Energy agency announces $6 billion to slash emissions in industrial facilities

The Biden administration announced $6 billion in funding Monday for projects that will slash emissions from the industrial sector — the largest-ever U.S. investment to decarbonize domestic industry to fight climate change. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said during a call with news media that the technologies being funded are “replicable,” “scalable,” and will “set a new gold standard for clean manufacturing in the United States and around the world.” White House climate adviser Ali Zaidi said this funding aims to eliminate 14 million metric tons of pollution each year, equivalent to taking about 3 million cars off the road. There are not many U.S. plants that manufacture virgin steel, and even fewer make virgin aluminum, so tackling emissions at even just a few facilities could make an outsized contribution to reducing the country’s carbon footprint, said Todd Tucker at the Roosevelt Institute, the nonprofit partner of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. And they’re closing.” The investment for Century Aluminum Company is game-changing, Sartor said, because shifting to producing new aluminum with 100% clean energy will help the climate, stabilize the industry and create jobs.