Congressman Sanford Bishop Jr., D-Ga., announced that Albany State University will receive $40,000 through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Clean Energy Education Prize Inspire Track. The program, which is spearheaded by the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, seeks to support the development or enhancement of clean energy-focused summer programs for K-12 and community college students.
“Our state continues to expand and welcome new manufacturing jobs,” Bishop said in a news release. “This is being spurred by major federal investments like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS & Science Act as well as a welcoming climate for businesses.
“In order to take full advantage of this growth, we must tap into the talent of our whole community by providing extensive science, technology, engineering, and math education. This investment in ASU will help broaden opportunities for students in southwest Georgia to be a part of our state’s growing economy.
“Albany State University possesses an unwavering commitment to student success and academic excellence,” ASU President Marion Fedrick said. “As the work force demand for STEM fields increases, we are dedicated to equipping our students to pursue and flourish as contributors and leaders in efficient and clean energy industries and STEM fields.”
The HBCU Clean Energy Education Prize supports President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which directs 40% of proceeds from certain federal investments to flow to disadvantaged communities by helping to build a diverse STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) pipeline to support America’s clean energy future.
Last year, 128 clean energy school buses were purchased by school districts across the country from Blue Bird Corporation, which manufactures the buses in Fort Valley. The purchases were made possible by rebates offered through the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, which was created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which Bishop supported.
In May, Anovion Technologies broke ground on a plant in Bainbridge that will create more than 400 jobs and manufacture electric vehicle battery components. Anovion received more than $100 million in federal funds through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the project. Additionally, Bishop helped lay the groundwork for this by securing direct appropriations for the city of Bainbridge to improve its industrial park’s water and wastewater systems, making it ready to welcome Anovion to southwest Georgia.
Credit: Albany Herald
Credit: Albany Herald
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