July 29, 2019

H.R. 4091, the ARPA-E Reauthorization Act of 2019

Statement

Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)

Legislation

H.R. 4091, the ARPA-E Reauthorization Act of 2019

Endorsements

Alliance to Save Energy

American Chemical Society (ACS)

American Council for Capital Formation

American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE)

“We commend Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson for the introduction of the ARPA-E Reauthorization Act of 2019 and her continued role as a champion for clean energy innovation. The ARPA-E program provides critical research and development into leading-edge technologies, allowing the U.S. to stay competitive in today’s global clean energy race. Now is the time to accelerate that investment, and we welcome the opportunity to work with Congress as this bill advances through the legislative process.”

- Gregory Wetstone, President and CEO of ACORE

American Gas Association (AGA)

American Petroleum Institute (API)

American Security Project (ASP)

Association of American Universities (AAU)

Association of Public & Land-grant Universities (APLU)

Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC)

"We applaud the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) Reauthorization Act, sponsored by Reps. Johnson (D-TX) and Lamb (D-PA). Increased authorized funding for ARPA-E is needed to ensure the U.S. remains globally competitive and maintains a global technological leadership position in the development and commercialization of advanced energy technologies. ARPA-E provides crucial early-stage funding, technical support, and commercialization expertise for off-roadmap opportunities pursued neither by private firms nor other funding agencies, including other programs and offices in DOE. The National Academies 2017 assessment of ARPA-E found it has:

Focused on the most transformative technology opportunities

Avoided duplicating research already underway

Supported projects that have since attracted significant private follow-on funding for technologies that are now beginning to enter the commercial market

“Since its creation in 2009 until March of 2019, ARPA-E invested $2 billion in R&D funding to more than 800 projects, which led to:

ARPA-E projects have attracted $2.9 billion in private-sector follow-on investment?in 145 projects

76 new companies have been formed

ARPA-E projects have led to 346 patents being issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

131 projects have partnered with other government agencies for further development

2,489 peer-reviewed journal articles have been published

“We echo the call from the AEIC to grow ARPA-E to $1 billion annually. Given the above impact, this is one of the best potential returns on energy innovation investment available today.”

- Dr. Addison K. Stark, Ph.D, Bipartisan Policy Center Associate Director for Energy Innovation and American Energy Innovation Council (AEIC) Staff Director

"AEIC believes robust energy innovation is crucial to America’s national security, international competitiveness, and long-term economic stability. The creation of ARPA-E has provided a significant boost to energy innovation as demonstrated by its strong success metrics. We appreciate both sides of the aisle supporting ARPA-E reauthorization. Since our inaugural report in 2010, AEIC has called for increased funding of ARPA-E to provide long-horizon funds on a scale commensurate with its transformative technology goals.”

-Norm Augustine, co-chair of the American Energy Innovation Council (AEIC)