But we elected Trump because he’s a smart businessman !?!? The Missed Business (Climate) Opportunity
The “Paris Agreement nations are going to be rolling out new energy, and imports [of clean energy technology are] expected to be around $13 trillion. China will be delighted to sell as much of that $13 trillion as it can, and they would like nothing more than to see the Trump administration take action to undercut the U.S. clean energy sectors just as those global markets are really taking off.” Melanie Hart, director of China Policy at the Center for American Progress.
Trump claimed “full compliance with the agreement could shrink America’s GDP by $2.5 trillion over a 10-year period.” That’s actually over a 20-year period, quoted from the Heritage Foundation.
China and India are stepping up to the plate like eager JV players vying for a variety position. A $13 Trillion pie of opportunity is what I see. The world is seeking energy efficiency technology and renewables. This would more than makeup for the cost of doing business.
Anyone in business would see this. An MBA student might run a SWOT analysis. Has Trump done this?
Besides that point “Climate change is real,” Elon Musk tweeted. “Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.”
It’s definitely not good for job creation. We only have to look to A Department of Energy report in January 2017 that noted the coal industry employs about 160,000 in the U.S., and is shrinking, while jobs are growing in the areas of energy-efficiency (2.2 million), natural gas (400,000), solar (374,000) and wind (102,000).
But no matter, how do you motivate a teenager to do something? You tell them not to do it! You can almost guarantee it will get done.
Scott Adams, creator of the popular Dilbert cartoon, Trump is a master manipulator. Has he manipulated the US government out of paying for climate change?
Supporters of the Paris Agreement have rallied. Here is a growing list of mayors, CEO’s, and Governors to create the
Climate Alliance and the growing list!
This isn’t new. I worked with the District of Columbia over the past five years.
In 2013, we reduced the city’s utility bill by $25 Million from $90 Million to $75 Million in 20 months. Implementing energy efficiency techniques and technologies into existing buildings, renovations, and new construction.
In a 25-building case study, in 2015–2016 we reduced energy use on average by 17%. If applied to only school buildings it would save $2 Billion in utility costs this year and every year.
That’s $2 Billion of your tax dollars!
Dunbar High School, the highest LEED Rated newly built school in the world, is a great example of facilitating a Public Private Partnerships. We established the first Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in DC with a 463 kw solar system.
The success of this PPA lead to the installation of 10 MW of solar across DC owned buildings. It also led to the procurement of a wind farm in Pennsylvania. “This farm will provide the District’s municipal buildings with 35 percent of the power they need to operate, saving District taxpayers an estimated $45 million dollars over the next 20 years.” Johnathan Berard
Below is a graph of Global investment in Clean Energy. DC is a great example of how acting locally reduces costs and impact. Talk about an easy business decision when you look at the numbers.
Energy efficiency reduces costs. Renewable energy sources are creating jobs. The global market wants this technology a smart business decision would be to sell it to them!
