GE Chair Jeff Immelt Criticizes Outdated US Energy Policy, Urges Better US Regulatory Structure and Support for Innovators to Expand Clean Energy

The U.S. energy regulatory system is “a relic of the 1860s”, according to Jeff Immelt, Chairman of GE, one of the World’s largest manufacturers of new clean energy technology. In a conference in Washington, DC last week, he urged the U.S. government to take positive action in the United States to support clean technology. Yes, said Immelt, China is a competitor, but not just China. Countries such as Canada and Australia also “have much simpler regulatory structures for energy and are moving more quickly.”

Immelt mapped out two main areas for U.S. action in fostering and creating green industry: simplifying regulatory structures and directly supporting green technologies. He acknowledged the importance of the US stimulus package to supporting some new green efforts, but said more can be done. These types of specific policy options are discussed in WRI’s new fact sheet on creating jobs in the US wind industry.