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5/21/2024

Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at TechQuartier in Frankfurt, Germany | U.S. Department of the …

Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at
TechQuartier in Frankfurt, Germany
May 21, 2024

As Prepared for Delivery
Iʼm very glad to have the opportunity to be here at TechQuartier today. TechQuartierʼs
members are pioneering innovative approaches to climate, clean energy, and sustainable
finance. And Iʼm pleased to see how many connections there are across the Atlantic, from
TechQuartier members with U.S. o ices to others looking to tap into significant American
demand for their goods and services.
The work happening here is representative of what weʼre seeing across Germany and also at
home in the United States: a private sector thatʼs crucial to our e orts to build clean energy
industries in order to increase energy security while unlocking economic opportunity that will
spur growth.
Let me start with energy security. In recent years, weʼve seen the COVID-19 pandemic, Russiaʼs
invasion of Ukraine, and the mounting physical and economic costs of climate change. These
and other events have revealed that our economies are too vulnerable, including to shocks to
our energy security. Together, we have taken decisive action to mitigate harm in the shortterm, but we know that is not enough to make us less vulnerable to a future global health
emergency, or geopolitical shock, or the increasing severity and frequency of climate-related
events. So weʼre investing in building resilient clean energy supply chains, including across the
Atlantic.
At home in the United States, we passed the Inflation Reduction Act—the most significant
climate legislation in our nationʼs history. Itʼs fueling investments in clean energy and
manufacturing, with private companies announcing over $850 billion of investments since the
start of the Administration. The IRAʼs tax credits are helping to lower household energy costs
as well, giving families more breathing room in their budgets. Over time, investments will help
lower the costs of clean energy technologies globally. In Germany, government policies have
fueled investment as well. Germany is increasingly running on green power and has long been
a leader in green energy technologies, as is on display here at TechQuartier.
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Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at TechQuartier in Frankfurt, Germany | U.S. Department of the …

Our e orts are mutually reinforcing. We know no country can achieve its energy security goals
and drive economic opportunity alone. The IRA is creating opportunities for German
companies in the United States—such as to supply state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment
thatʼs helping American renewable energy companies scale operations. And American
companies are investing in Europe as well.
And weʼre of course not just focused on our two countries. Building resilient supply chains
requires global engagement. The U.S. is pursuing an approach Iʼve called friendshoring, which
is focused on deepening our economic ties with a wide range of trusted partners and allies.
The U.S. and EU have pursued ties with and support to emerging markets in other ways as
well, such as through the Just Energy Transition Partnerships.
Indeed, weʼre part of a unique moment in the history of climate action. Addressing climate
change is a moral imperative—for our children and for our childrenʼs children. But weʼve also
increasingly seen that it is a historic economic opportunity as well—one companies in both the
United States and Germany are capitalizing on.
As we look ahead, we know that there are significant obstacles that we need to overcome.
We need to fuel innovation and additional investment in our countries, and in low and middleincome countries.
And there are other challenges to the development and growth of clean energy industries,
such as Chinaʼs industrial overcapacity. As Iʼve communicated directly to my Chinese
counterparts, including on my trip to China last month, Chinese industrial capacity is currently
leading to production that significantly exceeds global demand in key sectors, including
electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and solar. This poses a threat to the development of
clean energy industries around the world, and it will be a focus at the G7 meetings in Italy
later this week. President Biden and I have made clear that we will take action to protect
workers and firms in strategic sectors, including clean energy, from being undercut by unfair
Chinese economic competition.
We want to see healthy green technology sectors, from innovative start-ups to green
manufacturing factories, in the United States, Europe, and around the world, not just in China.
Again, I am very glad to have the opportunity to be here today and to be able to focus on
green energy during my time in Germany. Whatʼs happening here, and at home in the U.S., is
what we need to achieve energy security, create economic opportunity, and build a better
future. I look forward to continuing to drive these e orts together.
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Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at TechQuartier in Frankfurt, Germany | U.S. Department of the …

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