The Biden administration is directing US$6bn in funding to speed up decarbonisation projects in energy-hungry industries such as cement, steel and aluminium making, which contribute nearly 25 per cent of US greenhouse gas emissions. The funding comes from the infrastructure bill signed by President Joe Biden in 2021, and the Inflation Reduction Act, the president signed last year. The scheme is part of President Joe Biden's pledge to decarbonise the US economy by 2050.
The Industrial Demonstrations Program will provide competitive grants to technology developers, industry, universities and others for up to 50 per cent of the cost of projects that aim to cut emissions from industry that also includes production of chemicals, ceramics and paper, the Department of Energy (DOE) said.
US Energy Secretary, Jennifer Granholm, said the programme will help cut pollution while ensuring the competitiveness of US manufacturing. The decarbonisation technologies should be something "we can learn from and then have that technology be replicated and taken to scale," Ms Granholm said.
Concept papers expressing interest in the grants are due by 21 April, with full applications due on 4 August, the DOE said.
