Clean Energy Sector Ups Spending on Lobbyists

A recent report from research firm New Energy Finance, spending on Washington lobbyists by the clean energy industry has accelerated rapidly in recent years, but still lags behind that the fossil fuel industry. Through the first six months of 2009, the sector spent an unprecedented $r12.1 million on lobbying, According the Center for Responsive Politics, During the same period, oil and natural gas spent $82.2 million on lobbying, with ExxonMobil alone contributing $14.9 million. That’s $2.8 million more that the entire clean energy sector.

Renewable Energy Finance Forum

The second Renewable Energy Finance Forum – West (REFF-West), will take place in San Francisco on September 29-30, 2009. It builds on the success of both REFF-Wall St and the inaugural REFF-West, which took place in Seattle in October 2008.

The conference focuses on finance and investment for clean energy technologies, with a particular emphasis on the Western US, and covers both large scale projects and the development and commercialization of new technologies. REFF-West is targeted at a senior level audience including investors, financiers, project developers and clean technology companies. Conference sessions will examine opportunities in a range of cleantech markets.

U.S. To Establish Clean Energy Investment Agency

Last week, Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the “21st Century Energy Technology Deployment Act.” This bipartisan bill, S. 949, is co-sponsored by Sens. Dorgan (D-ND), Voinovich (R-OH), Stabenow (D-MI), Lugar (R-IN), Shaheen (D-NH) and Burr (R-NC). The legislation seeks to improve the loan guarantee program at the Department of Energy (DOE) and to provide additional options for deploying energy technologies. The basis of the bill is to shore up the existing program at DOE, then transition to a new financially-focused agency to perform and expand upon the duties of the program.

Department of Energy Announces Grants To Establish 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers

The White House announced that the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science will invest $777 million in Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) over the next five years. In a national effort to accelerate scientific advances in critical areas of the new energy economy the United States Department of Energy (DOE) will establish 46 new multi-million dollar Energy Frontier Research Centers (or EFRCs) across the nation.