Electricity Storage Innovation Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5640, the Electricity Storage Innovation Act. This legislation directs the Department of Energy to focus on basic research that provides the foundation for technology breakthroughs in battery storage technology.
In the field of electricity storage research, there is a lot of excitement about more efficient batteries that could operate for longer durations under decreased charge times, but not enough people are asking about how we could design a battery system that moves more electrons at the atomic level--a key aspect to drastically increasing the efficiency or power in a battery. This transformational approach, known as multivalent ion intercalation, will use the foundational study of electrochemistry to build a better battery from the ground up.
Mr. Speaker, in Congress, we must take the long-term view. We must be patient. We must make smart investments in research that can lead to the next big discovery. H.R. 5640 authorizes the fundamental chemistry and materials research that can lead to advanced electricity storage technology and allows us to gain new knowledge that could provide benefits across the economy. Pardon the pun, but that is our charge.
DOE must prioritize basic research over grants for technology that is ready for commercial deployment. When the government steps in to push today's technology in the energy market, it competes, Mr. Speaker, against private investors and uses limited taxpayer resources to do so. But when the government supports basic research and development, everyone has the opportunity to access that fundamental knowledge that can lead to the development of future energy technologies.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Smith for introducing this important legislation to prioritize fundamental science research. I urge my colleagues to support this innovative, fiscally responsible legislation. You know I am right.
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