Full Title: Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Industrial Decarbonization
Author(s): Katheryn Scott, Andrew Gilbert, Joshua Freeman, Maressa Brennan, Sam Goldman, Charles Gertler, Jun Shepard, Tomas Green, and Rory Jacobson
Publisher(s): U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date: September 12, 2023
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
Industrial decarbonization presents a vital opportunity to transform industrial systems to improve energy and environmental justice. Today, U.S. industrial players are at risk of lagging behind net-zero targets, with a focus on short-term, easy-to-implement solutions; however, momentum is growing for deployment of industrial decarbonization solutions. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act have created unprecedented tools to support industrial decarbonization, customers are demanding low-carbon products (e.g., steel for auto), and early private sector movers are emerging. Achieving meaningful reductions could require up to $1,100 billion in capital expenditure and a bold shift in leadership and technology adoption across various sectors. Carbon-intensive industrial sectors are facing a critical inflection point and society is focused on accelerating deep decarbonization; this is a unique moment that neither American industry nor DOE can allow to pass.
There are three new reports focused on industrial decarbonization in the Pathways to Commercial Liftoff series. The goal of this family of pathway reports is to provide a guide to a private sector-led, industry-wide decarbonization effort that is deeper and faster than it would otherwise be and that directly benefits fenceline communities by emphasizing environmental justice and the creation of good jobs.
The report Pathway to Commercial Liftoff: Industrial Decarbonization provides an overview of the pathways to decarbonization across eight industrial sectors of focus: chemicals, refining, iron & steel, food & beverage processing, pulp & paper, cement, aluminum, and glass.