Appropriations
SEIA supports an expansion of the Department of Energy's Solar Energy Technologies Program and works to secure more funding for the department through the Congressional Appropriations process. Learn more about the DOE's Solar R&D program.
FY2011 White House Budget Request for DOE Solar and Related Programs
President Obama unveiled a budget proposal for Fisal Year 2011 on February 1. For more information, see the White House's Office of Management and Budget website. Click here for SEIA's statement in response to the release of the President's budget.
SEIA Budget Recommendations for FY2011
For FY2011, the Solar Energy Industries Association recommends $337 million in appropriations for DOE’s Solar Energy Program and $10 million for Solar Heating & Cooling activities within the Building Technologies Program. Click here for a fact sheet on SEIA's appropriations recommendations for the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget.
Department of Energy appropriations should include the following programmatic expansions:
- Increase funding for the PV Next Generation Program and expand the program focus to include concentrating photovoltaics. This will provide support to advanced PV and CPV research conducted at universities and by industry. The number of solar applicants for ARPA-E funds demonstrates the need to expand this cutting-edge R&D program. ($10 million)
- Expand the PV Manufacturing Initiative to include manufacturing of CPV and CSP components. Expansion will promote U.S. manufacturing jobs over the range of solar technologies currently under development. ($25 million)
- Develop a metering standard for Solar Water Heating equipment. The solar water heating industry would benefit from new specifications for thermal metering designed for solar thermal energy/solar hot water. ($2 million)
SEIA also recommends increased funding for the Section 9007 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), particularly funds for renewable energy deployment, and supports additional funding for the Bureau of Land Management’s Renewable Energy Coordination Offices.
