Biden–Harris Admin Announces $425 Million to Decarbonize & Manufacture Clean Energy Products in Former Coal Communities as Part of Investing in America Agenda – CleanTechnica

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Funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Will Create Good-Paying Manufacturing Jobs, Build Clean Energy Supply Chains, and Reduce Industrial Emissions

LOUISVILLE, COLO. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $425 million in funding to reduce industrial emissions and advance clean energy manufacturing essential to the U.S. energy supply chain as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The program will strengthen America’s energy security, create good paying jobs, cut climate pollution, and help ensure that the communities that powered our nation for generations reap the economic benefits of the clean economy. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and managed by the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC), the Advanced Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program will support small and medium-sized manufacturers in current and former coal communities that are focused on producing and recycling clean energy products, as well as investing in decarbonization at their facilities. This opportunity builds on a successful first round of investments in 2023, representing $275 million of federal investments across seven selected projects in seven states.

“All across America we’re seeing a manufacturing boom that is revitalizing communities while preserving and expanding the local workforce,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “DOE is utilizing the historic investments in President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to expand economic opportunities to ensure former coal communities can take full advantage of the clean energy transition and continue their leading role in powering our nation.”

The Advanced Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program is one of many historic BIL investments that supports the President Biden’s agenda to grow the U.S. industrial base and strengthen our supply chains, which includes investing in clean energy manufacturing. The program works to establish secure, resilient, domestic energy supply chains while creating high-quality jobs and revitalizing energy communities.

In this second round, DOE will prioritize two investment themes or “areas of interest”: 1) Clean Energy Manufacturing and Recycling (which was funded during the first round of the program) and 2) Industrial Decarbonization. Applications for Clean Energy Manufacturing and Recycling should aim to establish, re-equip, or expand an existing manufacturing or recycling facility for the production or recycling of advanced energy. Industrial Decarbonization, which is a new area of interest for the second round of the program, is focused on building or upgrading manufacturing facilities to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create low carbon materials. Projects under this funding program, across either area of interest, must occur in communities where coal mines have closed since December 31, 1999, or coal-fired power plants have closed since December 31, 2009. A mapping tool showing eligible communities under the program is available here.

All applicants are required to submit a plan demonstrating the project’s quantifiable impact and benefits to the workers and the local community through DOE’s commitment to: engaging communities and labor; investing in America’s workers through quality jobs; advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; and implementing the President’s Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal of 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities.

Read the full funding opportunity here. An informational webinar will be held on March 14, 2024, at 3:30 pm ET, register here. Concept papers, which are required, are due April 8, 2024, at 5:00 pm ET. Full applications are due June 24, 2024, at 5:00 pm ET.

Learn more about MESC’s mission to catalyze investments in America’s energy future and support of the re-shoring, skilling, and scaling of U.S. manufacturing across energy supply chains.

Courtesy of U.S. DOE.