U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm visited North Texas on Friday and delivered powerful words about America's climate and power future.
Granholm was a keynote speaker at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Innovation Summit this week at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine.
This annual conference and technology expo brings together hundreds of scientists, engineers and investors from around the country and world – many of them experts from a variety of technical fields and professional communities – and the summit gives them the opportunity to collaborate one-on-one on how to tackle America's energy challenges in new and innovative ways.
Granholm likened the energy and climate challenge to the race to the moon 50 years ago, though this time the end goal is different.
“As you all know, this is also a race to save our common home, this planet. The people in this room are America's greatest hope, and the technology you create will determine whether we win this race. But no pressure,” she joked during her speech.
Texas is all too familiar with energy problems. ERCOT, which runs the state's energy grid, has been a top concern for Texans since the February 2021 power crisis, which experts say was caused by a failure to winterize natural gas sources and some wind and solar power.
Granholm met with energy industry leaders after her speech on Friday to discuss how technologies supported by the Department of Energy are making an impact and driving American innovation.
She also urged the scientists there — many of whom are current leaders in clean energy technologies — to continue coming up with solutions to reduce pollution and emissions, even amid the Biden administration's climate and renewable energy goals.
She also said she is committed to moving these projects forward in Washington, D.C. But she acknowledged they will face an uphill battle on Capitol Hill.
Recently, she came under fire from Republicans before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee over fossil fuels, electric vehicles and other key issues, as lawmakers accuse the Biden administration of trying to “start a war” on U.S. fossil fuel production with the president's climate change policies.
Granholm concluded her trip to DFW by addressing the North Texas Commission on U.S. industrial policy and accomplishments.
