WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that $3,200,000 in funds have been awarded to the Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop clean energy fuel technology. This project, selected through a competitive process, augments efforts already in place to make Ohio a leader in the production and commercialization of clean energy technology.
"Ohio research facilities are vanguards of creating new, clean energy technology," Brown said. "These funds will help explore ways to use Ohio resources to end America's unhealthy addiction to foreign oil. By developing, commercializing, and producing this technology in Ohio, we can continue to position our state as the Silicon Valley for Clean Energy Manufacturing."
The Battelle Memorial Institute project will develop new tools to generate clean burning bio-oil. The high technology project will produce a final product that can be blended - to 30 percent by weight - with petroleum fuels or fuels that are compatible with existing petroleum refining operations. Battelle will also test a commercialization model for the technology by embedding it in small-scale, factory-built systems deployed widely where biomass is available at low cost. These systems would be built at significantly lower cost relative to large, fixed biorefineries.
Brown is a proponent of clean energy technology and is working to end America's dependence on foreign oil - without replacing it with a dependence on Chinese-made clean energy products. Brown fought for provisions in the budget to invest in retooling traditional manufacturing supply chains to meet our nation's increased demand for domestic sources of clean renewable energy.
Last year, Brown announced nearly $1 million in new federal funds to create the Ohio Advanced Energy Manufacturing Center at a summit co-hosted by Battelle Memorial Institute to connect federal energy officials and Ohio companies, organizations, and municipalities engaged in clean energy research and development.
For the past month, Brown has been travelling across the state as part of his "Made in Ohio Tour." With the top priority of creating Ohio jobs, Brown is fighting for a multi-pronged effort to promote economic development - from working to position Ohio as the Silicon Valley of Clean Energy Manufacturing, to establishing the state as a hub for high-growth industries.
The key components of Brown's jobs strategy are:
o Promoting the expansion of Ohio businesses by strengthening small business lending programs and aiding President Obama's goal to significantly boost U.S. exports.
o Transitioning away from our dependence on foreign oil to a clean energy future in which jobs are centered in the small businesses, manufacturing facilities, and universities of Ohio.
o Developing Ohio's workforce so that Ohioans are prepared to fill the jobs of the 21st century and revitalizing the state's infrastructure to attract those global industries.
o Making sure that Ohio industry isn't undermined due to unfair trade by pursuing remedies to counteract China's currency manipulation and subsidization of domestic industries.
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