comes from transportation. Targeting this matter, President Biden’s plan includes promoting electric vehicles by building charging stations and signing a bill that will ban traditional gas-powered vehicles. Therefore, by 2035, all new passenger cars sold will be operating by electric power. 

Twenty-five percent of U.S. carbon emission comes from electricity. The process of producing electricity involves a high-pressure steam forcing blades in a cylinder to rotate and turn a generator shaft. Currently, the steam is created by boiling natural gas 40% and 19% of fossil fuel. In President Biden’s plan, he decided to expand the installation of solar and wind power on federal land to meet the demand for electricity.  

Furthermore, during the process of transmitting burning natural gas and fossil fuel to clean energy to produce electricity, more jobs will be created. On his website, President Biden promised millions of good-paying jobs for people of all ages, from all backgrounds, and all communities.

Another 23% of U.S. carbon dioxide emission comes from industry. In a statement released by the White House, the announcements made by President Biden addressing clean energy technology were recorded. 

“The United States can address carbon pollution from industrial processes by supporting carbon capture as well as new sources of hydrogen—produced from renewable energy, nuclear energy, or waste—to power industrial facilities. The government can use its procurement power to support early markets for these very low- and zero-carbon industrial goods,” recorded in the statement. 

This resolution is also mentioned in the “Zero Carbon Action Plan” released by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) 2020, written by an economist, Jeffrey Sachs. 

“There are technical solutions available,” stated in the research. “Such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) at industrial facilities, hydrogen, supplementary materials and fillers, and other synthetic fuel replacements and substitutions.”  

Though the transmission for all companies in the U.S. to emit zero carbon dioxide is a long and complex road, many are well-aware of the issue and already using clean technologies. Until today, 70 big companies are generating energy from renewable energy. For example, Google, using solar and wind, producing 7,492,567,647 kilowatts per hour; Microsoft Corporation using small-hydro, solar, and wind, producing 5,982,112,000 kilowatts per hour; Johnson & Johnson using solar and wind, producing 430,970,386 kilowatts per hour; and Netflix, using biomass, geothermal, the small hydro, solar, wind, producing 65,639,739 kilowatts per hour.

As of April, these companies have used in total 43 billion kilowatt-hours of green power, which is equal to the annual electricity use of more than 4 million average American homes, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. 

Based on the raising awareness of the importance of clean energy and the promising plan by President Biden, the U.S. has been making progress towards net zero emission of carbon dioxide. Although the process might be challenging, by 2050 the U.S. will be operated by electricity generated from clean energy, which looks a step closer to the future world in science fiction movies.

 

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