The American Foundry Society said today it supports the energy package under consideration in the U.S. Senate, the bipartisan American Energy Innovation Act (S. 2657). A vote in the Senate could come the week of March 9.
The package would boost federal funding for research and development (R&D) into a number of energy technologies, from solar, wind and batteries, to more efficient fossil fuel-fired power and carbon capture, as well as efforts to enhance our grid security.
The measure, introduced by Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia), consolidates nearly 50 energy bills and represents the first major update to the nation's energy laws in over 12 years.
In addition to providing support for funding advanced energy technology development at the Department of Energy (DOE) and implementing numerous enhancements in the efficiency measures, S. 2657 also would set forth the foundation for next-generation, American-made energy technologies.
For example, the bill would advance nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric energy sources, electric vehicles, carbon capture utilization and sequestration, and advanced battery and energy storage technologies, among others.
“AFS thanks Senators Murkowski and Manchin for their leadership and urges the Senate to pass this important legislation to modernize our nation’s energy policies and fuel American R&D innovation without delay,” said AFS CEO Doug Kurkul. “As a critical supplier to the energy sector and an energy-intensive industry, the U.S. metalcasting industry strongly supports this bipartisan bill that seeks to accelerate breakthroughs in more efficient energy generation.”
Under the bill’s Enhanced Grid Security section, DOE would spend a combined $300 million per year in funding through 2029 on DOE programs aimed at modernizing and securing the power grid – including testing for cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the equipment and components being installed on it.