• 5 MIN READ

Industrial Innovation Initiative Statement on the Cancellation of DOE Awards

The following statement may be attributed to David Soll, Industrial Decarbonization Manager at the Great Plains Institute. The Industrial Innovation Initiative (I3) is a coalition of leaders from industry, labor, and nonprofit organizations focused on strengthening American industry and reducing industrial emissions.   

“Today’s announced cancellation of 24 DOE-funded projects will slow progress in modernizing America’s industrial sector. I3 is particularly disappointed that DOE canceled 18 awards totaling more than $2.9 billion made through the Industrial Demonstrations Program (IDP). This decision will delay the implementation of projects intended to demonstrate and scale various technologies, including carbon management, electrification, and thermal energy storage. The commercialization of these technologies is critical to ensuring American competitiveness. The canceled awards include projects across the United States, with cuts to projects in the Gulf Coast region alone exceeding $1 billion.  

“Suspending federal investments will discourage private investment. IDP grant recipients must match federal funds, and many had plans to invest far more than the federal government in these projects. In most cases, awardees have already made significant investments in planning these projects. An analysis by Greenlight Insights, in partnership with the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), finds that the cancellation of the 24 Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) projects could result in the loss of 25,000 jobs and $4.6 billion in economic output. By canceling these projects, DOE risks creating a scenario in which the American taxpayer and businesses have invested billions without any results.   

“Above all, businesses require certainty to plan and execute projects. Canceling these projects will not only harm the recipients counting on these funds but could also deter other American companies from seeking public support for retrofits and improvements that can bring enormous benefits to facilities, communities, and consumers. Canceling these important awards also creates the risk that companies in other countries will gain a competitive edge in producing the critical materials that households and businesses rely on. American manufacturing competitiveness is contingent on strong support from the public sector.  

“We will continue to work with congressional champions, companies, non-governmental advocates, and labor to build the case for deploying innovative technologies across the nation.”   

###  

The Industrial Innovation Initiative (I3) is an ambitious coalition focused on strengthening American industry and reducing industrial emissions through policy development and implementation, technology demonstration and adoption, and demand-side market development. The Initiative builds on years of stakeholder engagement by its co-conveners, Great Plains Institute and World Resources Institute, to establish consensus around and advocate for key industrial policies and initiatives. 

Share this post

Stay current

Keep up with I3 by joining our Newsletter.

Subscription

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Labor Engagement Manager for Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Alejandro comes to GPI from Labor Union SEIU-United Service Workers West. He represented union workers from downtown Los Angeles and LA’s westside corridor of Century City, Westwood, and Beverly Hills. Alejandro enforced various collective bargaining agreements for union workers, ensuring annual wage increases, health insurance, and other benefits and protections. In addition, he worked with union leaders and outside stakeholders, such as community partners, public agencies, politicians, and industry experts, to develop and execute union campaigns. Alejandro was also part of the Los Angeles-Justice for Janitors 2021 union contract campaign—he helped execute and coordinate large-scale actions across LA’s metropolitan area. Previously, he served as the Nevada state canvassing director at For Our Future Action Fund. He holds a BA in international studies and Italian from the University of Kansas.

Senior Program Coordinator for Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Carrie Danner joined the Great Plains Institute in 2023 and serves as the operations coordinator for the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management team. In her work, she supports all projects within the program to elevate operations, particularly in grant-making and event planning. Carrie earned a bachelor’s degree from Knox College in environmental studies. Prior to joining GPI, she supported programs at the Conservation Corps of Minnesota & Iowa as their member experience administrator.

Industry Program Coordinator, GPI

Alana joined GPI in 2024 as a program associate on the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management team, specifically supporting the Industrial Innovation Initiative, where she helps to advance industrial decarbonization through GPI’s consensus-building approach. Alana previously worked as an account executive at Jamf, where she helped current K-12 education customers improve and scale the management and security of their Apple device deployments. Alana has spent most of her professional years working with Minnesota nonprofits, including two years as an AmeriCorps member with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. She holds a bachelor’s degree in community environmental studies from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Zachary Byrum, Research Analyst, WRI

Zachary Byrum is a Research Analyst in WRI's U.S. Climate Program, where he provides technology and policy analysis for carbon removal and deep decarbonization. His work focuses on pathways to reduce industrial emissions as well as bolstering technological carbon removal. Prior to WRI, Zach was a research assistant in the Carbon Management Research Initiative at the Center on Global Energy Policy. In the preceding years, he served as White House Intern in the National Economic Council under the Obama Administration and then an assistant analyst at the Congressional Budget Office. Zach holds a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Goucher College.

Senior Advisor of Industrial Innovation, WRI United States

Angela Anderson is the Director of Industrial Innovation and Carbon Removal in the Climate Program. She leads WRI's growing portfolio of work in industrial decarbonization and carbon removal and aims to change narratives around “hard-to-abate” sectors and promote the natural and technological interventions required to achieve net-zero targets. Prior to joining WRI, Angela worked as a program director, coalition builder, international advocate, and campaign strategist. She led the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists for ten years; facilitated US-NGO engagement in the international climate negotiations while at US Climate Action Network and at the Pew Environmental Trust; and founded Clear the Air, a national coalition to reduce pollution from power plants. Angela holds a B.A. in political science from Colorado State University.

Vice President of Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Patrice Lahlum is the Vice President of the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management program at the Great Plains Institute. The Institute, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, works with diverse stakeholders and communities across the country to transform the energy system to benefit people, the economy, and the environment. We strive to combine our unique consensus-building approach, expert knowledge and analysis, and local action to promote solutions that strengthen communities, shore up the nation’s industrial base, and enhance domestic energy independence, all while eliminating carbon emissions. Patrice oversees several initiatives, including the Carbon Capture Coalition, Industrial Innovation Initiative, Carbon Action Alliance, and the Regional Carbon Capture Deployment Initiative.

Senior Content Specialist for Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Kate Sullivan joined the Great Plains Institute in 2019. As Senior Content Specialist, Kate uses her analytical and design skills to provide research, writing, and logistical support across the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management team. Prior to joining GPI, Kate worked as an Energy Counselor in the Center for Energy and Environment’s residential department, assisting homeowners with their energy needs and providing resources for efficiency upgrades. Kate earned her BA in Biology from St. Olaf College with an emphasis in Environmental Studies.

Senior Program Manager for Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Jill Syvrud joined the Great Plains Institute in 2017 and serves as the program manager for the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management Program. In addition to overseeing the overall program, Jill directly supports the Industrial Innovation Initiative, a coalition advancing decarbonization solutions for the Midcontinent region’s most important industrial sectors. Jill earned a bachelor of science in biology from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and a master of science degree in science technology and environmental policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Jill’s past experience includes multiple graduate research assistantships concentrating on technology innovation and sustainable megacities, as well as a previous position as an administrative and outreach coordination intern with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.