Top 10 Bioeconomy Must-Knows in the Biden Transition

9. The Electrify Everything Movement Gains More Traction

With the election of Joe Biden to the U.S. Presidency, look for a coalition of auto makers, environmental groups and utilities to press for a series of measures to accelerate the conversion of transportation from Internal Combustion Engines (ICE engines) to electric motors. There are good energy efficiency reasons to quickly electrify transport, and good energy storage and “greening the grid” reasons to go slow. So, there will be pushback from oil & gas interests and those who don’t like the prospect of the $7500 per vehicle tax incentives being given to millions of new car owners.

The President’s Plan says:

Speed the transition to electric vehicles. As president, he will restore the full electric-vehicle tax credit, to encourage American families to buy electric cars for their personal use – and to incentivize American businesses to build or shift their existing fleets to electric vehicles. He will also ensure that the U.S. Department of Energy invests $5 billion over five years in battery and energy storage technology, to spur breakthroughs that can boost the range and slash the price of electric cars. And, he will enact policies to promote domestic manufacturing of electric vehicles. Biden will also work with Congress, the private sector, labor unions, mayors, and governors to build a national electric charging system of 500,000 public charging outlets, so that by 2030, Americans will be able to drive anywhere in the United States in an electric car. Under his Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation will also provide an additional $1 billion per year in new grants to ensure that those charging stations are installed by certified technicians, promoting high-paying jobs and benefits. Finally, Biden will convene the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation to coordinate on special demonstration projects, for example testing new highways that can charge electric cars while in transit. The Departments will provide grants to cities, towns, and counties that are open to piloting new kinds of charging infrastructure.

Renewable fuels have a dilemma — they are low-carbon technologies often greener than electric mobility options, and they offer lower upfront conversion costs, support for rural economies and can be carbon-negative sky-cleaners, too. They have a good story, but renewable fuels are uniquely tied to oil & gas because they are usually (not always) blended with fossil fuels, and some important voices view renewable fuels as a means of perpetuating fossil fuel dominance. Under a Biden administration, the forces petitioning government have the size (automakers, utilities) to gain a hearing and (automakers, environmentalists) they have deep experience in influencing government policy, and (automakers, utilities, environmental groups) have built-in platforms and budgets for messaging consumers.