The global calling for a collective transition away from fossil fuels and towards clean and renewable energy has continuously grown, especially over the past few years. It is increasingly obvious that our expansive use of fossil fuels cannot continue and we must collectively make efforts to change our source of energy. Recently, world events have brought this concern to the forefront of the energy conversation. There have recently been some major announcements regarding the progression of implementing green energy in our societies. Today, we will be taking a look at some of the strides being taken to transition to clean and renewable energy sources. Here’s your green energy news round-up for August 2022.
1. Congressional Climate Change Bill
Congress and the Biden administration have passed a major bill that includes a variety of climate related provisions. This legislation would allocate over $370 billion into energy and climate programs with the intent of cutting United States greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 2005 levels by 2030. The bill is set to use an increase in tax revenue to boost the increasing implementation of solar power and wind turbines while moving away from oil, gas, and coal. The goal of this is to incentivize private industry as well as state and local governments to make the transition to renewable energy by way of tax credits and rebates to industry, consumers, and utilities.
2. Chicago’s $422 Million Bill to Provide for the City’s Green Energy Advancements
The city of Chicago has officially signed a $422.2 million agreement meant to provide green and renewable energy power sources to government buildings and all of their other city assets to reduce the city’s carbon footprint to zero by 2025. City buildings that consume the most energy, such as the O’Hare and Midway Airports, will begin drawing a large portion of their energy from a solar farm currently under construction. This push is the result of a 2022 Climate Action Plan that the city released to reduce the city’s emissions by 62% by 2040. Powering these major government institutions with the developing solar farm will inspire other private industries to follow suit, especially with the incentives offered on the local, state, and federal levels.
3. Spain Opens Largest Solar Power Plant
On August 10th, 2022, Spain powered up Europe’s largest solar power plant. Spain is notorious for its immense amount of sunlight year-round and solar energy has always been at the forefront of the country’s green energy transition. The new solar power plant will provide enough energy to power 334,000 homes. The finished construction could not have come at a better time as most of Europe is struggling with its fossil fuel reliance due to the war in Ukraine. Made up of roughly 1.5 million solar panels and plans to have it fully operational in the next four weeks are currently underway. This is a very exciting green energy news developement.
4. The City of San Diego Unveils a $10 million Plan to Provide Solar Energy to Low-Income Communities
Climate change pollution and the ensuing health risks are much more prevalent in low-income communities within major cities. Because of this risk, the city of San Diego has created a program called the San Diego Solar Equity Program which will provide up to 100% of solar installation costs to people in the city considered to be low-income. This will make solar panels available to those living in areas with higher risk from climate change who, otherwise, would not have been able to afford it. To qualify you must meet the income requirements set by the city and you must live in an area deemed as high risk based on San Diego’s Climate Equity Index. This plan is a major step in the right direction for not only does it assist in the transition to clean energy but it also begins implementing these standards in areas that bear the most negative effects of climate change.
See the Value of Solar for Your Home or Business
The green energy news continues to be exciting. As the world comes closer to the collective realization that fossil fuels are increasingly becoming less dependable and more of a climate and health hazard, the push to transition to green energy becomes more and more crucial. While there have been numerous developments around the world, there is still an immense amount of work to be done and legislation to be passed to fully transition to renewable energy options.
When it comes to alternative sources of energy, few have been as consistently reliable and efficient as solar energy. At Lumina Solar, we strive to be at the forefront of the push toward renewable energy. By offering multiple payment plans and a wide variety of high-quality solar arrangements matched with the expertise of our solar representatives, Lumina Solar is able to install a source of solar energy for almost every home or business. To begin your journey of converting to clean and renewable solar energy, call or contact Lumina Solar today!
