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What’s in the Appropriations Bill? Part 2: More on DOE.

What’s In the Appropriations Bill? Part 1: Renewable Energy.

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The appropriations bill (HR4818) Congress worked on over the weekend is massive. This is the financial fuel for the next year, though, so I thought I’d go through it to cull some highlights, starting with the funding for renewable energy programs.

Congress is signing off on $389 million of funding for the renewable energy programs run by the Department of Energy, a 9% increase over the appropriations from last year. Some of that is administrative—program direction, “intergovernmental activity” and such. On a direct program basis, the appropriations are  increasing 4%, from $323.6 million to $336.4 million.

Hydrogen programs are accounting for most of the increase. Biomass and biofuel programs is the only area to be decreased.

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The appropriations are detailed, down to the amount and the program.  Some of the detail left me scratching my head— such as “$250,000 for the Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition for biomass restoration and science-based restoration.”

Although biomass and biofuels are taking a hit, they are doing better than the National Climate Change Technology Initiative, which remains unfunded for the second year in a row.

More to come.

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