DOE launches Clean Fuels and Products Shot to reduce GHG emissions

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched a new initiative that aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from carbon-based fuels and products.

The initiative, called the Clean Fuels and Products Shot, focuses on reducing carbon emissions from the fuel and chemical industry through more sustainable sources of carbon to achieve a minimum of 85 percent lower GHG emissions as compared to fossil-based sources by 2035. It aims to meet projected 2050 net-zero emissions demands for 100 percent of aviation fuel; 50 percent of maritime, rail, and off-road fuel; and 50 percent of carbon-based chemicals by using sustainable carbon resources.

“DOE is invested in decarbonizing the transportation and chemical industries by accelerating technologies necessary to reduce emissions from the manufacturing of fuels and chemicals,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “This Energy Earthshot will advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to diversify the domestic supply chain with cost-competitive, clean fuels and products for daily use and establish the U.S. as a world leader in clean fuel and clean carbon-based chemical production.”

The announcement was made by Granholm at the Idaho National Laboratory this week, where a ribbon-cutting also took place for the Biofuels National User Facility, a $15 million facility upgrade at Idaho National Laboratory.

Clean Fuels and Products Shot supports the development of sustainable feedstocks and conversion technologies necessary to produce crucial fuels, materials, and carbon-based products that are better for the environment than current petroleum-derived components. Further, the Clean Fuels and Products Shot can help eliminate more than 650 million metric tons (MMT) of carbon dioxide equivalent per year by 2050. It would also establish the United States as a global leader in clean fuel and chemical production, create jobs, and bolster energy security.

This effort aligns with the interagency Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge, as well as the DOE’s broader Energy Earthshots portfolio.

It is supported by several DOE offices, including the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office; Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office; Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technologies Office; the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management; Office of Science’s Biological and Environmental Research; Basic Energy Sciences; Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations; and Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy.