Committee Authorizes $3.4 billion for Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy

March 2010 – On March 25, the House Science Subcommittee on Energy and Environment favorably reported H.R. 4906, the ARPA-E Reauthorization Act of 2010, to the full House Science Committee for consideration. H.R. 4906 reauthorizes the Department of Energy's highly successful Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) through 2020.

The committee authorized $3.4 billion for ARPA-E to continue its work to develop the transformational technologies that will reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Notable changes to the additional reauthorization include requirements for ARPA-E to:

• identify innovative cost-sharing arrangements for ARPA-E projects;
• identify mechanisms for commercial application of successful technology development projects, including partnerships with awardees and commercial entitities;
• support managers in creating, designing, and implementating programs; exploring technical fields for future program needs; assisting in the creation of a new strategic vision for ARPA-E; preparing energy technology and economic analysis; and assisting in any other appropriate responsibilities of the program;
• seek opportunities to partner with purchasing and procurement programs of Federal agencies to demonstrate energy technologies developed through ARPA-E; and
• convene, organize, and sponsor events that further the objectives of ARPA-E, including events that assemble awardees, the most promising applicants for ARPA-E funding, and a broad range of ARPA-E stakeholders to demonstrate projects of awardees, finalists; and facilitate discussions of commercial application of energy technologies developed through ARPA-E and other government R&D programs.

As of the time of this writing, a full committee mark-up has not yet been scheduled.