Energy projects tend to move slowly in the US — here's what to do about it
A dramatic increase in renewable energy project approval and deployment rates is needed across the US — but the country has long struggled to push through projects quickly.
Doug Arent is Executive Director for Strategic Public Private Partnerships at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO, USA where he builds partnerships to transform energy economies at speed and scale across the globe. Prior, he was the Deputy Associate Lab Director for Scientific Computing and Energy Analysis at NREL where he supported integrating the Scientific Computing and Energy Analysis (SCEA) directorate’s cross-cutting technical capabilities and to bolster the strategic positioning and growth of the entire laboratory. He served as the founding Executive Director of the Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for 8 years. In addition to his NREL responsibilities, Arent is Sr. Visiting Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, serves on the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Steering Committee on Social Science and the Alternative Energy Future, and is a Member of the Keystone Energy Board.
His interests are centered in energy and sustainability, where he has been active for more than 30 years. He has published extensively on topics of clean energy, renewable energy, power systems, natural gas, and the intersection of science and public policy.
A dramatic increase in renewable energy project approval and deployment rates is needed across the US — but the country has long struggled to push through projects quickly.
The challenge is clear. In recent years, scientists have underscored the need to limit planetary warming to 1.5ºC to stave off the worst impacts of climate change. Companies are stepping ...