Advanced Energy United joined over 40 manufacturers and developers, labor and consumer groups, and environmental and clean energy business organizations in calling on Congress to provide robust funding for high-capacity transmission development and research through the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2024 budget. 

The call for funding was delivered in a jointly signed letter that points to new research including from the Department of Energy’s own Transmission Needs Study, which states, in part, that there is a “pressing need for additional electric transmission infrastructure” in nearly all regions of the country. The DOE study also states that there is a need for increased funding for the Grid Deployment Office (GDO), Office of Electricity (OE), and Energy Information Administration (EIA), which is “critical to drive substantial clean energy deployment, unleash billions in private investment, create thousands of new jobs, deliver low-cost energy to benefit customers, and substantially reduce emissions.” 

In particular, United and the other signers of the letter call for: 

• Funding for the Grid Deployment Office: $107 million in FY24 to support innovative efforts to address planning and permitting challenges to enable a resilient and reliable electricity system. We are also supportive of GDO efforts to designate National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors on a route-specific, applicant-driven basis, pursuant to Section 216 of the Federal Power Act.  
• Funding for the Office of Electricity: $385 million in FY24 funding to help improve grid resiliency, and to support R&D for HVDC technology and long-distance transmission. 
• Funding for the Energy Information Administration: $156.55 million for total EIA FY24 funding to help support development of a publicly available emissions dashboard, which will not only improve transparency but also empower government agencies and energy customers to better manage their emissions and electricity use and inform purchasing decisions for businesses.

This call for funding is among many steps Advanced Energy United is taking with its business membership to support expansion of electric transmission infrastructure, which is vital to connect large-scale renewable energy resources to the electric grids in the U.S. United understands that the pathway to a 100% clean energy future in the U.S. requires commitments from all levels of government, including the federal government, to connect renewable energy resources and support electric reliability in order to keep up with the country’s energy demand needs.  

You can learn more about our campaign to expand electric transmission buildout, which is focused on policy advocacy, coalition building, and communication efforts to support federal, regional, and state actions to accelerate electric transmission buildout, by going to our Transmission Engagement Campaign page. 

You can click here to read or download a copy of the coalition letter to Congress.