WASHINGTON – The Department of Energy announced Monday that it will commit up to $6 billion to 33 projects across more than 20 states to decarbonize energy-intensive industries and reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm told reporters in a conference call ahead of the announcement that the total investment in the initiative would be $20 billion, taking into account the companies' share in the project.
“These projects will provide solutions to reduce emissions in some of the most emitting sectors of our economy, including steel, aluminum, cement, concrete chemicals, food and beverage, and pulp and paper. ” she said. “And these industries together account for about a third of her carbon footprint.”
The project, billed as the “largest investment in history” in industrial decarbonization, will be funded by the bipartisan Infrastructure and Inflation Control Act and will remove 14 million tons of pollution each year, according to the Department of Energy. become.
“This is the equivalent of taking approximately 3 million gas-powered cars off the road,” Granholm said.
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In Ravenswood, West Virginia, for example, aluminum products maker Constellium plans to install a first-of-its-kind zero-carbon aluminum foundry and could receive up to $75 million in federal funding. The aluminum rolling facility is one of the largest in the world, supplying material to the aerospace, defense, marine and transportation sectors.
Kraft Heinz, the multinational food company that makes mac and cheese, will receive up to $170.9 million to upgrade, electrify and decarbonize food production at 10 facilities nationwide, including one in Holland, Michigan. .
“Drying that much macaroni requires a lot of heat and creates a lot of exhaust gas,” Granholm said. “The project will therefore introduce clean technologies such as heat pumps, electric heaters and electric boilers to reduce emissions by 99%.”
The Energy Secretary is scheduled to travel to Middletown, Ohio, to make the announcement on Monday. She will visit Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Co., the largest flat steel producer in the United States. The company plans to abolish its blast furnace and install two electric furnaces. The project will receive up to $500 million in federal funding.
“This will reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the facility by one million tons per year, which means cleaner water and cleaner air for the Middletown community,” she said.
Nearly 80% of projects are located in disadvantaged communities as defined by President Joe Biden's Justice 40 initiative, creating significant opportunities to invest in good jobs and clean air in areas that have experienced years of disinvestment. The ministry points out that it provides.
For example, the Cleveland-Cliffs project will maintain 170 permanent jobs and 1,200 temporary union workers, while retaining 2,500 existing jobs on site, including 2,000 International Machinists and Aerospace Association workers. construction jobs are expected to be created.
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is USA TODAY's White House correspondent. You can follow her at X @SwapnaVenugopal.
