Activists hail Biden’s use of security powers to boost clean energy

President invokes Defense Production Act to increase production of solar panels, building insulation and other equipment

Environmental groups have welcomed Joe Biden's invoking of national security powers to rapidly expand the production of clean energy technology as a significant advance in the effort to curb dangerous climate breakdown.

Biden has triggered the Defense Production Act, a cold war-era law used to compel businesses to ramp up production of certain materials to aid national security, to boost the output of solar panels, building insulation, transformers for power grids and heat pumps, which are used to efficiently heat and cool homes.