House Passes Clean Energy Technology and Export Bill

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Commerce Secretary Would be Required to Establish Manufacturing/Export Assistance Fund

H.R. 5156 would require the Commerce Secretary to establish a Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund, to be administered through the International Trade Administration.

ITA would administer the Fund to promote policies to reduce production costs and encourage innovation, investment, and productivity in the clean energy technology¹ sector, and implement a national clean energy technology export strategy.

ITA Would Provide Tools, Assistance to U.S. Businesses

ITA, consistent with the National Export Initiative, would be required provide information, tools, and other assistance to U.S. businesses to promote clean energy technology manufacturing and facilitate the export of clean energy technology products and services. Such assistance would include:

• developing critical analysis of policies to reduce production costs and promote innovation, investment, and productivity in the clean energy technology sector;
• helping educate companies about how to tailor their activities to specific markets with respect to their product slate, financing, marketing, assembly, and logistics;
• helping U.S. companies learn about the export process and export opportunities in foreign markets;
• helping U.S. companies to navigate foreign markets; and
• helping U.S. companies provide input regarding clean energy technology manufacturing and trade policy developments and trade promotion.

Commerce Secretary Would Need to Submit Reports to Congress

The Commerce Secretary would be required to submit a report to Congress, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Act, indicating how the funds would be used to (a) focus on small and medium-sized U.S. businesses; (b) encourage the creation and maintenance of the greatest number of clean energy technology jobs in the U.S.; and (c) encourage the domestic production of clean energy technology products and services, including materials, components, equipment, parts, and supplies related in any way to the clean energy technology product or service.

The Commerce Secretary would also be required to submit a report to Congress not later than January 1, 2015 assessing the program.

$15 Million Would be Appropriated for Each of FYs 2011 - 2015

The Commerce Secretary would be appropriated $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011-2015 to use as funds.

¹Technology related to the production, use, transmission, storage, control, or conservation of energy that will contribute to a stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations through reduction, avoidance, or sequestration of energy-related emissions and (a) reduce the need for additional energy supplies by using existing energy supplies with greater efficiency or by transmitting, distributing, or transporting energy with greater effectiveness through the infrastructure of the U.S.; or (b) diversify the sources of energy supply of the U.S. to strengthen energy security and to increase supplies with a favorable balance of environmental effects if the entire technology system is considered.

(See ITT’s Online Archives or 07/29/10 news, 10072912, for previous BP summary announcing that the House passed this bill.)