House Committee on Small Business Holds Hearing on the Clean Energy Economy

The House Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Rural Development, Agriculture, Trade and Entrepreneurship held its first hearing after the summer recess this week on Growing the Clean Energy Economy.

Chairwoman Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) focused the hearing on biofuels, highlighting their important contribution to the Iowa economy. Witness Thomas Brooks, General Manager of Western Dubuque Biodiesel, said his company demonstrates how small businesses in the clean energy industry support healthier and more vibrant communities. He explained, “The carbon reductions [we make possible] are measurable, helping states and regional programs to meet environmental goals as well as building the rural economy.” The challenge is that the biodiesel industry faces uncertainty—each year these small businesses do not know if, or when, tax credits will be renewed. Brooks noted that “what the biodiesel industry needs is stable continuity in existing federal policies.”

Dr. Lynn Abramson, President of the Clean Energy Business Network, said that small businesses working on renewable energy—from solar and wind to biofuels and geothermal—span all 50 states. According to Abramson, the federal government can help these small businesses to thrive in four main ways:

• Extend clean energy tax incentives
• Appropriate funding for programs, at the Department of Energy and other agencies, that help businesses scale up and commercialize clean energy technology
• Use existing programs and legislation, including the Farm Bill, disaster recovery legislation, and transportation bills, to promote energy resilience
• Determine stable and predictable federal clean energy goals to guide and drive these small businesses

Representative Jared Golden (D-ME) focused his comments on woody biomass, particularly from dead and dying trees, as an area of growth for the clean energy economy. He said more legislative attention is needed to support development of this industry in Maine and across the country’s forested lands. He also highlighted the potential for offshore wind energy in Maine, and suggested that the main challenge is not technical, but political. Rep. Golden called on witness Michael Williams, Deputy Director of the BlueGreen Alliance, for support in bringing together disparate stakeholders—the wind industry, lobstermen and women, and coastal communities—to move offshore wind projects forward in a constructive manner.

Chairwoman Finkenauer concluded the hearing by providing essential big-picture framing, “As we look to tackle the unprecedented challenges that come with climate change and unpredictable weather, it is more important than ever before to continue our support of clean energy.” She continued by explaining that small businesses are essential to this work, “As we’ve heard today, small businesses are at the forefront of the clean energy economy, promoting new technologies in both renewable energy and energy efficiency.”

Author: Anna McGinn