Bipartisan Strategies To Build Strong American Industry

U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee Report Offers Recommendations for Modern, Competitive Industry

Industry is the backbone of the U.S. economy, driving innovation and producing essential products that support daily life. Strengthening domestic manufacturing is key to fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and ensuring supply chain resilience. Advancing industrial technology with bipartisan support is essential to achieving these objectives.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee (ITIAC) recently released its inaugural report, outlining strategies to modernize American industry. The recommendations focus on advancing manufacturing, creating high-quality jobs, reducing pollution, and maintaining global technological leadership.

However, ITIAC’s future is uncertain. The new administration has taken down its web page and limited DOE staff collaboration with the committee. ITIAC, a nonpartisan and unpaid body, plays a crucial role in guiding DOE’s efforts to maximize industrial innovation.

As ITIAC’s Vice Chair, I observed broad consensus among industry representatives, labor groups, NGOs, and state governments on key solutions. Many recommendations build on existing DOE initiatives that effectively support U.S. industrial growth. This report is just the beginning; future efforts will address additional topics crucial to our industrial future, including critical minerals, advanced nuclear, and carbon capture.

America is on the brink of an industrial renaissance, and ITIAC’s recommendations provide a roadmap for DOE to drive innovation. Here are five essential areas of focus:

1. DOE Strategy and Budget:
   We identify DOE offices critical to industrial growth and suggest increased funding. We also propose improvements in technology prioritization, data sharing, and funding accessibility.

2. Cross-Cutting Technologies:
   We highlight how DOE can accelerate commercialization of transformative technologies such as energy and material efficiency, electrification, and hydrogen.

3. Industry-Specific Support:
   Targeted strategies can enhance key industries, including chemicals, steel, cement, paper, and food production. Collaboration with specialized DOE-backed institutes can drive innovation.

4. Overcoming Barriers:
   The DOE should support industrial electrification, enhance grid infrastructure, and bridge the commercialization gap for emerging technologies through ARPA-E and the Loan Programs Office.

5. Workforce and Community Engagement:
   Expanding technical training programs and workforce development initiatives will equip workers for advanced manufacturing jobs while addressing local community concerns.

The DOE plays a vital yet under appreciated role in fostering clean, competitive U.S. industry. Its programs, national labs, and funding mechanisms drive innovation, benefiting the economy and national security. Advancing American manufacturing isn’t a partisan issue—it’s a shared priority essential for the country’s future.

* A longer version of this article ran on Forbes, you can read it here.