April 29, 2010
Chairman Gordon Applauds Announcement of the Second Round of Funding for Transformational Technology Development
(Washington, DC) – Today, House Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) applauded Vice President Joe Biden’s and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu’s announcement of the second round of funding awards through the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).
“I applaud all the winners—and the applicants. Our nation needs breakthroughs in technology now more than ever,” said Gordon. “About half of the growth in GDP since World War II came from development and adoption of new technologies. These innovative scientists and engineers are the kind of people we need to lead our nation in the development of the new energy technologies that will grow new sectors of our economy—and the jobs that come with them—which will be the key to our competitiveness over the next 50 years,”
The $106 million was awarded to 37 research projects that could produce advanced biofuels more efficiently from renewable electricity instead of sunlight; design completely new types of batteries to make electric vehicles more affordable; and remove the carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants in a more cost-effective way. The grants will go to projects in 17 states. Of the lead recipients, 24 percent are small businesses, 57 percent are educational institutions, 11 percent are national labs, and 8 percent are large corporations.
“I also congratulate Secretary Chu and Secretary Majumdar. At every step in the process, I see ARPA-E generating excitement and tapping into a pent-up need for this type of transformational technology development,” said Gordon. “I look forward to doing my part by seeing the reauthorization for ARPA-E signed into law as part of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, which passed the Committee yesterday with bipartisan support. I hope to see it through the House in May.”
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