I am very pleased to be here today, for several reasons.  One is that I know GT Equipment has received DOE funds through the Small Business and Innovative Research program, to focus on a low-cost process for production of crystalline silicon for wafers in solar cell production.  So I have a professional interest in visiting, to see where the Department’s funds have gone.  I can tell you, I am pleased and impressed. 

           

The United States has been the historical leader in solar technologies, starting with the breakthrough invention of the solar cell at Bell Labs more than fifty years ago.  Today, firms such as GT Solar are continuing the tradition of U.S. leadership and innovation. 

           

Second, I have a personal interest in the technology itself.  I am an engineer by training, I used to teach the subject, in fact.  So I am also fascinated to see the latest developments in science and engineering, and I appreciate the tour we just took. 

           

Another reason is that I want make clear how committed the Bush Administration and our Department are to developing solar technologies that provide the country with an economically competitive energy option.

           

President Bush, myself, and other Cabinet Secretaries and Energy Department officials are on the road this week to highlight the President’s strategy to increase our energy security that he laid out in the State of the Union.  I would guess many of you saw or read the speech.

           

First, the President announced the American Competitiveness Initiative.  This Initiative recognizes that for the United States to retain its economic leadership in an increasingly competitive world, we must retain our scientific leadership.  That is why the President has committed to doubling federal spending on research into the physical sciences over the next ten years. 

           

Many people don’t realize that the DOE is, in fact, the largest funder of research into the physical sciences.  Most of this research is conducted at our network of world-class National Laboratories, administered by our Office of Science.  And to implement the President’s agenda for keeping America’s competitive edge in the world, our Department is supporting critical research into the transformational new technologies of the 21 ^st century, areas like nanotechnology, material science, biotechnology, and high-speed computing.

           

President Bush also announced the new Advanced Energy Initiative, to increase spending on clean-energy sources that will transform our transportation sector, indeed the whole economy, and reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels. 

           

Part of this initiative includes the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.  This is a groundbreaking new international effort to help meet the world’s rapidly growing electricity needs with safe, emissions-free nuclear power, while enhancing our ability to keep nuclear technology and material out of the hands of those who seek to use it for non peaceful purposes. 

           

In addition to safe nuclear power, the Advanced Energy Initiative also seeks to strengthen our energy diversity with new investments in renewable energy sources, such as the $149 million for Biomass and Biofuels programs, and another $289 million to continue our work in developing hydrogen fuels cells, as well as additional funding to improve the technology of batteries for hybrid cars. 

           

Of course, solar energy is a critical part of this Initiative.  In fact, the President’s FY 2007 budget seeks approximately $148 million for solar energy technologies.  The bulk of that, about $139 million, will go toward research into photovoltaics, and about $9 million will be dedicated to so-called “concentrating solar power.”  With these funds, the Department of Energy will aggressively support public-private partnerships to develop the solar technologies with the greatest potential for cost competitiveness by 2015.

           

The President’s Solar America Initiative represents a shift in how we are pursuing solar energy technologies. In the past, we emphasized reducing costs through incremental technology improvements.  Now, our emphasis is on funding industry-led “Technology Pathway Partnerships” to rapidly accelerate market-ready photovoltaic systems using aggressive new goals, and a new focus on manufacturing and production R&D barriers. These partnerships will include our network of National Laboratories, as well as universities, states and other public entities, working together to develop new technologies. 

 

We are enthusiastic about the promise that solar energy holds.  And we believe our Solar America Initiative will help provide clean and renewable sources of energy, while reducing our dependence on natural gas.  Enhancing our use of solar energy will diversify our electricity portfolio, enhance grid reliability, and create significant environmental gains by displacing fossil fuel.

           

In fact, over the next ten years, the funds we are putting into solar research and development will provide up to10 gigawatts of electric capacity--equivalent to the amount of electricity needed to power 2 million homes--while avoiding 10 million metric tons per year of CO ₂ emissions, and employing 30,000 new workers in the PV industry.   

           

Ray Orbach, who heads our Department’s Office Science, likes to point out that more energy from sunlight strikes the earth in one hour than all the energy consumed on our planet in a year.  If we can learn to harness even a small part of that, we can make enormous strides in meeting our growing energy needs.

           

And I am confident that we can do it. 

           

One of my favorite experiences as Energy Secretary has been kicking off an event our Department sponsors called the Solar Decathlon.  This is a contest to design and build energy-efficient homes powered entirely by the sun.  Teams of college students from all over the world gathered on the National Mall last fall to display the small homes that they transported from their campuses.  Each one of them was a marvel of ingenuity and innovation.  It was inspiring… and if any of the managers here at GT Solar are ever in the market for bright young talent, I suggest you drop by the next contest in 2007.

           

Solar technology won’t solve all the energy challenges we face.  As I am sure you know, we need a balanced and diverse mix of energy sources.  But solar--and renewable energy more broadly-- will go a long way to ensuring that we have the energy we need to keep our economy moving and growing.  

           

With that, let me close my remarks and thank you once again for your hospitality and your attention.