ACORE Statement on the 2018 Omnibus Spending Bill

Statement by Gregory Wetstone, American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), President and Chief Executive Officer

Washington, D.C., March 22, 2018 – “The omnibus funding agreement for 2018 reflects the bipartisan support enjoyed by renewable energy and advanced grid technologies, with increases in funding for cutting-edge research that will help keep America competitive in the booming global renewable energy marketplace. We are pleased to see funding increased above current levels for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), which had been facing a proposed 69 percent reduction for 2018, and for DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), which the Administration’s budget proposed to eliminate.

It’s clear that Congress recognizes the incredible value EERE, ARPA-E and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) bring to the research, development and deployment of many important electric power innovations. Without support for these critical energy R&D programs, the U.S. is at risk of falling behind other countries that are investing heavily in a rapidly growing global renewable energy industry.

ACORE and its members look forward to working with these DOE programs in the effort to modernize the nation’s electrical grid, even as we turn to the 2019 budget process later this year, where these crucial programs are, yet again, confronted with draconian cuts in the Administration’s proposed budget.”

Background materials: March 13 Joint Letter to Congress from ACORE and other Renewable Energy Groups on FY18 and FY19 DOE Budget.

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About ACORE
The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is a national non-profit organization that unites finance, policy and technology to accelerate the transition to a renewable energy economy. Founded in 2001, ACORE is the focal point for collaborative advocacy across the renewable energy sector, supported by hundreds of members spanning renewable energy technologies and constituencies. Every year, ACORE convenes top business leaders and policymakers at its annual forums on finance, policy and grid technology in New York, Washington, D.C. and San Francisco. For more information about ACORE, please visit www.acore.org and follow @ACORE on Twitter.

Media Contact:
Gil Jenkins
Vice President of Communications
jenkins@acore.org | 202.777.7584