U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has unveiled a green energy manufacturing bill aimed at expanding green energy research and development, promoting the commercialization of emerging energy technologies, enhancing green job training opportunities for workers to build a green manufacturing base.
Brown’s bill would create a Green Energy Technology Investment Program aimed at entrepreneurs, innovators, colleges, schools, non-profits, and other entities that want to go green, but do not have the seed money to start.
The funding decisions would be placed outside of the political process by the Green Technology Investment Corporation, comprised of people who build, design, create, or run businesses and green businesses. The corporation would consist of seven members appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
The specific programs administered by the Green Energy Technology Investment Corporation would be:
Green Development Loan Program – assist in the research and development of projects that design, create, or formulate new or enhanced green products, equipment, or processes.
Green Markets Program – help small and medium-sized businesses acquire, build, or purchase equipment for green technology development and commercialization.
Green Redevelopment, Opportunity, Workforce Grant – assist small and medium-sized businesses to accelerate new product development and commercialization focusing on early stage investment.
Green Energy Manufacturing Loans – help with funding for small businesses that have innovative green products or technologies that are having trouble obtaining funding from conventional loans.
Green Energy Community Pilot Program – provide funding for five green communities to become national pilot communities. This funding would help establish models and programs for developing green communities nationwide.
Green Energy Institution of Higher Education Pilot Program – provide funding for five educational institutions to help establish models and programs for more higher education institutions to go green.
National Guard Base Green Energy Pilot Program – provide funding through the states to ten National Guard bases via a program similar to the community and school pilot programs.
Green Energy Technology Internship Program – green businesses would be eligible for up to $5,000 in matching funds for wages when they participate in this internship program and enable the intern to gain exposure to cutting edge green energy or manufacturing related businesses.
Green Energy Technology Apprenticeship Program – like the internship program, this would be aimed at union and other established apprenticeship programs for businesses and unions engaged in green energy production and manufacturing.
In addition, Brown’s legislation would create a new Energy Efficiency Grant Program, to be administered by the U.S. Department of Energy. This grant program would provide a dollar for dollar match for energy producers who implement conservation and efficiency programs that are designed to help consumers reduce their energy consumption. This grant would help address the problem of decoupling–when utilities resist investing in programs that ultimately reduce the demand for their products.
"This is an energy bill. This is a green jobs bill. This is an environment bill," Brown said.
Brown held community roundtables throughout his state to discuss technological advances in green energy, incentives to spur development, climate change, renewable portfolio standards, and how to capitalize on Ohio’s manufacturing base. Ohio has a long history of manufacturing, but has lost over 200,000 manufacturing jobs since 2000. Ohio also has a long history of energy production, but oil peaked in Ohio in 1896, coal in 1970, and natural gas in 1984.
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