The total investment in the approved projects summed $12.7 million including private sector contribution
United States Department of Energy headquarters on Independence Avenue. (Credit: US Department of Energy/Wikipedia.)
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Israel’s Ministry of Energy (MoE), and the Israel Innovation Authority held a virtual board meeting on November 3, 2021, resulting in the selection of six clean energy projects that were approved, to receive $5.48 million, under the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy program. The projects selected are in Advanced Vehicle Technologies, Batteries, Energy Efficiency, Storage, and Water-Energy Nexus.
U.S. Secretary of Energy, Ms. Jennifer M. Granholm, said: “Through the long-standing and successful BIRD Energy program with our Israeli partners, we are supporting the innovation in renewable energy and energy efficiency needed to tackle the global climate emergency. The projects announced will help us overcome barriers to scaling up carbon-free technology and supercharge the rapidly growing international clean energy economy.”
Israel’s Minister of Energy, Ms. Karin Elharar, said: “Innovation and cross-border cooperation are critical in the global fight against climate change. I am pleased to continue this collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy under the BIRD Foundation, which combines significant investment in groundbreaking innovation with joint efforts between companies from the two countries working to combat the climate crisis. The companies that were awarded this year exemplify superior research and development capabilities in the area of clean energy technologies, and their success will not only contribute to the fruitful cooperation between the United States and Israel but the entire planet.”
BIRD Energy was launched in 2009 under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, supporting research and development, benefiting both the United States and Israel. The program focuses on commercializing sustainable energy technologies that improve economic competitiveness, create jobs, and increase energy security.
To date, BIRD Energy has funded 60 cooperative Israel-U.S. clean energy projects for a total government investment of approximately $47.5 million and approximately $62 million in funds matched by the private sector to commercialize clean energy technologies.
Mr. Dror Bin, CEO, Israel Innovation Authority, said: “Technological innovations are a force multiplier in dealing with various pressing challenges. We consider the combination of innovation and global collaboration as a key in finding out-of-the-box solutions to the most significant challenge humanity faces – the Global Climate emergency. BIRD Energy is a platform designed to implement applied collaborations in this field and connect both countries’ needs and capabilities. These days, this activity is all the more important as the Climate Challenge gains top priority on the overall global agenda. ”
Dr. Eitan Yudilevich, Executive Director, BIRD Foundation, said: “The BIRD Energy program brings together U.S. and Israel companies for the joint development of innovative solutions and the accelerated adoption of cleaner energy sources, which is a global imperative. We thank the BIRD Energy program stakeholders for their continued leadership and support.”
Projects that qualify for BIRD Energy funding must include one U.S. and one Israeli company or a company from one of the countries paired with a university or research institution from the other. The partners must present a project that involves innovation in the area of energy and is of mutual interest to both countries. BIRD Energy has a rigorous review process and selects the most technologically meritorious projects along with those most likely to commercialize and bring about significant impact. Qualified projects must contribute at least 50% to project costs and commit to repayments if the project leads to commercial success.
Source: Company Press Release