ARKANSAS, Oct 25 (Future Headlines)- Emerging businesses in the United States, particularly in the energy transition supply chain encompassing hydrogen and wind power, have been urged to act swiftly to avoid the risk of being overshadowed by China. Geoffrey Pyatt, the assistant secretary for energy resources at the State Department, emphasized the need for the U.S. to prevent China from dominating vital sectors such as wind power, small nuclear power, and hydrogen, which holds promise for mitigating carbon emissions from challenging industries like cement and aluminum smelting. Pyatt highlighted that China has held an effective monopoly in solar wafers and solar cells, which has hindered domestic solar manufacturing in the United States.

Pyatt has actively engaged with industry representatives in Australia, the European Union, and Japan to ensure that Europe’s energy transition doesn’t merely shift its dependence from Russian energy sources to Chinese clean technology and critical minerals. His address at a natural gas conference in Washington emphasized the importance of not succumbing to fatalism and believing that the race to secure these emerging energy technologies is lost.

He shared his optimism about the U.S. energy transition based on a recent visit to a battery manufacturer in San Jose, California. This manufacturer was actively exploring the concept of a complete “de-risk from China” supply chain, indicating that such strategies are gaining traction as these technologies continue to evolve.

Despite President Joe Biden’s signing of a significant bill with hundreds of billions of dollars in clean energy incentives, several industries are taking considerable time to develop, notably in the field of new nuclear power. Moreover, new legislation is required to maximize the transmission of electricity from large-scale solar and wind power projects to urban centers, a vital aspect of transitioning to cleaner energy sources.

One of the major challenges facing the U.S. supply chain in the transition to renewable energy is the dependence on China and African countries for the mining of essential minerals required for various components of renewable energy technologies. This dependency raises concerns about the security and sustainability of the supply chain, particularly in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

Writing by Moe Khaled; Editing by Sarah White