DOE Launches New Energy Earthshot to Decarbonize Transportation and Industrial Sectors

The Clean Fuels & Products ShotTM Will Reduce Emissions and Develop Cost-Effective Fuels and Products for Aviation, Marine, and Other Hard-to-Decarbonize Sector

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the launch of the Clean Fuels & Products ShotTM, a new initiative that aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from carbon-based fuels and products critical to our way of life. This is the seventh DOE Energy Earthshot, which focuses on reducing carbon emissions from the fuel and chemical industry through alternative, more sustainable sources of carbon to achieve a minimum of 85% lower GHG emissions as compared to fossil-based sources by 2035. The Clean Fuels & Products ShotTM supports the national goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 by developing the 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. It aims to meet projected 2050 net-zero emissions demands for 100% of aviation fuel; 50% of maritime, rail, and off-road fuel; and 50% 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," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm . "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."

During the Secretary's announcement today at Idaho National Laboratory, a ribbon-cutting also took place for the Biofuels National User Facility, a $15 million, 3-year-long facility upgrade at Idaho National Laboratory funded by DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office and an important asset to reach the goals of the Clean Fuels & Products ShotTM. The enhanced state-of-the-art facility is designed to solve critical biofuels production challenges associated with the feeding, handling and preprocessing of diverse biomass and waste materials. Industry use of this facility will enable rapid technology development and large-scale commercialization of biofuels and bioproducts, an important component of the Biden-Harris Administration's goals related to clean fuels and products.

The Clean Fuels & Products Shot TM can help eliminate more than 650 million metric tons (MMT) of carbon dioxide equivalent per year by 2050. This significant decrease in the U.S. carbon footprint will establish the United States as a global leader in clean fuel and chemical production, create jobs, and bolster energy security by building robust and versatile supply chains for fuels and products.

This effort aligns with the interagency Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge, as well as DOE's broader Energy EarthshotsTM portfolio, leveraging breakthroughs in critical energy technologies from the Carbon Negative ShotTM, the Hydrogen Shot TM, and the Industrial Heat Shot TM. The Shot also advances goals within the Justice40 Initiative, White House Executive Order 13985, and White House Executive Order 14091 to ensure the benefits of the clean energy economy reach all U.S. communities.

This initiative 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.

To learn more, read the Clean Fuels & Products Shot factsheet and visit the initiative's website.

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