Dear Chairwoman Murray, Ranking Member Kennedy, Chairman Fleischmann, and Ranking Member Kaptur:
As the U.S. House and Senate Subcommittees for Energy and Water Development reconcile the Energy and Water Development Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bill, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) respectfully requests support for the following offices and programs within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that advance clean energy research, innovation, and technology.
Crosscutting Initiatives: CRES supports crosscutting initiatives that will best harness the efforts of multiple offices and programs across DOE: Carbon Dioxide Removal, Critical Minerals, Hydrogen, and Industrial Decarbonization. Congress has acted on a bipartisan basis to support additional research, development, and deployment. CRES supports funding these initiatives at the levels provided in the Senate bill.
Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED): CRES supports continued investment in this office as well as the House language encouraging the Department to fund demonstrations in high-emitting and historically difficult to abate sectors. First-of-its-kind technology creates the opportunity for commercialization. By leading in efforts to find technology for decarbonizing energy-intensive industrial manufacturing processes, we will bolster the competitive position of U.S. manufacturers and drive global emission reductions.
Grid Deployment Office (GDO): The GDO is at the forefront of modernizing, expanding, and securing our electrical grid. Both bills level fund GDO; CRES requested a funding increase for this office and respectfully requests an increase over FY23 funding levels.
Steel Upgrading Partnerships and Emissions Reduction (SUPER) Act Implementation: CRES appreciates the House’s inclusion of funding for the SUPER Act, a bipartisan bill which was included in the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act (PL 117-167). This program supports research and development of innovative technologies aimed at both increasing U.S. technological and economic competitiveness and reducing emissions in the production of iron, steel, and steel mill products. We urge conferees to adopt the funding level included in the House bill.
Loan Programs Office (LPO): The Loan Programs Office offers loan guarantees to viable large-scale clean energy projects lacking access to conventional investment resources. Within the past two years, loan guarantees have been offered and conditionally committed to projects for varied facilities including hydrogen production, carbon capture, and lithium recycling. These projects create jobs, strengthen supply chains, and increase national security. CRES supports the Senate funding level for this office.
Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC): CRES supports funding for MESC, which plays an important role in securing supply chains, so the U.S. is not dependent on hostile nations for rare earth elements and critical minerals. Global demand for cleaner energy resources and products will continue to increase. CRES requested a funding increase for this office and respectfully requests an increase over FY23 funding levels.
Thank you for your efforts to fund these important programs.
Sincerely,
Heather Reams
President
Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions