Brown Announces Final Passage of Energy Bill, Fuel Efficiency Standards

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Brown Announces Final Passage of Energy Bill, Fuel Efficiency Standards

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown today announced final Senate passage of the energy bill. The bill would increase fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks for the first time in 32 years. The bill includes a Brown amendment that would provide grants for the manufacturing of alternative energy components and systems. In addition, the Brown amendment puts pressure on the Department of Energy (DOE) to launch a long-delayed alternative energy loan program and ensure that small manufacturers have access to the funds.

"This legislation offers new opportunities for Ohio's manufacturing base and will accelerate our nation's progress toward energy independence," Brown said. "Our nation needs to shake itself loose from the grip of multinational oil companies and foreign energy sources. This bill invests in our independence."

The bill will increase the fleet-wide fuel economy standard for all cars by about 40 percent, achieving a combined average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

In the last five years, Ohio has lost nearly 19% of its manufacturing base. Seventy-seven of Ohio's eighty-eight counties have had a loss of manufacturing jobs since 2001, with the remainder experiencing job stagnation. Regions hurt the most by manufacturing job loss also have the most potential to take advantage of supplying the components required by the alternative energy sector.

To realize this potential, Brown authored the Renewable Energy Innovation Manufacturing Partnership amendment which was included in the final bill. The amendment would provide competitive grants to non-profit institutions and private manufacturers that work together to develop renewable energy manufacturing technologies. Multi-year grants would be used for research, development, and demonstration projects for advanced manufacturing technologies. In addition, it would allow private manufacturers to conduct studies of market opportunities for component manufacturing of renewable energy systems. Grants will help organizations take innovative alternative energy concepts and develop products for the marketplace. The amendment also calls on DOE to end the delays in offering loan guarantees to companies that employ innovative energy technologies and ensure those guarantees accommodate small manufacturers.

The energy bill includes provisions to increase the production of ethanol.

Brown also successfully pushed for an amendment authorizing $80 million over four years for the research and development of lightweight vehicle manufacturing materials, including metal and carbon composites. The importance of this funding was one of the topics discussed at a roundtable on composites held by Brown in October at the University of Dayton Research Institute.

Brown expressed disappointment that the legislation did not include a rollback of tax breaks to big oil nor the extension of incentives for alternative energy like wind and solar. It is expected these issues will be taken up again next year.

"We still have a long way to go, but this is a meaningful step," Brown added.

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