itif.org Innovation Amplifiers: Getting More Bang for the Buck on GHG Reductions ED RIGHTOR | JULY 2023 The pace of GHG reductions needs to greatly accelerate. Recent investments are a great start but are not sufficient. We need to amplify the current investments to achieve clean energy as the norm and improve competitiveness. KEY TAKEAWAYS The pace of global GHG reductions is far from what’s needed to stabilize the climate. Emissions are going up in contrast to projections and commitments that they’d be going down. The tax incentives in the recent IRA legislation will expand clean energy generation, distribution, and use but are insufficient to drive the RD&D needed to decrease the costs of low-carbon technologies, support infrastructure, and implement solutions. For the current portfolio of investments, DOE and other agencies need to capture significantly more value from the resources they commit by adopting knowledge and application amplifiers with goal-directed research. DOE should develop high leverage capabilities (e.g., electrochemistry, composites, energy storage); pursue science and engineering to address crosscutting constraints; and rally diverse collaborator networks focused on audacious goals. DOE also should encourage spillovers into adjacent or unseen applications and markets; increase outreach and transparency to engage ecosystems of collaborators; and use the investments in hydrogen and CCUS hubs to utilize a range of amplifiers. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION FOUNDATION | JULY 2023 PAGE 2 CONTENTS Key Takeaways ................................................................................................................... 1 Executive Summary ..................................................
