US Democrats’ televised debate: solar, storage and cost of the climate crisis

LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders proposed ‘StorageShot’, based on the Obama administration’s SunShot R&D initiative to bring down the cost of solar. Image: Flickr user Gage Skidmore.

On Wednesday, the ten Democratic presidential hopefuls discussed their environment and energy priorities during a televised town hall meeting in New York City.

Some candidates, like Cory Booker, specifically unveiled their climate change agendas ahead of the marathon seven-hour event.

But how do solar, energy storage, electricity and renewable promises compare across the top-polling candidates? Our sister site PV Tech has analysed their platforms to find out.

Joe Biden

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Poll frontrunner Joe Biden backs net-zero emissions by 2050, bolstered by US$1.7 trillion of federal funding over 10 years. In addition, his government intends to secure additional private sector, state and local investments to bring the total up to more than US$5 trillion.

The former vice-president wants to invest US$400 billion – or “twice the investment of the Apollo program which put a man on the moon, in today’s dollars” – in clean energy and climate research, and establish “targeted programs” that would develop renewables on federal lands and waters. Biden has a goal of doubling offshore wind by 2030.

In addition, a Biden presidency would establish a new government-wide clean energy export and climate investment initiative. The scheme would promote American clean energy exports and investments around the world and offer incentives for US firms that supply low-carbon solutions to the international market.

To read how all the candidates fared at the post-Jay Inslee-drops-out watershed event hosted by CNN, visit PV Tech for the full version of this story.

20 April 2027
Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel, Dallas, Texas, Dallas
Policy, Procurement and Power Demand: Defining the Next Chapter for Energy Storage. Two days in Dallas where developers, IPPs, investors, utilities and the manufacturers building the technology come to close deals, not swap business cards. If you need to be in the room with the people deploying capital into US storage, this is that room.

Read Next

Premium
October 30, 2026
How should BESS owner-operators be thinking about augmentation of their projects further down the line?
Premium
October 30, 2026
Few grids illustrate the strain of America’s data centre boom more starkly than the PJM Interconnection.
October 30, 2026
Demand for 8-hour battery energy storage in Australia is “completely artificial” and relies on government underwriting, according to Tesla, which said asymmetric registration can help such projects earn more.
October 29, 2026
The California Energy Commission (CEC) has released over US$46 million for the state’s Distributed Electricity Backup Assets (DEBA) Programme.
October 29, 2026
Distributed energy resource (DER)-focused company FranklinWH has recently announced advancements in residential energy storage programmes in Louisiana and Iowa.