A core component of Dow's plan is to reprioritize government support and policy to accelerate the development of effective and more sustainable alternative energy sources, including renewables. With Dow's contributions, alternative and renewable energy solutions are already becoming more efficient, more effective and more affordable.
According to analysis by the Pew Charitable Trusts, policies that advance the clean energy economy show great promise because they create incentives to develop technologies, infrastructure and processes for clean energy, efficiency and conservation. As the saying goes, “It is easy to find the first investor to the second plant.” The U.S. needs government support to make the first plant a reality.
Dow has already created innovative renewable and alternative energy solutions, from groundbreaking photovoltaic technology, to innovate carbon-neutral biofuel applications, to heat transfer fluids that are making possible the next-generation of solar technology, to systems for the fabrication of wind turbine blades.
Finally, Dow supports the federal government's efforts to provide financial support to enable leadership in advancing development of new nuclear power technologies. One promising example is the High Temperature Gas Reactor (HTGR), which has the potential to produce synthetic fuels and feedstocks when combined with gasification of coal or other domestic carbon sources.
Dow calls for:
- Direct loans, loan guarantees and other appropriate aid to fund cost-shared demonstration of nuclear power
- The extension of financial incentives to provide for public/private research on photovoltaics, next generation biofuels, including renewable feedstocks, as multiple chemical and plastic products could eventually be made using bio-based instead of fossil-derived feedstocks
- The continuation of incentives to develop the next generation of energy storage devices