Colin Cunliff

The Trump administration has once again proposed massive cuts to energy RD&D. Lawmakers should not give this year’s budget proposal any greater credence than they have given the last two. Congress should instead continue down the path of elevating innovation in clean energy as a national priority.

DOE’s clean energy RD&D portfolio is essential to the U.S. energy innovation ecosystem. Instead of slashing it, as the administration has proposed, Congress should elevate energy innovation as a national priority and continue to expand it.

Only significantly greater levels of public investment in clean energy research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) will produce the level of innovation necessary to dramatically reduce emissions from unabated fossil fuel consumption.

Reducing carbon pollution to zero will require a broad set of technologies that cover all sectors of the economy and can provide energy that is as cheap and reliable as fossil fuels.

Despite our best efforts, the world may not be able to reduce carbon pollution fast enough to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

As the Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations bills head to conference committee, Congress should maintain its commitment to federal investment in energy research, development, and demonstration.

Major improvements in energy technology are essential to meet the global challenge of climate change.

Congress should continue on the path toward doubling federal energy RD&D funding, which would fulfill a commitment the United States made along with 19 other countries to accelerate the global transition to cleaner, more affordable, more reliable energy.

As Congress considers the next budget, ITIF’s David Hart and Colin Cunliff write for Utility Dive that it should reject cuts to spending on energy research, development and demonstration.