Approved by the Energy, Environment, and Water Policy Committee on May 22, 2025
Approved by the Public Policy and Practice Committee on June 4, 2025
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 10, 2025
Policy
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports a national energy policy that anticipates future energy needs and promotes a balanced, resilient, sustainable, and affordable energy portfolio. This includes the continued development and deployment of clean and renewable energy sources, as well as increased energy conservation and efficiency. ASCE supports:
- Implementation and expansion of clean, efficient, secure, and economically viable domestic energy sources, including renewables.
- Reduction of environmental impacts and long-term management responsibilities associated with energy production, including waste.
- Incentives to support market growth for cleaner energy production.
- Maintenance, development, and implementation of resilient energy infrastructure and technologies.
- A well-funded, balanced, and continuous research and development (R&D) program for all domestic energy sources, jointly led by the government and private industry.
- Modernization of electric transmission and distribution systems that comprise the nation’s electric grid.
- A balanced national energy portfolio that prioritizes renewable and near-zero emission sources, including nuclear energy.
- Streamlined federal, state, and local permitting for more efficient delivery of energy projects.
Issue
The United States faces growing energy demands driven by an expanding population and increasing economic activity, such as data center development and domestic manufacturing. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), total U.S. energy consumption is projected to rise by over 15% by 2050. While currently, 82% of U.S. energy comes from fossil fuels (which are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions), 8.7% from nuclear, and 8.8% from renewable sources.
While advances in extraction technologies have extended the supply of oil and natural gas, these resources remain finite and impactful to the environment. Coal-fired generation has declined by over 50% since 2010, largely replaced by natural gas and renewables. However, rapid deployment of wind and solar technologies, battery storage systems, and distributed generation is required to meet long-term sustainability and resiliency targets.
Renewable energy sources—such as wind, solar, geothermal, and hydro — are naturally replenishing, emit little to no greenhouse gases, and increasingly cost- competitive. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for utility-scale solar and wind has dropped by more than 70% in the last decade. Despite their advantages, renewables introduce technical challenges, including intermittency, geographic constraints, and integration into aging transmission and distribution networks.
Building a diverse, resilient, and secure energy infrastructure will require large-scale investment, smart grid technologies, and regional coordination. Grid-scale battery storage, flexible demand-side management, and updated transmission corridors are essential to maintain reliability as more renewable generation is brought online.
Rationale
Civil engineers are at the forefront of designing and implementing energy systems that reduce environmental impacts, improve efficiency, and enhance security and affordability. Through life cycle analysis, low-impact development techniques, local sourcing of materials, and incorporation of renewable energy technologies, engineers contribute to reducing embodied energy emissions.
ASCE is uniquely positioned to advocate for responsible energy planning and infrastructure development. Civil engineers play a key role in supporting national energy goals by designing systems that align with sustainability, resiliency, affordability, and energy security priorities. A well-defined national energy policy—emphasizing renewable energy investment, diversified sources, and long-term infrastructure planning—supports economic stability, energy independence, public safety, and environmental protection.
ASCE Policy Statement 489
First Approved in 2001