Inside the Call for Sustainable Manufacturing

Manufacturing Business Technology (9/24, Michel) – On September 9, a coalition of groups involved in U.S. manufacturing called on the federal government to strengthen its strategy for “smart, safe, and sustainable” production. One of the specific requests in the call was that the government [should] establish a $2 billion public-private partnership to research and develop a manufacturing “greenprint” for sustainable manufacturing.

The organizations making the call for an improved federal manufacturing strategy see the success of greenprint as being accelerated if the government adds funding for research & development, as well as better financing to make the technologies more affordable for U.S. manufacturers. ACEEE’s Elliott says there are plenty of potential objectives that a $2 billion public-private partnership program might address. Among these:

- Expand the Industrial Assessment Center program under the Department of Energy (DOE), which Elliot says is currently funded at about $4 million a year, eventually up to about $40 million annually.
- Expand the Industrial R&D program under the DOE from current funding of $18 million a year, to as much as $250 million annually.
- Developing funding and finance mechanisms for manufacturers to invest in greenprint technologies.