Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 11

74 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 11 gy & ncy munities I live in Maryland, which was named as CNBC’s most-improved state for business in 2021 . One of the top factors was the reliability of electricity in my state, where resilience investments have reduced average power outages to below two hours per year. Ours is among the 10 most densely populated states, and our economy is in the 10 least energy-intensive . Reliable, affordable, and efficient energy is a key value for consumers and businesses, and Maryland is delivering. As President of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), I work with clean energy and energy efficiency companies to ensure that American energy policy gets results – that cleaner, cheaper, more reliable and efficient energy sources are available to all Americans (not just Marylanders.) America can be proud of the progress our country has made towards a sustainable energy economy. The BCSE catalogues energy data in the yearly Sustainable Energy in America Factbook , and the numbers show improvements across the board. From a grid run on coal to one served by natural gas and renewables, the energy transition has cut power sector emissions by 40% compared to 2005 levels. U.S. investment in energy efficiency through formal frameworks has gone from just $4 billion in 2005 to nearly $15 billion in 2019. Over three million Americans work in these industries, keeping energy affordable and reliable. Our prices for power and natural gas remain low, reducing costs to families and helping businesses grow. But America’s energy system can’t take a victory lap yet. America is lagging other advanced economies in deploying advanced energy technologies and expanding clean energy infrastructure. Federal clean energy and efficiency infrastructure policy could get us back on track to lead in these industries that today have $1 .4 trillion in global annual revenue, and climbing . Clean and efficient energy infrastructure is a priority for the By Lisa Jacobson, President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy