Ten U.S. Senators, lead by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), submitted a letter (PDF and press release) yesterday to Senators Kerry, Lieberman, and Graham (KLG) calling for stronger provisions to improve U.S. competitiveness in clean energy manufacturing.

The letter makes a strong appeal to U.S. competitiveness with China and outlines several provisions the Senators would like to see included in the energy and climate bill, which is now scheduled to be released by KLG on April 26th.  The letter states:

We know that other countries, in particular China, have already started to vie for leadership in the new clean energy economy. China has already become the world’s leading manufacturer of wind turbines and solar panels. This is a contest that America cannot afford to lose. Our nation’s economic future depends both on our global competitiveness and access to reliable energy sources. We must not allow our nation to become dependent on foreign clean energy industries or squander the opportunity to compete successfully in the global clean energy marketplace.

Senator Brown has been a leading advocate for advanced U.S. clean energy manufacturing, previously championing the Investments for Manufacturing Progress and Clean Technology (IMPACT) Act of 2009, which would create a $30 billion revolving loan program to help auto suppliers and other small and mid-sized manufacturers retool for the clean energy industry.

The letter recommends several provisions, including the research, development, and deployment of clean energy technology, which aligns with recommendations in our recent report, “Rising Tigers, Sleeping Giant,” as well as the “Jumpstarting a Clean Energy Revolution” report by Breakthrough Institute and Third Way, released with Senator Brown last year.  In this area the letter calls for the following:

Support Research, Development, and Deployment of Low-Carbon Industrial Technologies.

For American manufacturers to compete globally, they must develop and adopt more affordable and reliable clean energy technologies than those that exist today. This major industrial transformation will require substantial federal support through public-private partnerships.  A national initiative for low-carbon industrial technology would support the transition to a clean energy economy and create new economic opportunities for U.S. manufacturers. This initiative would improve the efficiency and global competitiveness of domestic manufacturers and reduce carbon emissions, particularly process-related emissions, in a commercially viable manner while helping small, medium, and large manufacturers meet these goals.

See the full letter (PDF) and press release.