Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Regulation, Utilities  -  December 10, 2021

White House Sets Net Zero Goals

President Joe Biden signed an executive order to achieve net zero emissions from federal procurement no later than 2050. The executive order also calls for a  reduction in emissions across federal operations, investing in American clean energy industries and manufacturing, and creating clean, healthy and resilient communities. 

The President’s executive order directs the federal government to use its scale and procurement power to achieve five ambitious goals:

• 100% carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) by 2030, at least half of which will be locally supplied clean energy to meet 24/7 demand;
• 100% zero emission vehicle (ZEV) acquisitions by 2035, including 100% zero emission light-duty vehicle acquisitions by 2027;
• Net zero emissions from federal procurement no later than 2050, including a Buy Clean policy to promote use of construction materials with lower embodied emissions;
• A net zero emissions building portfolio by 2045, including a 50% emissions reduction by 2032; and
• Net zero emissions from overall federal operations by 2050, including a 65% emissions reduction by 2030.

The White House also released a detailed description of this plan, The Federal Sustainability Plan: Catalyzing America’s Clean Energy Industries and Creating Jobs Through Federal Sustainability.

The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Budget for Fiscal Year 2022 and Build Back Better Act will provide agencies with the funding necessary to achieve the goals of the executive order.

Through this executive order, the federal government will transform its portfolio of 300,000 buildings, fleet of 600,000 cars and trucks, and annual purchasing power of $650 billion in goods and services.

Read These Related Articles:

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• DOE Provides $6 Billion To Reduce Industrial Emissions 
• White House Provides Funding For Clean Hydrogen Technologies  
• White House Proposal to Protect Supply Chain from Climate-Related Risks

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