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August 04, 2007

Committee Work Advances in House Energy Package Passed Today

(Washington, DC) – Advancing the development of solar power, geothermal power, carbon capture and sequestration, alternative fuels, and other energy technologies were among the accomplishments of the energy package passed today by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Those provisions were among a number of pieces of legislation in H.R. 3221, New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security and Consumer Protection Act - making the House Science and Technology Committee’s contributions to the energy package the largest among House Committees.

“With concerns about global climate change, high gas and electricity prices, and our growing reliance on unstable energy-supplying nations, energy has been placed at the top of the congressional to-do list,” said Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN). “Our future lies in our ability to develop a wide-range of energy technologies, make the use of coal – which is our country's most affordable and abundant domestic energy resource - cleaner through carbon capture and sequestration, and improve energy efficiency.”

H.R. 3221 is a comprehensive bill designed to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign sources of oil, increase national security, stimulate economic and job growth, lower energy prices and address global warming.

Among the provisions included in the energy package are three bills authored by Chairman Gordon. Those are:

  • H.R. 364, Establishing the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E), which would create a new agency charged with reducing US dependence on oil through the rapid development and commercialization of transformational clean energy technologies
  • H.R. 1267, which would direct the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of our country’s potential capacity for the sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2); and
  • H.R. 2083, which would raise the energy efficiency standards for home appliances, such as refrigerators and clothes washers.

HR 3221 also includes a provision to manage data on global climate change that was introduced by Space & Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairman Mark Udall (D-CO). The measure would provide federal, state, regional and local user groups better access to climate change information when making decisions to cope with or mitigate climate change impacts.

Mr. Udall also contributed a section to enhance carbon dioxide capture and storage. The measure authorizes large-scale demonstrations of both CO2 capture technologies and sequestration.

Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) led the effort to authorize the research and development of technologies to locate and develop geothermal energy resources. The measure would greatly expand R&D and demonstration for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) – an emerging resource where geothermal reservoirs are engineered and which could significantly expand the use of geothermal energy across the country.

The energy bill also included a provision to support R&D of technologies to produce electric power from ocean waves. Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-OR) introduced the measure which supports the study of marine renewable technologies in order to bring them to commercial readiness and establishes a research center for information and outreach on the issue.

Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Nick Lampson (D-TX) authored a provision to significantly expand authorized funding levels for biofuels research and development. The measure also supports research into biofuels infrastructure needs and the efficiency of biorefineries.

Finally, a solar power R&D measure authored by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) was also included in the package. This measure aims to improve technologies to store solar power and studies the steps necessary to integrate concentrate solar plants (CSP) into the national electric grid.

“Each piece of this legislation will enhance our country’s energy security and I commend my colleagues for their leadership and vision,” said Gordon. “The sheer scale and complexity of our energy challenge means that Congress should begin laying the groundwork today, and that is what I believe we’ve done.”

A short summary of the Science and Technology Committee’s legislation within the energy package is attached. You can also access further information on the Committee’s website at www.house.gov/science.

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