Department of Energy Seeks Input for a New Clean Energy Manufacturing Institute to Catalyze Industrial Decarbonization

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a request for information (RFI) to inform the creation of a new Clean Energy Manufacturing Institute focused on industrial decarbonization. Released by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the RFI seeks input from stakeholders in identifying key opportunities to decarbonize energy-intensive sectors across America’s economy through public-private collaboration.

“Industrial decarbonization is critical to our efforts to achieve a carbon-neutral economy by 2050,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kelly Speakes-Backman. “By creating an ecosystem of collaboration through the Manufacturing USA Institutes, DOE is accelerating the development of next-generation technology, supporting good-paying American jobs, and moving us closer to a cleaner, more efficient future.”

American innovation is needed to decarbonize the diverse industrial sector. The RFI requests input on two topic areas of interest, electrification of industrial processes and decarbonizing the metals industry. Stakeholder input will help provide focus for the potential new Institute to contribute technological advances for widespread industrial decarbonization.

1. Electrification of industrial processes: The development and deployment of industrial processes powered by electricity produced from clean energy sources is a vital pathway achieving decarbonization across the economy. This institute would work to achieve significant industrial decarbonization by 2030.
2. Decarbonizing the metal manufacturing industry: The metals industry is foundational to economic prosperity, energy infrastructure, and national security. It has a presence in all 50 states and directly employs more than a half million people. The metals industry also contributes 10% of national climate emissions. Possible areas of focus for the Institute include decarbonized manufacturing processes, alloys with improved performance, and acceleration of technology adoption.

This would be the seventh EERE-funded Institute that brings together public and private partners and technology development to create transformative, long-lasting change in manufacturing. The common goal of Clean Energy Manufacturing Institutes is to boost energy efficiency and technological innovation by increasing U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, accelerating the development of the manufacturing workforce, and transitioning innovative technologies into scalable, cost-effective, high-performing domestic manufacturing capabilities.   

An informational webinar for potential respondents will be held on September 2, 2021. Responses to this request for information are due on September 23, 2021 by 5:00 p.m. ET. 

DOE’s Manufacturing Institutes are funded through the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO). More information on the Clean Energy Manufacturing Institutes can be found here.

This announcement is part of DOE’s 2021 Future of Manufacturing campaign. For more information on DOE’s commitment to creating a resilient American manufacturing future that supports economy-wide decarbonization, and to join the conversation, visit the AMO website.

EERE’s mission is to accelerate the research, development, demonstration, and deployment of technologies and solutions to equitably transition America to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide by no later than 2050, and ensure the clean energy economy benefits all Americans, creating good paying jobs for the American people—especially workers and communities impacted by the energy transition and those historically underserved by the energy system and overburdened by pollution.