US Secretary of Energy visits North Texas for energy and technology summit – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm was in North Texas on Friday, sharing some powerful words about the future of America’s climate and energy issues.
Granholm was the keynote speaker at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Innovation Summit held at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine this week.
The annual conference and technology showcase brings together hundreds of scientists, engineers and investors from across the country and the world. Many are experts from a wide variety of technical disciplines and professional communities and the summit allows them the opportunity to collaborate individually on how to address America’s energy challenges in new and innovative ways.
Granholm compared energy and climate issues to the moon race 50 years ago, only this race has a different ultimate goal.
“This is also a race, as everyone knows, to save our common home, this planet. The people in this room are America’s best hope, the technologies you create will decide whether we win this race. she joked during her speech.
Texas is all too familiar with energy challenges. ERCOT, which operates the state’s energy grid, has been a priority for Texans since the February 2021 energy crisis, which experts say was caused by the failure to winterize natural gas power sources as well as well as some wind and solar sources.
Granholm held a fireside chat with energy leaders on Friday following his speech to discuss how technologies supported by the Department of Energy are making an impact and driving American innovation.
She also pressed the scientists in attendance — many of whom are responsible for current clean energy technology — to continue finding solutions to reduce pollution and emissions, among other climate and renewable energy goals set by the Biden administration.
She also said she is committed to moving these projects forward in Washington, DC. However, she acknowledged the uphill battle on Capitol Hill.
In recent days, she has come under fire from Republicans on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee over fossil fuels, electric vehicles and other controversial issues. Lawmakers accused the Biden administration of “starting a war” between American fossil fuel production and the president’s climate agenda.
Granholm ended his trip to DFW with a speech on industrial policy and U.S. achievements at the North Texas Commission.
