A new bill introduced by US Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) Delaware and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) would encourage the purchase of recycled goods by the federal government and allow federal agencies to pay a premium for goods made with recycled content.
The Bill, titled "Federal Procurement of Recycled Materials to Reduce
Greenhouse Gas Emissions," allows agencies to pay up to a 10% premium for goods
with at least 25% recycled content.
"This bill not only encourages our Federal agencies to use recycled goods, it also sends a market signal that will help grow recycling within our larger economy," said Sen. Carper, co-chair of the Senate Recycling Caucus.
Ten Million Solar Roofs
The U.S. Senate Energy Committee approved the Ten Million Solar Roofs bill, introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
The bill incentivizes the installation 10 million solar power systems over the next 10 years. It would authorize $250 million for competitive grants in 2012 and additional funding through 2021.
According to Sanders’ office, the legislation would help finance the installation of up to 40,000 megawatts (MW) of new solar energy. In the process, the cost of generating solar power would fall, and the U.S. would become the world’s leading market for electricity generated from the sun.
Sanders reporteldy is urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, (D-Nev.), to add the measure to the Senate energy bill before it is brought to a floor vote in the next week or two.
Energy Storage Tax Credits
Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D.-N.H.) introduced a bill that would provide tax credits for the creation of renewable energy storage.
The Storage Technology of Renewable and Green Energy Act of 2010 would offer up to $1.5 billion in tax credits to storage projects that are connected to the U.S. electric grid.
The STORAGE 2010 Act would provide a 20% investment tax credit of up to
$30 million for storage systems connected to the electric grid. The bill
will also provide a 30% investment tax credit of up to $1 million to
businesses and a 30% tax credit to homeowners for on-site storage
projects.
Cleantech Export Bill Passes House
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2010, which aims to boost the competiveness of the U.S. clean technology industry in both domestic and international markets.
The legislation received bipartisan support and passed by voice vote.
It creates a $15 million Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund to support the development, implementation, and sustainability of a National Clean Energy Technology Export Strategy, and assist U.S. clean tech firms by finding and navigating foreign markets to export their goods and services abroad.
According to the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, more than 30% of non-exporting small and medium sized companies would export if they had more access to market information, export opportunities, and the export process. The Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act aims to provide the assistance these small businesses are seeking.
“Currently, our nation is running a trade deficit in green technologies ranging in the billions,” said Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-05), who introduced the bill. “Our nation should not be dependent on foreign energy which threatens our national security, hurts our environment, and weakens our economy. We must be the world leader in manufacturing and export American-made clean energy technologies.”
Domestic Manufacturing and Energy Jobs
The House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Sander Levin (D-Mich.) released a draft bill that would provide tax credits for manufacturers of renewable energy equipment and funding for other sources of clean energy.
The Domestic Manufacturing and Energy Jobs Act of 2010 includes $6.5 billion worth of investment tax credits for taxpayers that re-equip, expand or establish domestic manufacturing facilities that produce advanced energy equipment. The tax credits would encourage an estimated $22 billion of investment in domestic manufacturing facilities and build upon the $2.3 billion of investment tax credits provided in the Recovery Act.
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