DOE Invests $96M in Decarbonizing Domestic Transportation, Non-Road Vehicles

The Department of Energy has earmarked $96 million for efforts to reduce emissions in the domestic transportation sector. 

DOE said the investment will advance President Joe Biden’s vision of achieving a net-zero economy by 2050. According to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Biden’s goal requires wider access to electric vehicles as well as the modernization of vehicles used in high-emission industries.  

“DOE is investing in clean mobility options that will eliminate harmful emissions, reduce our reliance on volatile fossil fuels and cut energy costs,” Granholm added.

On the electric vehicle side, the money will fund an expansion of the U.S. charging infrastructure, the DOE said Thursday. The objective is to have electric vehicles account for half of all car sales in 2030.

The department also plans to invest in developing next-generation electric vehicles, new multi-functional materials for better car performance and research in non-road vehicles that are less environmentally harmful.

Parties interested in the funding opportunity announcement have until Aug. 25 to submit a concept paper. Full applications are due Nov. 10.

Biden recently visited a defunct coal power plant in Massachusetts, where he announced a slate of executive actions on climate that he plans to take, CNN reported Wednesday.

He called climate change a “clear and present danger” but stopped short of declaring a national climate emergency, which, according to experts cited by The Hill, would unlock new powers for the president but carry political risks.