Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced $6 billion in funding for 33 projects to decarbonize energy-intensive industries, including iron and steel and aluminum. The announcement was made at Cleveland-Cliffs' facility in Middletown, Ohio.
Cliffs and SSAB Americas have both been selected by DOE for award negotiations for innovative steelmaking technology projects they are developing.
“[The] announcement by DOE is recognition of the leadership of the American steel industry in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and producing the cleanest steel in the world. AISI member companies are developing innovative technologies to enhance steelmaking in the United States, where we already produce steel that is less GHG emissions-intensive than foreign steel. We are proud that AISI members Cleveland-Cliffs and SSAB Americas were selected today to partner with DOE to continue leading the way with revolutionary technologies,” said AISI President and CEO Kevin Dempsey.
The DOE also announced grants for four major projects aimed at further decarbonizing aluminum operations in the United States. The awards total more than $650.
The aluminum-specific projects include:
•Up to $500 million to Century Aluminum to build the first new U.S. primary aluminum smelter in 45 years.
•Up to $75 million to Constellium to deploy a first-of-a-kind zero carbon aluminum casting plant in the U.S. at its Ravenswood, W.Va., facility.
•Up to $22.3 million to Golden Aluminum to upgrade its Fort Lupton, Colo., facility using the Nexcast process to reduce natural gas consumption, improve process efficiency and recycle 15 percent more mixed-grade aluminum scrap.
•Up to $67.3 million to Real Alloy to construct the first zero-waste salt slag recycling facility in the U.S. and the most energy efficient facility of its kind in Wabash, Ind.
“We are thrilled for the aluminum manufacturers that have been awarded these major investments to help accelerate industry decarbonization efforts and thank the Department of Energy for recognizing aluminum’s critical role in the clean energy transition. We appreciate the Biden Administration’s leadership and the bipartisan support for next generation infrastructure investment,” said Charles Johnson, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association.