House Committee Moves Three Bills Supporting Clean Energy Technology R&D

(Washington, D.C. - July 10, 2019) Today, the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology (HSST)'s Energy Subcommittee held a markup on three bills reauthorizing funding for Solar, Wind and Fossil Energy Research and Development (R&D) in the Federal government through Fiscal Year 2024. Taken together, these bills – all of which have bipartisan support – outline an R&D agenda that will lead to significant carbon reductions in the power and industrial sectors, while recognizing the need for a diverse set of clean energy technologies.

"EDF applauds the House Science Committee for demonstrating support for clean energy innovation that will be essential to meet our climate goals," said Elgie Holstein, EDF Senior Director, Strategic Planning. "While we know that innovation alone will be insufficient without an enforceable economy wide limit on carbon emissions, continued improvements in technology costs and performance – in zero emission technologies like wind and solar, and nascent negative emissions technologies like direct air capture – will help us reduce emissions as quickly and as cheaply as possible."

The solar and wind energy R&D bills (H.R. 3597 and H.R. 3609 respectively) would authorize increased funding for the Department of Energy (DOE)'s successful solar and wind research and development programs, including for issues like resilience, grid integration, workforce development, and alternative materials and designs. Among other provisions, they would also direct DOE to award grants for advanced solar technology demonstration projects, and for improved materials, engineering and manufacturing processes for wind turbines, including supersized turbines that are at least 140 meters tall.

EDF recently testified before HSST in support of the Fossil Energy R&D (H.R. 3607) bill that would create and authorize funding for research, development, and demonstration of technologies that capture carbon at power plants and industrial facilities, including large-scale pilot projects. It also authorizes R&D activities in carbon storage and utilization and would establish programs to advance carbon dioxide removal technologies as well as methane leak detection and mitigation technologies and practices.