API supports reauthorization of ARPA-E program

WASHINGTON - The American Petroleum Institute released the below statement in support of reauthorizing the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E), which the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee voted on to the full House on Thursday, October 17th.

“We’re pleased to support the reauthorization of ARPA-E, in addition to a substantial funding increase for this flagship program,” said API’s Director of Market Development, Dustin Meyer. “The U.S. currently leads the world in emissions reductions, and this program ensures that we will continue to introduce new solutions to the world’s most pressing energy challenges for decades to come.”

ARPA-E was created in 2007 when President George W. Bush signed the “America COMPETES Act” into law, and it received its first appropriation of $400 million in 2009. The agency’s purpose is to invest in nascent advanced energy technologies, promoting and funding research. 

The bipartisan bill (H.R. 4091) would authorize a substantial increase in ARPA-E’s authorization level, starting with the FY 2020 House-passed and Senate Appropriations Committee mark of $428 million, and then rising to $750 million in FY 2024 – important because, to, date, ARPA-E has only been able to support 1% of the proposals submitted for its Open Funding Opportunity Announcements, and 12% of the proposals submitted for its Focused Funding Opportunity Announcements. The reauthorization would also help ARPA-E to support projects to improve the resilience, reliability, and security of American energy infrastructure.