Additional Author

Author Bio

Passionate about renewable energy, as director of government affairs for Applied Materials, Mike is focused on comprehensive climate and energy legislation.

Corporate

Applied Material Hosts Congressman Lamar Smith

By Mike Dabbs

Apr112013

Applied Materials recently hosted Congressman Lamar Smith, representative for the 21st Congressional District of Texas, at the company’s Austin facility for an in-depth overview of the semiconductor industry, global challenges and opportunities ahead and Applied’s leadership role in the industry.

Congressman Smith chairs the influential Science, Space and Technology Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, which has jurisdiction over important programs within the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Science Foundation.

Solar

White House Hosts Seminar to Spur Renewable Energy Financing

By Mike Dabbs

Mar272012

The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) hosted a renewable energy tax equity seminar recently at the White House. The seminar was designed to promote private sector investment in tax equity partnerships for solar, wind and other renewable energy projects. Since the 2008 economic crisis, financing available for renewable energy projects has been limited as the renewable tax equity markets have been very slow to recover.

Solar

ASPEN Clean Energy Forum

By Mike Dabbs

Jul292011

Last week I attended the Aspen Institute’s annual Clean Energy Economy Roundtable, from July 21–24, 2011 in Colorado to participate in conference discussions that focused on policy tools needed to further accelerate the clean energy economy while highlighting innovations in clean-tech policy, renewable energy and financing already underway.

Corporate

COMPETES Act Reauthorization: Critical Investment in America's Competitiveness

By Mike Dabbs

Dec272010

The House of Representatives’ vote on Tuesday to reauthorize the America COMPETES Act is essential to ensuring we stay at the front of the pack as a leader in scientific and technological innovation. The COMPETES ACT investment of $46 billion over the next three years for basic research programs aimed at boosting science, technology, engineering and math education will help the U.S. encourage innovation and economic growth here at home at a time when we need it most.

Solar

A Little “TLC” for Clean Energy

By Mike Dabbs

Sep242010

This week on Capitol Hill, it appeared as though the House and Senate were finally seeing eye-to-eye on the issue of clean energy. In two separate hearings—one on the Global Clean Energy Race held by the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and one on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Guarantee Program (LGP) held by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee—the case for re-establishing the U.S. as the leader in clean energy manufacturing and deployment was well argued.

Solar

Revived Hope for Renewable Energy Legislation

By Mike Dabbs

Sep102010

To all the naysayers who questioned whether energy legislation could pass this year, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has an answer for them: not so fast. Speaking at the third annual National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Reid revived hopes that a bill would get through after all, albeit a much smaller one than the House approved last summer, which may even include the resurrection of a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES).

Solar

Innovating Toward our Next Great Industry

By Mike Dabbs

Aug252010

Yesterday, from the White House, Vice President Biden released a new report, “The Recovery Act: Transforming the American Economy through Innovation,” which outlines how the administration’s $100 billion investment in innovation has been, for the most part, money well spent. In his remarks, Biden highlighted four key areas where stimulus money was working:

•Modernizing transportation

•Jumpstarting the renewable energy sector

•Investing in groundbreaking medical research

•Building a platform that will enhance the private sector’s

Solar

Applied Materials Hosts The New Democrat Coalition

By Mike Dabbs

Aug32010

Recently Applied Materials hosted seven members of the New Democrat Coalition to discuss key issues affecting the development of clean energy technology in the U.S. The New Democrat Coalition (called the “New Dems” for short) is a group of seventy House of Representatives Democrats with a focus on pro-innovation and pro-growth policy objectives. The group met with Applied Materials Chairman and CEO, Mike Splinter for a roundtable meeting to discuss the current state of the solar industry, policy recommendations for improving clean-tech manufacturing and research and development in the U.S. and the effects of U.S. tax policy on the high-tech industry’s development.

Solar

President Obama Lends Support for Extending MTC Program

By Mike Dabbs

Jul132010

On Friday, President Obama called on Congress to extend the popular clean energy manufacturing tax credit (MTC) [Section 48C] program by approving an additional $5 billion in investment. This would more than double the $2.3 billion that Congress authorized last year as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

An investment of this size would create upwards of 40,000 jobs and generate more than $12 billion in private sector investment, which would lead to an additional 90,000 jobs, according to the president.