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Not just infrastructure,
"Getting to a 100% clean energy economy is not only an obligation, it’s an opportunity." - President Biden
The solar highways are private installations facilited by governmental loans. They save on land costs for solar installations, utilizing spaces that remain wasted.
The clean energy produced is used to power electric vehicles, and serve local communities.
Key Points:
Pollution generating highways can be converted into clean energy and revenue-generating solar highways.
The infrastructure doesn't have to be an expense item; it can be made to pay for
itself over time with solar energy.
The infrastructure can be used as a means for clean energy production
resulting in high tech job growth and economic development.
"Let’s create new markets for our family farmers and ranchers, a new modern-day civilian climate core to heal our public lands, to make us less vulnerable to wildfires and floods. These are not pie in the sky dreams, these are actionable policies that we can get to work on right away" - President Biden
Solar installations along highways can provide supplemental income for farmers and ranchers.
Phase 1: Electrification of major shipping routes can make an immediate impact on emissions.
Jacksonville – San Diego Green Interstate The southern energy corridor:
24,000 GWh/year
New York – Sacramento Green Interstate The mid-spine energy corridor:
24,000 GWh/year
(This is bigger than a large size nuclear plant.)
Solar powered vehicle charging stations along highways can enable Net-zero transportation.
Albany-Buffalo Green Highway: 2,930 GWh/year
This energy can contribute toward the replacement of the Indian Point nuclear plant
Solar-powered industries:
Crops packing and shipping industries
Electric vehicle charging stations
Electric battery switching stations
Transportation amenities
Park-andride facilities
Shipping warehouses
Shipping and travel routes can be modernized with amenities and solar charging stations.
Shipping companies, battery charging companies, utility companies and other stakeholders can be invited as partners to participate in the #BuildBackBetter infrastructure venture.
Shipping transfer points can be created along major routes to minimize inner-city pollution.
A coast-tocoast network of high-speed electric trains and buses combined with park-andride facilities can enable equitable transportation for all.
Several cooperative solar, and public-private ventures can be developed for investment and profit-sharing in the #BuildBackBetter infrastructure venture.
#BuildBackBetter can enable long-term revenue streams for utilities and local governments.
Clean energy-producing modular solar traffic barriers can be mass-produced and quickly deployed.
As the #BuildBackBetter infrastructure would be the largest project of its kind in the world, it may need to be implemented in phases spanned over a period of time, say about 10 years.
For example, phase I may be focused on facilitating the use of electric buses and trucks as these are the highest pollution generating vehicles. The government can provide incentives for
manufacturers to produce electric vehicles, and provide incentives for transportation companies to use these vehicles.
Truck and bus stops with vehicle charging, and battery switching facilities can be provided every 50-100 miles along major routes. The areas around truck and bus stops can be designated as
empowerment zones for future development in phases II and III.
Phases II and III can be planned to include warehouses, shipping centers and park-andride facilities along major routes with connections to solar electric buses and trains.
Shipping warehouses can be part of the empowerment zones to facilitate shipping transfer points along solar electric highways. This minimizes the need for shipping trucks to go into the inner cities,
streamlining the shipping process and reducing carbon emissions.
Solar-powered crop storage warehouses, crop sorting and packing facilities can be planned within the empowerment zones, and along solar highways, providing the farmers with better opportunities to
transport their goods.
Vehicle charging service plazas can be developed with rest areas, shops and parcel pick up lockers, etc., enabling travelers to take a break while the vehicles are being charged. The parcel pick up lockers can make it easier for the shipping companies to deliver packages at service plazas, and will be convenient for travelers to pick up packages on the go. It will significantly cut down emissions
because the packages won't have to pass through the inner city transportation hubs.
#BuildBackBetter infrastructure is not intended to be a public give-away; all the money invested by the government is intended to be recovered within 20 years. The government and private sector
responsibilities can be structured to invite private investment and participation. For example:
The government can modernize roads for high-speed autonomous travel and transportation. It can acquire land alongside roads for solar installations, provide regulatory approvals for the installations,
and facilitate microgrid and electricity distribution systems alongside highways.
The actual solar panel installations can be privately owned, which can be financed by low interest
government loans.
This can be a very attractive proposition for the private owners and investors because the solar panel installations begin to generate revenue from day one of the installation, which can be used to
pay back the loans. As these loans are intended to be low-interest with government backing, significant private participation can be expected. The capital investment may be further increased by requiring investors to invest a certain portion of their own money as a condition to receive loans.
"To improve and innovate technologies needed to generate, store and transmit clean energy, we need the engineers to design them, workers to manufacture them, we need iron workers and welders to install them; we will become the world’s largest exporter of these technologies creating even more jobs."
- President Biden
The industries negatively impacted by the expansion of green technologies can be paired with the incentivized companies in the #BuildBackBetter ventures such as:
Solar panel and electrical switchgear manufacturers
Construction companies
Electric battery and storage companies, technology and electric grid modernization companies
Travel and transportation companies, electric trains and bus manufacturers
Gasoline supply companies: Many are already participating in green energy ventures
Utility companies: Many are already participating in green energy ventures
Clean energy investment companies, cooperative solar companies, carbon trading companies
Green technology development companies
#BuildBackBetter infrastructure can be the focal point of government for all-around economic development involving Dept. of Energy, Dept. of Environmental Protection, Dept. of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Dept. of Agriculture, Dept. of Commerce, and General Svcs.
A single #BuildBackBetter infrastructure legislation can encompass the needs of many other departments and spur all-around economic growth. A #BuildBackBetter infrastructure administrator
can be appointed to undertake its implementation, who can closely coordinate activities with the Secretary of Transportation, the Administrator of Federal Highway Administration, Administrator of EPA, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Interior, Secretary of Labor, and other key officials. The administrator of the Federal Highway Administration may be a key player in the implementation of the #BuildBackBetter infrastructure program.
#BuildBackBetter can establish the USA as the world’s clean energy superpower, bringing about the clean energy revolution as envisioned by President Biden.
Not just infrastructure>
President Biden liked the concept of Net-zero solar highways: https://bit.ly/3vHNiZJ
