U.S. House Passes Natural Gas Turbine R&D Bill
Press Release
The House of Representatives today passed a key piece of energy legislation that will improve the efficiency of natural gas turbines used in electric power generation systems, and lead to major savings on consumers' energy bills in the future. This legislation, sponsored by Congressman Paul Tonko, will create a research and development and technology demonstration grant program through the Department of Energy to help companies study ways to implement better technology and ramp up efficiency. The bill passed by a vote of 266-118.
"Energy efficiency should be our fuel of choice -- which we should drill and mine like we currently drill for oil and mine coal," said Rep. 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 legislation will create a four-year R&D and technology demonstration program targeted at increasing the efficiency of combined cycle gas turbines used by utilities to 65-percent from the current average of 60-percent. A one percentage point improvement applied to gas turbines across the country would save billions in fuel costs each year and reduce the amount of C02 gas produced by millions of tons annually. The bill has also been amended to improve the efficiency of simple-cycle gas turbines, which are used in many smaller-scale industrial applications. The program would run from 2011-2014.
Rep. Tonko added, "This bill will promote U.S. technology leadership, putting our nation in a position to gain a greater share of the worldwide energy market. We will also be retaining valuable domestic jobs in turbine manufacturing, and also creating jobs in a variety of technology sectors -- in laboratories, factories, and construction."
This legislation has received wide industry support, including the Gas Turbine Association. Schenectady-based GE Energy is a member of the association, and estimates inclusion in the grant program could create close to 5,000 jobs industry-wide in engineering, construction, and retrofits for existing gas turbines.
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