WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-21) voted in favor of the Solar Technology Roadmap Act of 2010 (H.R. 3585), a bill that will strengthen the American solar technology industry through a research and development program that will focus on public-private partnerships. Congressman Tonko is a co-sponsor of the bill, which passed the House by a vote of 310-106.

“This is bill is another step in the right direction when it comes to creating a better energy outcome in terms of renewable resources, conservation and efficiency efforts,” said Congressman Tonko. “Creating a research roadmap and developing new public-private partnerships will help bring new solar technologies to market and make this clean, renewable energy source more affordable and accessible for more Americans.”

The bill would require the Secretary of Energy to create a Roadmap Committee which would create a Solar Technology Roadmap to guide solar energy research. The Committee would be made up from a select group of experts from industry, academia, and government researchers, who would identify the research, development and demonstration activities needed to improve the performance and reliability of solar technologies, decrease cost, and reduce water use. The Committee’s recommendations would direct a percentage of federal solar research, development and deployment (RD&D) funding over time.

The bill would also authorize over $2 billion in new research partnerships and demonstration projects for solar energy technologies.

Delivering his remarks today on the floor of the House in support of the bill, Congressman Tonko added: “Solar has the potential to shave overall electricity prices for consumers as well as enhance capacity.  This bill is crucial to catalyze both of these activities. It also offers the potential to create tens of thousands of clean energy jobs that can’t be exported overseas. In the 21st Congressional District alone, there are numerous businesses and academic institutions, such as the College of Nanoscale and Science Engineering at the University at Albany, which I toured just this week, where thin film improvements are greatly enhancing and improving the opportunity for market penetration of many Nanoscale applications, such as solar energy.”

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