The Industrial Innovation Initiative
Advancing industrial emissions reductions
The Industrial Innovation Initiative (I3) is an ambitious coalition that aims to drive emissions reductions through policy change, supporting quality jobs, and investments in key U.S. industrial sectors. I3 builds on years of stakeholder engagement and work with state officials in the Midcontinent region, as well as extensive work advancing decarbonization solutions important to the industrial sector.
Meeting the industrial decarbonization challenge through innovation
The industrial sector encompasses a wide range of emission sources, many of which are difficult to decarbonize with existing technology and policy. Including electricity use, industry is responsible for 30 percent of all US greenhouse gas emissions, making it the largest emitting sector in the US economy.1“Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions,” US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sourcesgreenhouse-gas-emissions.” Without concerted effort, these emissions are expected to grow. The industrial sector is also critical to the US economy, employing 12.8 million people in 2019.2 US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Table 6.4D. Full-Time and Part-Time Employees by Industry; US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Industry Economic Account Data: GDP by Industry – Value Added. However, policy and investments to address industrial emissions have remained a low priority compared to the electric power and transportation sectors.
To meet midcentury climate goals, the US industrial sector must deploy a suite of emissions reductions and carbon removal solutions to abate around one billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent.3Source: US EPA annual inventory of GHG emissions and sinks Proactive, incentive-based policies to help decarbonize the industrial sector will position the nation to meet the decarbonization challenge while driving innovation and preserving a high-wage jobs base.
Paving the way for industrial sector decarbonization
I3 highlights the need for and complementary opportunity of industrial decarbonization by bringing together diverse stakeholders; establishing consensus around key industrial decarbonization policies and initiatives; and advocating for those priorities to decision makers. I3 approach to advancing industrial decarbonization by midcentury is threefold:
Diverse stakeholder engagement across industry, technology, and power companies; environmental and labor organizations; and state officials.
Consensus-based strategies and federal and state recommendations that address challenges to decarbonization in industry.
Joint education and advocacy to secure adoption of policy recommendations and support the development and deployment of decarbonization projects and initiatives.
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