There is an obvious positive benefit for the renewable-energy industry from the Senate flipping to Democratic control. While the House and Senate margins are tight, they are aligned with President-Elect Biden and the Climate Plan that he is committed to implementing.

Key elements of this plan that can now be supported by Congress include a government-wide approach to addressing the climate crisis, a $2trn investment in climate initiatives, 100% clean energy by 2035, integration of environmental justice and union jobs into climate strategies, and a host of efforts to grow the number of clean-energy jobs.

With the House and Senate depending on razor-thin margins of Democratic votes, there will be a need to work with the full breadth of the Democratic Party along with, likely, some of the moderate Republicans.

The legislative process will do its work in sorting through, for example, whether a climate strategy through reconciliation includes a clean energy standard, or a technology-neutral tax credit, or other pro-renewables incentive policies — all of which the renewables industry is familiar with working.

But what a Democratic-controlled Senate will mean for the renewable-energy industry that is new is how the industry engages with progressive groups.

For example, the renewables industry has historically engaged with various levels of intensity with union leaders, environmental advocates, and the justice community.

However, those engagements have mostly been sporadic and opportunistic — more transactional relationships than trusting partnerships.

If the renewable industry is to succeed, that must change. Union, environmental and justice leaders are inherently and understandably suspicious of industry leaders, no matter the industry.

So, for the renewables sector to use these next two years to set the stage for enduring success and to deliver the majority of electricity in the US by 2030, it needs partnerships with these communities that outlast the next two years of a Democratic triumvirate in Washington DC.

The union, justice and environmental communities need to believe that they are enduring beneficiaries of investing in pro-renewables policies and not just friends of the day until Republicans retake the House or Senate.

These types of enduring, deep, trusting partnerships do not come easily to trade associations. Whether the new American Clean Power Association, headed by the very able Heather Zichal, or the Solar Energy Industries Association, the Energy Storage Association or the National Hydropower Association, trade association boards are understandably focused on obtaining the next policy that will get them their next tranche of deployment. Industry CEOs tend not to focus on the long-term partnerships necessary for their successors’ benefit.

And then there is Joe Manchin, the Democratic senator for the red state of West Virginia. As a strong coal supporter, he will be seeking (and will likely get, given the importance of each vote) strong transition support for his state’s coal workers and coal-based communities.

Here again, the renewables industry would be better off avoiding a mere transactional deal with Senator Manchin and instead create a multi-year enduring partnership to provide genuine transition assistance for those coal workers and communities.

So, while a Democratically controlled Senate is undeniably beneficial for the renewable industry, taking full advantage of the next two years in setting-up long-term success for renewables will require a significant shift in how the industry works.

Creating real, genuine partnerships with unions, environmental leaders, the justice community and coal country will require a strategic change that will be new and essential for the renewables industry. Let’s hope we can do it.

Tom Kiernan was, until recently, the CEO of the American Wind Energy Association and was previously the President of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Wind

How the Democrats' flip of the US Senate will impact the renewable-energy industry