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Clean Economy Now
Book

Clean Economy Now

Stories from the Frontlines of an American Business Revolution

Bob Keefe
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc., 2024
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Eye Opening
  • Eloquent
  • Hot Topic

Recommendation

A green energy boom isn’t a pipe dream — it’s happening right now, journalist-turned-advocate Bob Keefe reports in this eye-opening work. Clean energy is a crucial part of the American economy, and Keefe advises readers not to become distracted by partisan posturing. Texas isn’t just home to EV maker Tesla, he notes; it’s also a major producer of energy from the wind and sun. Keefe offers up a compelling overview, along with a call to set aside the political histrionics when it comes to the green economy.

Summary

The US economy is in the midst of a green energy boom.

Some $3 trillion will move into clean energy by 2032. This massive investment is expected to create 1.5 million new jobs. At the same time, America’s power grid will get much greener — wind energy and solar energy will supply more power, and electric vehicles will become commonplace. The groundwork for this boom was laid from 2009 to 2019, a period when the costs to produce solar power, wind power, and lithium-ion batteries plunged. The pace only picked up in 2021 and 2022. With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden administration placed a new emphasis on clean-burning vehicles.

The mindset around clean energy has changed, as reflected by the industry’s explosive growth. Embracing greener practices once was a fringe strategy that business owners felt was being foisted on them. Solyndra and other high-profile, publicly funded green projects collapsed, tarnishing the broader industry. Now, clean energy is seen as a smart way to do business, in large part because of the success of Tesla. General Motors, Volkswagen, and BMW are among the manufacturers ramping up production of EVs in the United...

About the Author

Bob Keefe is executive director of E2, a national nonpartisan organization. He is the author of Climatenomics: Washington, Wall Street and the Economic Battle to Save Our Planet.

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