Federal Policy Priorities

Joby Energy is co-leading efforts to advance several federal policy priorities to enhance the rapid development of airborne wind energy systems.

Specifically we are working to:

  • establish high altitude wind as an area of research interest within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
  • encourage ARPA-E to publish a relevant funding announcement
  • secure funding for NASA and NREL to investigate industry research priorities
  • develop Federal Aviation Administration relationships to ensure progress in technology R&D

The recent announcement that Statkraft, Europe’s largest renewable energy company, has invested in the Netherland-based company Ampyx, is a positive sign for the industry in general. That should at minimum, signal that airborne wind energy is a promising technology worthy of federal R&D support.


Policy Updates:

S. 1462: American Clean Energy Leadership Act amended to include high altitude wind system as area of research interest

The American Clean Energy Leadership Act (ACELA), sponsored by Senator Bingaman, was passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on June 17, 2009 on a bipartisan vote of 15 to 8, and as amended by unanimous consent on May 6, 2010. It was passed as an energy bill with provisions related to increased energy production, energy efficiency,renewable energy standards, technology research and development, energy market stabilization, and transmission network improvements, among others.

According to Dave Berrick, energy staffer for Senator Ron Wyden D-OR, S. 1462 stands a reasonable chance to pass the Senate and House, and could be signed into law this year by President Obama. “At a minimum, passing the bill out of Committee sends a clear message to the DOE that airborne wind energy is a technology that should be pursed as a promising advanced energy technology,” Berrick said.


S. 3635: Energy and Water Bill contains first appropriation recommendation for ARPA E

The full Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2011 Energy and Water Development Appropriations on July 20th. The bill includes a report that recommends specific program appropriations. As of this writing, the counterpart House subcommittee has approved its FY 2011 funding bill although its report will not be released until the measure is considered by the full House Appropriations Committee. Senate Report 111-228, is available here.

The good news is that the Advanced Research Projects -- Energy, ARPA-E. which was originally funded by the economic stimulus act funding received an appropriations recommendation. The bad news -- funding will likely be half of its 2010 level.

Below are the Senate and House appropriations subcommittee recommendations:

  • FY 2010 appropriation: none
  • Economic stimulus act funding: $400 million
  • FY 2011 Administration request: $300 million
  • House subcommittee recommendation: $220 million
  • Senate subcommittee recommendation: $200.0 million

Draft Senate committee report language continues to tout ARPA-E as the agency responsible for funding innovative, high-risk energy technologies.

H.R. 5116: America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010

In May the U.S. House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act. The bill authorizes $85.6 billion over five years for research and education programs at key federal agencies with the intention of boosting technology competitiveness. The bill was referred to the Senate referred it to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on June 29.

Between 1985 and 2004, federal research and development funding dropped from 1.25 percent of the U.S. GDP to .08 percent. The bill funds ARPA-E for $300 million in FY 2011 increasing each year to $1 billion in FY 2015.

Support the American COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 without any cuts in R&D funding. Contact your senator today to support this critical bill. Visit www.senate.gov, and type in your zip code to be automatically directed to your senator.