UPDATE - US Invests In Development Of Biofuels For Aircraft, Ships - Energy Secretary

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th April, 2021) The United States is investing in the development of aircraft and ship biofuels as well as in the reduction of methane emissions in the fossil fuel industry, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a briefing on Thursday.

"Today, we are announcing another two funding opportunities for clean energy technology. One of them is to create next generation bio-fuels for airplanes and ships which are very hard to electrify, and the second is to announce clean energy technology funding opportunity to reduce methane emissions from the coal, oil, and gas industry," Granholm said.

According to the Energy Department press release published today, the amount of funding for the initiative is $61.4 million and will help accelerate the US on its way to zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Aircraft and ships are very difficult to electrify and therefore require a doubling down on research and development to accomplish that, Granholm added as cited by the release.

In another release today, the Energy Department announced up to $35 million funding for a new program that will focus on technologies to reduce methane emissions in the oil, gas, and coal industries to cut methane accumulation in the atmosphere and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Biofuels are produced by converting recently-living organic materials like crop waste, food waste, and algae into a liquid fuel, which can serve as a low-carbon equivalent to fossil-based fuels such as gasoline, jet, and diesel fuel, the release said.

President Joe Biden's Jobs Plan he announced in March envisions significant investments into the US infrastructure with green energy technologies being among the top priorities.