The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today issued a $70 million funding opportunity announcement to establish its 7th Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute. This new coalition of industry, academia, and government partners aims to develop and scale technologies to electrify industrial process heating and reduce emissions across the industrial sector. The institute, along with a new federal advisory committee launched today, will convene a diverse group of stakeholders to advance industrial decarbonization technologies and help set the United States on a path to net-zero emissions by 2050.
“From manufacturing the products we rely on to creating thousands of good-paying jobs, the industrial sector is America’s economic engine,” said Kelly Speakes-Backman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “But to tackle the climate crisis we must decarbonize this vital sector, which is responsible for a third of our total domestic greenhouse gas emissions. Our newest institute and federal advisory committee will foster innovation to slash industrial emissions and strengthen America’s role as a leader in the global clean energy economy.”
Process heating creates thermal energy needed to manufacture a wide variety of industrial and consumer products. However, this energy-intensive process produces more carbon emissions than any other in the manufacturing sector. DOE’s new manufacturing institute will allocate up to $70 million in federal funding over the next five years, subject to appropriations, for research and development projects focused on low-carbon process heating technologies. As more renewable energy sources are added to the electric grid, the institute will work to electrify process heating and achieve deep decarbonization across the industrial sector.
Decarbonizing industry to meet the nation’s climate goals will require an all-industry approach. DOE's new Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee will capture a powerful range of perspectives including public and private entities, non-profit organizations, federal laboratories, labor groups, small- and large-scale industry, academia, independent researchers, local community organizers, and other federal government agencies. Committee members will report directly to the Secretary of Energy with a comprehensive strategy to lower the carbon footprint of America’s industrial base and increase economic competitiveness.
The Secretary of Energy will appoint 16-20 committee members for the federal advisory committee based on their individual qualifications, as well as the need to achieve a balanced representation of viewpoints, subject matter expertise, and regional knowledge. Nominations will be open through August 1, 2022.
The new institute will join DOE’s six existing Manufacturing USA Institutes funded through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office. AMO will also manage operations of the Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee.
To learn more about the new manufacturing institute, register to attend an informational webinar on July 14th and read the funding application and submission requirements. Concept papers are due on August 9th, at 5:00 p.m. ET. To learn more about the advisory committee and the member nomination process, visit AMO’s website or contact ITIAC@ee.doe.gov.