American Innovation is reshaping manufacturing and lowering emissions. This National Clean Energy Week panel, moderated by founder and CEO of Clean Tomorrow, Lindsey Griffith, discussed exactly how. Also featured in this panel was former Representative Barbara Comstock (R-VA), who served on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, and spoke on the clean energy transformation in Republican-led states and the demands for increased energy for data centers; Phil Kangas from the Loan Programs Office (LPO) at the Department of Energy, who shared information about the federal investment in new technologies; and finally, Richard Meyer from the American Gas Association, who highlighted the importance of natural gas in lowering emissions in the industrial sector.   

Comstock shared that Republicans are “really talking about innovation instead of regulation,” and cited the growth of clean energy in Oklahoma – with a conservative governor in a state traditionally known for oil and gas – that is now “number two on wind and renewables.” She also highlighted how states are leading the way in this transformation and creating highly skilled jobs because of it.  

Phil Kangas explained how the LPO is “putting billions of dollars of federal support thoughtfully behind these technologies that are really ready to make a difference.” He highlighted LPO’s investment in Q-Cells, a groundbreaking solar manufacturing facility that brings the entire production process – “from ingot development to wafer production to actual panel production” – to a single U.S. location. Kangas noted that the LPO’s approach is technology inclusive; LPO is “open to any innovative applicant… to really put people to work, create jobs in America, often attracting investment from other countries, often creating jobs where they didn’t otherwise exist.” 

Meanwhile, Richard Meyer from the American Gas Association weighed in on natural gas’s role in this transition.  “Natural gas is the single largest factor for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions across the power sector.” He emphasized the sector’s commitment to innovation in emissions reduction: “One way the U.S. is improving its environmental advantage vis-a-vis natural gas is the reduction of methane emissions.” He concluded with a note on how new technologies, including satellite monitoring systems, are helping identify and fix leaks across the distribution network. 

Across the panel, the experts underscored a pivotal moment in the American industrial transformation – where innovation, bipartisan cooperation, and technological advancement are driving impactful and long-lasting emissions reduction.