Heinrich: Labs technology transfer to be streamlined

U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich (NM-1) is applauding Energy Secretary Steven Chu for appointing a Technology Transfer Coordinator to help national laboratories streamline the transfer innovative scientific and technical solutions to American businesses.

“When world-class scientists and entrepreneurs put their minds together, anything is possible,” Heinrich said. “I commend Secretary Chu for his leadership in recognizing the tremendous opportunities our national laboratories present to private industry. The addition of a tech transfercoordinator will help businesses utilize advanced technologies to manufacture products more effectively and ultimately create more jobs.”

Earlier this month, Rep. Heinrich joined ten of his colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Steven Chu urging him to appoint a national Technology Transfer Coordinator.

Today, Chu named Dr. Karina Edmonds of the California Institute of Technology was named as the first ever, full-time appointee to the position and will be responsible for working with national labs to streamline their research and commercialization partnerships with the private sector—including large and small companies, venture capital, universities, and other nonprofit research and development institutions.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005, which was signed into law in Albuquerque, New Mexico on August 8, 2005, included Section 1001(a) to require that a Technology Transfer Coordinator be appointed as the Secretary of Energy’s principal advisor on technology transfer and commercialization; however, a full-time position was not filled until now.

According to a November 2009 report by the Congressional Research Service, the federal government spends approximately one third of its annual research and development budget to meet mission requirements in over 700 government laboratories. Much of the technology and expertise generated by this investment has applications beyond the immediate goals of federally funded research and development. As a result, there are numerous opportunities for private industry to take advantage of existing technologies at federal laboratories.

Sandia National Laboratories has been a leader in building mutually beneficial partnerships with industry, including Goodyear, Intel, and General Motors.

Bingaman's Senate Panel Opens Gulf of Mexico for Drilling

This morning, a U.S. Senate panel approved an energy bill on Wednesday that opens large tracts of the Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling and provides federal loan guarantees for a gas pipeline project in Alaska.

NM Senator Jeff Bingaman said the measure will “shift our country to cleaner sources of energy, and more secure sources as well”

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee 15-8 to approve the proposal. It will also requires utilities to produce up to 15 percent of electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar power by 2021. The standard is somewhat weaker than that contained in a House energy and climate change bill that is headed for a floor vote as early as next week.

The Senate energy plan doesn’t include requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because a different committee has jurisdiction over that issue. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved legislation last month that would require a 17 percent reduction in emissions by 2020, in addition to imposing a renewable power requirement.

President Barack Obama has called for the nation to get 25 percent of its power from renewable sources such as wind and solar by 2025. The Senate plan calls for a 15 percent requirement by 2021. About a quarter of that could be offset by gains in energy efficiency.

Some environmental groups have called for a more aggressive renewable electricity standard than the Senate committee approved today. Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia have their own programs to encourage renewable energy.

For more on today's vote: The NY Times has complete coverage on it's political blog, The Caucus.

UDALL ADDRESSES N.M. LEGISLATURE ABOUT JOBS, CLEAN ENERGY AND HEALTH CARE

Earlier today in Santa Fe, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M., spoke to a joint session of the New Mexico Legislature about plans to address the country’s economic crisis, create clean energy jobs and fix America’s health care system. Read his remarks below:

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