Energy leaders implore Congress not to cut energy innovation programs

A coalition of renewable energy groups told Congressional leaders they are opposed to the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts for energy innovation in the Department of Energy’s FY 2020 Budget.

The Trump Administration has proposed cutting more than $2.4 billion from programs supporting energy innovation and deployment, which represents an 88 percent decrease from current funding levels.

They are urging Congress to provide consistent funding for energy innovation and stated their “strong support” for the work being done by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Advanced Research Programs Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The proposed budget includes a $2.04 billion, or 86 percent, cut to EERE and the elimination of ARPA-E.

“The work done by EERE, ARPA-E, and NREL fills a critical gap in research and development at a time when the United States is desperately in need of grid modernization, and at risk of falling behind other countries, like China, that are racing to develop the next generation of energy technologies,” the organizations wrote. “We respectfully urge you to continue, at a minimum, current funding levels for these important clean energy innovation programs, and to oppose the Administration’s proposed cuts to the DOE’s FY 2020 Budget,” the coalition wrote to Congressional leaders.

The letter was signed by officials from the American Council on Renewable Energy, the American Wind Energy Association, the Biomass Power Association, the Energy Storage Association, the Geothermal Resources Council, the National Hydropower Association, and the Solar Energy Industries Association.