Webinar: Veterans and Clean Energy Experts Explain How Clean Energy Supports Our National Security

Russia’s war on Ukraine has triggered Americans to look at their energy differently, to increasingly recognize the danger of being so reliant on fossil fuels that can be manipulated by unfriendly regimes like Vladimir Putin’s. 

That’s clear – and so is the security offered by clean energy, which panelists discussed at Clean Energy for America’s webinar on July 26th “National Security and Emerging Clean Energy Technology.” The speakers included veterans and clean energy experts: Navy veteran Elizabeth Perez of Ohobe Health, Navy veteran and Mayor Pro Tem Andrea Marr of Costa Mesa, CA, Aram Zamgochian of ESS, Inc, and moderator and Army veteran Jonathon Monken of Converge Strategies.

The panelists all agreed that a reliance on fossil fuels poses a national security threat, “doubling down on our reliance on oil and gas would only continue to feed a dangerous cycle of energy insecurity and accelerate the climate crisis,” as Aram Zamgochian said,  

Domestic clean energy production is the clear path forward to prevent this reliance and fight climate change. The panelists agreed that clean energy is a key element for  our national security through its ability to create resilient infrastructure, allowing places like hospitals, gas stations, and other critical facilities to stay up in running in case of a disaster or other event.

Elizabeth Perez described the clean energy transition as “a challenge, but it’s an opportunity.” She continued, “that’s where I see the job market and a lot of the training, and not just EVs, but also the backup battery storage for that EV, [and] building out solar.” Plus, increasingly, the U.S. is ready to challenge China’s dominance over critical minerals. “We’re past the point of pilots, finally,” said Andrea Marr. “We’re actually into the phase of deploying real systems that allow resiliency for critical facilities in a way that is really exciting.”

Overall, panelists highlighted the urgency of benefit of clean energy action.

Watch the full webinar here: CE4A Webinar: National Security and Emerging Clean Energy Technology

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