Press Releases :: December 1, 2009
111.144(Washington, DC) — Today, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 3598, the Energy and Water Research Integration Act, and H.R. 3029, a bill to establish a research, development, and technology development program to improve the efficiency of gas turbines.
The Energy and Water Research Integration Act passed by a voice vote. H.R.3598 was introduced by Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) on September 17, 2009. This bill directs the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with other relevant federal agencies, to establish the Energy-Water Architecture Council (EWAC) to provide improved energy and water resource data collection, reporting, and the technological innovation.
“H.R. 3598 addresses the critical linkage between our nation’s energy and water resources by directing the Department of Energy to better integrate water into existing federal energy research efforts,” stated Gordon. “In the last Congress, the Committee undertook a comprehensive review of federal research and technology development efforts focused on improving utilization of our precious water resources. We have since held five hearings and passed three bills pertaining to this important topic out of the House.”
“Demand for energy and water resources is stressing the environment and our economy. Innovation in technologies which address the nexus between these two resources is critical to the future of our country. This legislation takes important steps to deal with these challenges,” said Energy and Environment Subcommittee Vice Chairman Paul Tonko (D-NY), who managed the bills on the floor.
This legislation is the product of several recommendations from the Committee’s hearings on water and reports from the National Academies, the Government Accountability Office, the National Science Technology Council, and the Department of Energy (DOE). In addition, this bill has been endorsed by the Water Innovations Alliance, NanoH2O Inc., and the Alliance for Water Efficiency.
H.R.3029 establishes a research, development, and technology demonstration program to improve the efficiency of a range of natural gas turbines used in power generation systems. This bipartisan legislation passed by a vote of 266 to 118. H.R. 3029 was introduced by Subcommittee Vice Chairman Tonko on June 24, 2009.
“Currently, the most advanced turbine systems are 60 percent efficient; this bill aims to increase the efficiency to 65 percent,” added Gordon. “Although this increase may seem minor, even a one-percentage point increase in efficiency applied to the existing gas turbines in the U.S. would result in the reduction of 4.4. million tons of CO2 emissions a year and tens of billions of dollars in fuel costs in the coming decades.”
“Energy efficiency should be our fuel of choice – which we should drill and mine like we currently drill for oil and mine coal,” said Tonko. “Not only will the efficiencies created by this program reduce our fuel consumption, save more than a billion dollars per year in fuel costs, and dramatically reduce the production of greenhouse gases, it will also create clean energy jobs and enhance our energy security.”
This bill has been endorsed by the Gas Turbine Association, General Electric, Florida Turbine Technologies, Solar Turbines Inc., and Strategic Power Systems Inc.
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