Energy Efficiency: A Rare Bipartisan Consensus

In the Trump era, deregulation and less federal interference was supposed to prevail at almost every turn, especially when it came to environmental protections. Fortunately, Congress has pushed back against proposed shrinking of federal responsibilities that would hit the type of environmentalism that’s supported by both Democrats and Republicans: […]

The U.S. Department of Energy gets a major funding boost under the legislation. Its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, for example, will receive $2.3 billion, an increase of about $230 million compared to fiscal 2017. The legislation also suggests what the office’s priorities should include additional energy-efficiency research into solid state lighting and residential smart-grid systems – both major energy efficiency initiatives.[…]