Climate Policy Databases

Social, Geographic, and Equity Data on US Clean Tech Policy

Innovation in clean energy technology is essential for the United States to remain globally competitive and to achieve its climate change and energy security goals in an optimal, cost-effective manner. The United States, like many governments, has prioritized clean energy technology research and development (R&D) as an important element to its government economic stimulus efforts since 2020. Research shows that diverse and inclusive participation in R&D activities produces stronger innovation systems. It is critical that current energy technology spending not only deliver solutions for clean energy and US industrial competitiveness but do so in a manner that considers inclusive job growth and equitable economic development.

Diversity and Inclusion in Public Clean Energy Innovation Programs in the United States

Evaluation of US Department of Energy’s (DOE) public spending to promote the US clean energy technology innovation system (ETIS) has mainly focused on financial metrics. Innovation research has demonstrated, however, that there are other important criteria for success including elimination of barriers that block the expansion of the ETIS. We offer a unique data set on gender performance and geographic distribution for funding via DOE’s flagship loan guarantee program and conduct a review of research on published data from its Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR), in both cases from 2009 to 2022. We find that these two programs lacked significant geographic diversity over this time period. We provide observational data on the low numbers of women-led firms receiving awards in both programs and offer recommendations for how to improve the programs. 

Citation: Oh, S., Jaffe, A. M., Gallagher, K. S., Dominguez-Faus, R., and Dahl, E. (2024) “Diversity and Inclusion in Public Clean Energy Innovation Programs in the United States”, Climate Policy Lab, The Fletcher School, Tufts University.

Underlying data for SBIR-STTR 2010-2021 and loan gurantee programs can be found here.