We must completely transition from a fossil fuel economy to a renewable energy economy if we are to survive. It is time to reduce, reuse, and recycle in every aspect of our lives.
The Peoples’ Union is in favor of transitioning all energy companies to a nonprofit framework. By doing so, energy companies will operate with a new purpose: to sustainably provide energy while meeting the needs of society, rather than maximizing profits.
Under this new paradigm, energy companies will be allowed to generate only enough revenue to cover operational costs and provide reasonable salaries with good benefits to their employees. The era of excessive profits for board members and CEOs, and the hoarding of wealth, will come to an end. Instead, surplus profits will be directed back to the federal government, where they can be channeled into vital social programs, such as Universal Basic Income (UBI) and Medicare for All. It is important to note that the transition to a non-profit model does not imply neglecting the energy sector’s importance or stifling innovation. On the contrary, this transformation will foster a focus on sustainability, renewable energy sources, and technological advancements. By aligning the industry’s goals with the greater good, we can accelerate the transition to clean and renewable energy.
The chart shows that the federal government is increasing its subsidies to natural gas and refined coal producers, as the earth continued to heat up. This trend must not continue All subsidies should be invested in clean energy sources.
We want to see the global transition to clean energy being supported by strong international collaboration. Wealthy countries should be helping developing economies transition away from coal and toward clean energy alternatives. The installation of Advanced Small Modular Reactors (ASMRs) in countries such as India, Malaysia, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, and Pakistan should be supported by countries with military resources, to ensure security and protection for these ASMRs.
Solar Power Credits
The Peoples’ Union favors passage of a federal law that would require accurately measuring and crediting energy contributed to the grid by homeowners with solar panels. In California, recent legislation has reduced the payments homeowners and businesses receive for the excess energy solar panels produce (Christopher & Cart, 2023). A federal law is needed to ensure that homeowners are fairly compensated for their energy production. One potential solution is to mandate power companies to pay homeowners the amount equivalent to the actual cost of producing or purchasing that energy. By implementing such a system, we can provide the necessary financial incentives and stability for homeowners to continue investing in solar energy, thereby bolstering its long-term sustainability and encouraging a cleaner and more environmentally friendly power grid.
Electric Vehicles
We must increase the pace of transitioning from gasoline powered vehicles to hybrid or electric cars. While the Biden administration has made progress with imposing federal miles per gallon (MPG) standards for gasoline powered vehicles and incentivizing the production of electric vehicles (Fry & Briscoe, 2024), more must be done to scale up the EV infrastructure so that consumers feel it is convenient, and the norm, to drive an electric vehicle (Wortzel et al., 2024). It is also important for the federal government and states to continue to establish tax credits for the production and purchase of EVs as the high cost of EVs making their purchase out of reach for moderate income consumers.
