Recent AMMEX Activity:
FY2010 ITP Budget
AMMEX is disappointed in DOE's 2010 budget request for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE) Industrial Technologies Program (ITP). The budget request is misguided, both in the overall spending level and in the allocation of funds within the program.
- The FY 2010 budget requests $12,627,000 for the Industries of the Future (IOF) program, down from $15,575,000 in 2009. AMMEX recommends that this be increased to $50,000,000.
- The Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) program has
historically been funded at $8,000,000 per year, but its funding has recently been cut by half. AMMEX strongly recommends
that the program be returned to its $8,000,000 funding level for FY 2010 and beyond.
- ITP's distributed generation (DG) program's
current budget of $25,000,000 is significantly less than its height of $65,000,000. While it is understandable that the current economic climate is constraining funding for this program, AMMEX believes that funding the DG program at $35,000,000 will allow the program to operate more effectively and help stimulate investments in efficient CHP and waste heat recovery.
- AMMEX also supports additional funding for distributed energy grant and loan programs, which was previously authorized in sections 451 and 471 of the Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007.
The following graph displays ITP's budget since 1998, including ITP funding for distributed generation, IACs, cross-cutting R&D, and Industries of the Future R&D. AMMEX's recommendation for FY 2010 is shown at the right. |
History of Funding for DOE Industrial Technologies Program
In May 2009, AMMEX produced a document detailing its response to DOE's 2010 budget request. The document can be viewed here (PDF)  .
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Support of Senate Bill 661, Restoring America's Manufacturing Leadership Through Energy Efficiency Act of 2009
AMMEX has played an active role in supporting S. 661, which, if passed by the Senate, would establish:
- DOE grants to lenders to create regional revolving loan programs for manufacturers
- Partnerships between ITP and other applied technology programs to engage in early stage manufacturing technology development
- DOE assessments of the potential of under-implemented technologies
- Roadmaps to plan out how to achieve decreased intensity
- Expanded IACs to reach more small- and medium-sized manufacturers and train industrial engineers
- Industrial Innovation Grants
- Joint industry-government manufacturing partnerships
The full text of S. 661 can be found here.
AMMEX strongly supports the passage of this bill, and has held a briefing urging the full allocation of authorized funds laid out in the legislative lanugage. View AMMEX's S. 661 appropriations request here (PDF) .
On May 4, 2009, AMMEX members testified at a Senate briefing in favor of full funding for the budget authorizations in S. 661. Among the witnesses were ACEEE's Neal Elliott, Fred Quan on behalf of the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council, Chip Foley on behalf of the American Iron and Steel Institute, and Rick Boyd on behalf of Nova Precision Casting Corporation. Their written testimonies can be viewed here (PDF) .
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Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
On September 25, 2007, Larry Kavanagh of the American Iron and Steel Institute testified on behalf of AMMEX to the House Science and Technology Committee's Energy and Environment Subcommittee. In his testimony, Mr. Kavanagh advocated for increased funding of ITP as a component of EISA, which was passed in December 2007. His full written testimony can be viewed here (PDF) .
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Addressing the myth of "corporate welfare" regarding ITP partnerships
In 2005, AMMEX published a white paper addressing the allegations that ITP was effectively engaging in "corporate welfare." The key point of the document was that companies put money into the research just like DOE. With its public-private partnerships, ITP initiatives include industrial firms as co-investors in projects the government has deemed appropriate for federal funding. Firms enjoy benefits at the same time DOE does—when a successful technology is deployed. The full text of the document can be viewed here (PDF) . |
For more information contact:
Nate Kaufman, AMMEX Staff, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Raymond Monroe, AMMEX Chair, Steel Founders' Society of America
Neal Elliott, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Michael Greenman, Glass Manufacturing Industry Council
Brett Smith, American Forest and Paper Association
Larry Kavanagh, American Iron and Steel Institute
Michael Skillingberg, The Aluminum Association
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