Hearing examines nation’s energy innovation
The Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources recently conducted a hearing examining the nation’s energy innovation efforts, encouraging the development of innovation creating breakthroughs in clean energy technologies.
The hearing featured Department of Energy (DOE) Under Secretary of Science Paul Dabbar, former DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz and representatives from the Bipartisan Policy Center, ClearPath, the Council on Competitiveness and West Virginia University.
“American ingenuity has led the way in global innovation, but we want to continue to lead the way on innovation,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), session chair, said. “It is time to push hard to bring down the cost of clean energy technologies like renewables, advanced nuclear, next-generation energy storage, and carbon capture.”
Murkowski said if the nation wants credible technological solutions that are cost-effective and deployable globally and at-scale, there must be policies in place to propel such efforts.
Witnesses emphasized the significance of research and development in multiple clean energy technologies and a diversified energy portfolio. Moniz emphasized the importance of an all-of-the-above approach.
Dialogue also highlighted the need to establish a shared, continuous strategy for energy policy and alignment between industry, the federal government, and National Labs, and that DOE plays a significant role in pushing the limits of basic science, furthering discovery and finding the breakthroughs possessing the ability to change our energy future.
