2020 was a year unlike any other, and many people might want to forget it. But there’s at least one fantastic thing that occurred that we shouldn’t lose sight of: Congress passed the first comprehensive national energy legislation in 13 years: The Energy Act of 2020.
This new law, supported by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, makes a down payment on new, American-made technologies to improve energy efficiency; bolster clean energy storage capacity; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and advance wind, solar and geothermal infrastructure.
Before 2020, clean-energy jobs in North Carolina outgrew overall state employment by nearly 50%, and our clean-energy workforce accounted for 52% of all energy jobs in our state. Senator Tillis has been telling Senate leadership since July that supporting clean energy was a good course out of COVID-19 economic disruption because he understands that an economy built on clean energy is one that is built to last. That’s something of which all North Carolinians should be proud.
Tommy Luckadoo
Hickory Daily Record
Luckadoo serves on the board of Conservatives for Clean Energy North Carolina