Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Brownley (D-Westlake Village) introduced the Green Energy for Federal Buildings Act, which would require the federal government to increase the amount of renewable energy it consumes to 35% of its total electricity by 2030, 75% by 2040, and 100% by 2050. This bill would also encourage – to the maximum extent possible – that the federal government use renewable energy that is produced on-site at federal facilities, on federal lands, or on tribal lands.
“The climate crisis is upon us, and it is high-time the federal government act boldly. We must leverage the government’s resources to aid in our transition to a renewable energy economy and become a model for the private sector,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “Because the federal government is the single largest purchaser of electricity in the country, this bill will also provide an important boost to the burgeoning renewable energy industry, a critical way that we can accelerate the movement of our country towards a 100% clean energy future.”
Under current law, as adopted by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the federal government is required to utilize no less than 7.5% renewable energy for its electricity needs, a level that has held steady since 2013. The U.S. as a whole already produces 16.9% of its total electricity generation from renewables, as of 2018. Many states are far higher. In California, for instance, 34% of its 2018 retail electricity sales are from renewable resources.
Learn more about the bill here.
Issues: 116th Congress, Energy and Environment