President Biden’s Investing in America agenda supports projects across seven states that aim to reduce CO2 emissions, create high-quality jobs, and improve air quality. As part of this agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated $251 million to fund 12 projects that will enhance the nation’s carbon management capabilities. These projects, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will expand infrastructure for carbon dioxide (CO2) transportation and storage, helping to significantly reduce CO2 emissions from power generation and industrial operations in a responsible manner. The DOE has also announced a five-year, $2.25 billion funding opportunity to support the development of commercial-scale carbon storage infrastructure, which aligns with President Biden’s goal of achieving a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.
According to U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm, President Biden’s agenda will lead to less pollution, cleaner air, and more job opportunities. The clean energy investments made by the DOE will help establish the necessary infrastructure to combat carbon pollution from industries and the power sector. This initiative will not only revitalize local economies but also yield significant public health benefits.
The projects announced are focused on capturing, transporting, and storing hundreds of millions of tons of CO2 emissions annually. By doing so, these initiatives will contribute to mitigating the impacts of climate change, including global warming, droughts, wildfires, rising sea levels, floods, severe storms, and declining biodiversity.
Furthermore, nine projects have been selected to receive a total of $242 million in funding to develop large-scale carbon storage projects capable of securely storing 50 million metric tons or more of carbon dioxide. These projects, under Phase III of the Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) Initiative, will emphasize site characterization, planning, and permitting stages, and applicants were required to submit Community Benefits Plans that highlight how the projects will promote quality jobs, environmental justice, and community partnerships.
Additionally, three projects have been selected to receive $9 million in funding for detailed engineering design studies of regional CO2 pipeline networks. These studies will focus on developing innovative methods for the efficient and safe transport of captured CO2 from various sources to locations where it can be used for manufacturing carbon-based products or stored permanently.
To encourage further developments, the DOE has reopened the Carbon Storage Validation and Testing funding opportunity, with a modified scope that includes storage complex feasibility and expands the definition of large-scale storage. Projects funded under these opportunities must prioritize societal considerations and engage with communities actively. They are also expected to deliver economic and environmental benefits, engage in community and stakeholder outreach, promote diversity and inclusion, support workforce development, and report on their activities and outcomes related to community and worker benefits.