Applied Materials--the Silicon Valley giant and world's largest manufacturer of the equipment used to make solar cells--is out with a great endorsement of our new report, co-authored with the Brookings Institution and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), calling on Congress to strengthen U.S. clean energy competitiveness through the reauthorization of America COMPETES.
In the report, we call on Congress to:
- Invest in a new generation of clean scientists and engineers
- Invest in increasing funding for clean energy R&D at existing agencies and in new innovative programs like Energy Frontier Research Centers, DOE Innovation Hubs, and ARPA-E
- Extend the R&D and advanced clean energy manufacturing tax credits
- Support American clean energy manufacturers with a new industrial innovation institute, new clean energy supply chain initiatives, and low-cost financing to help US manufacturers retool for the clean economy
- Spur the development of clean energy industry clusters by funding new regional cluster initiatives and clean energy research consortia
These policies are increasingly urgent as our economic competitors continue to outpace us in the growing clean energy industry.
Applied Materials certainly stands behind these policy recommendations and is hopeful that Congress will act swiftly and appropriately to ensure that America regains its competitive edge.
It's time for the Senate to act.
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