Bonamici Introduces Bill to Accelerate Clean Energy Economy

WASHINGTON, DC [02/2/2021] – Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici introduced legislation to accelerate clean energy technology deployment and support regional pathways to decarbonization.

The Regional Clean Energy Innovation Act will establish regional partnerships that will help overcome existing barriers to bringing new clean energy technologies to market. It creates a Department of Energy Office of Advanced Clean Energy Technologies to designate and oversee the partnerships, called Regional Energy Innovation and Development Institutes (REIDIs), and support their activities. Partnerships will consist of local and state governments, academia, labor organizations, national laboratories, businesses, Tribes, and other eligible organizations.

"Developing and bringing to market clean energy technologies that meet local and regional needs is essential to our successful transition to a clean energy economy," said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. "The Regional Clean Energy Innovation Act will create partnerships that bring together relevant stakeholders to overcome innovation barriers and deploy clean energy solutions that support decarbonization. These partnerships will help move our nation closer to achieving net-zero emissions."

"Expanding clean energy research and development at the regional level is an important part of addressing the climate crisis," said Marc Boom, Director of Federal Affairs at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Creating partnerships to focus on overcoming regional differences to clean energy deployment, job creation and investment in marginalized communities will help ensure better solutions for all. We thank Rep. Bonamici for her leadership."

In a 2021 report, the International Energy Agency found that 35 percent of all CO2 emissions reductions needed to meet Paris Agreement climate goals will come from technologies currently at the prototype or demonstration phases. Historically, U.S. investments in innovation often focus on the conceptual and early research stages. This results in valuable projects succumbing to the "valley of death," an inability to transition from the research stage to demonstration, and eventually deployment and commercialization. The Regional Clean Energy Innovation Act builds on a recommendation from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that called for REIDIs to address this problem.

A summary of the Regional Clean Energy Innovation Act can be found here. The text of the legislation can be found here.

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