DOE to create joint U.S.-Israel energy research center

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will build a joint U.S.-Israel energy research facility by 2017 to continue to foster cooperative research and development efforts between the two nations, the department announced on Friday.

““This act [U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014] builds on the DOE’s existing collaborations with our critical ally,” U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) said. “Establishing a joint center for innovation in areas of mutual interest including clean energy, water efficiency and cybersecurity could not come at a better time, given the rapidly-changing global energy landscape.”

The announcement was made at a joint subcommittee hearing of the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Science, Space, and Technology. According to DOE Assistant Secretary for Internal Affairs Jonathan Elkind, the facility will be a virtual center dedicated to collaborative research and development efforts between the U.S. and Israel.

The structure of the platform is still being finalized, and will depend upon resources and the outcomes of forthcoming discussions between the two nations.

The effort builds on Cantwell’s push to develop the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014, which sought to establish a joint center that prioritizes academic and industry research to advance energy innovation and supports the strategic corporation between the U.S. and Israel.