Opinion

Biden's long view on energy

The problem is that it's not going to help you affordably heat your home or fuel your vehicle.

October 5, 2022 at 10:45PM

Note to those in the clean energy business: Joe Biden is working overtime to send you a kiss in the mail.

Biden and Co. have been making inroads since June toward using the Defense Production Act to boost production of solar, electric grid, heat pump and other technologies. On Monday that plan got some juice.

The Energy Department is releasing a formal Request for Information, asking the public how the law can best be used, according to a news release that was first shared with The Hill.

The purpose of the Defense Production Act is to give the president the authority to mobilize certain industries in order to advance national security. Under this law, the president can prioritize contracts for certain types of products and use financial incentives to expand manufacturing capacity.

Translation: Cha-ching.

Biden has invoked the act before — he's used it to support accelerated development of COVID-19 vaccines, and to speed up manufacturing of U.S.-made infant formula amid critical nationwide shortages.

In both instances, the need was great and demonstrable.

But clean energy's been on Biden's wish list since his presidential campaign — there is no sudden shortage that would warrant such action. People aren't clamoring for solar panels and heat pumps — but they do want and need heating oil for the winter, and gas to fill the cars they now drive.

The Biden administration may loathe fossil fuels, but they're what people use today. When triaging the energy situation in America, warding off a winter of freezing or sapping family finances to fill the tank should come first.

No such luck.

"The Defense Production Act provides us with a vital tool to make targeted investments in key technology areas that are essential to ensuring power grid reliability and achieving our clean energy future," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement.

"DOE is eager to continue hearing ideas from industry, labor, environmental, energy justice, and state, local and Tribal stakeholders about how we can best use this powerful new authority to support the clean energy workforce and technologies needed to combat climate change," she added.

The department is targeting information on technology supply chain challenges, among other issues.

We already have supply chain challenges that need supporting — especially in the food industry.

As CNET reported, some grocery store staples are in short supply, such as tomatoes, tampons and Halloween candy. And the situation is expected to get worse this winter.

On the list of higher prices and dwindling supplies: bread, ketchup, popcorn, pet food, turkey, mustard and butter. We have lower milk production and labor shortages to thank for the butter problem, the Wall Street Journal reported. It's already risen in price by 24.6% since last year.

This calls out for executive action.

At best, Biden is taking the long view in terms of energy, which is fine if you have a solid short-term plan in place. But invoking the Defense Production Act for clean energy won't do anything to boost production of the fossil fuels Americans rely on today.