The Obama administration has recently been strengthening efforts to establish the US as a leader in alternative energy, particularly solar power. In a recent statement after a $1.45 billion dollar conditional commitment to Abengoa Solar to build a solar field in Arizona, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said, “supporting this type of innovative renewable energy project is part of our commitment to creating a clean energy future while significantly reducing green house gases”. The US government has also provided other financial support, like a $400 million loan to Abound Solar Manufacturing LLC, to manufacture state-of-the-art thin-film solar panels.