United States: USD 41 million for Energy Conversion Technologies

The DOE is investing $41 million in 14 projects aimed at converting renewable energies into liquid fuels to reduce industrial emissions and improve energy sustainability.

Share:

Technologies renouvelables pour combustibles liquides

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is investing $41 million to support 14 projects dedicated to converting renewable energies into liquid fuels.
These innovative technologies, developed under the GREENWELLS program of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), aim to transform wind and solar energy into liquids that can replace traditional fossil fuels.
This approach aims to overcome the challenges of interconnecting renewable energies with the national power grid, while reducing emissions from industrial sectors that are difficult to decarbonize.
Among the projects selected, the Georgia Institute of Technology is working on an electrochemical reactor capable of producing syngas for the manufacture of hydrocarbons.
HeatPath Solutions is focusing on an innovative methanol synthesis method, while Susteon is developing a technology to produce aviation fuels from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

Reducing Costs and Emissions with Renewable Energies

These new technologies aim to reduce the cost of low-carbon fuels, currently estimated at around $10 per gallon.
By using low-cost renewable electricity sources, these systems can become more economically viable.
The GREENWELLS program, led by ARPA-E, seeks to store at least 50% of intermittent electrical energy in the form of carbon-containing liquids, offering an effective solution to the challenges posed by intermittent renewable energies.
The technologies developed under this program make it possible to use surplus energy from renewable production sites to create liquid fuels that can be used in various sectors, including transport.
The aim is to make these systems economically viable and facilitate a smoother, more sustainable energy transition.

Selected projects and future prospects

DOE-funded projects include a variety of innovative approaches to converting renewable energies into liquid fuels.
For example, the HeatPath Solutions project in Lewis Center, Ohio, is developing a new process for synthesizing methanol using intermittent electricity from renewable sources.
The project aims to create a method for on-site production and collection of methanol from modular reactors operating at moderate temperatures and pressures.
Meanwhile, Susteon in Cary, North Carolina, is working on a process to produce kerosene-based hydrocarbons using carbon dioxide, hydrogen and renewable electricity.
Their approach seeks to provide a new technology platform for the production of aviation fuels and other high-value fuels and chemicals.
DOE investments in these technologies mark a significant step towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy economy.
By supporting these innovative projects, the United States is strengthening its position as a world leader in the development and deployment of advanced energy technologies.
The focus on liquid renewable fuels could revolutionize the way renewable energies are integrated and used in industrial sectors, contributing to a substantial reduction in emissions and greater overall energy efficiency.

The European Commission is launching a special fund of EUR2.3bn ($2.5bn) to boost Ukraine’s reconstruction and attract private capital to the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Asia dominated global new renewable energy capacity in 2024 with 71% of installations, while Africa recorded limited growth of only 7.2%, according to the latest annual report from IRENA.
US President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act dramatically changes energy investment rules, imposing restrictions on renewables while favouring hydrocarbons, according to a recent report by consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie.
On July 8, 2025, the Senate validated the Gremillet bill, aimed at structuring France's energy transition with clear objectives for nuclear power, renewable energies, and energy renovation.
Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru significantly increase renewable electricity production, reaching nearly 70% of the regional electricity mix, according to a recent Wood Mackenzie study on Latin America's energy sector.
The Canadian government announces an investment of more than $40mn to fund 13 energy projects led by Indigenous communities across the country, aiming to improve energy efficiency and increase local renewable energy use.
A major electricity blackout paralyzed large parts of the Czech Republic, interrupting transport and essential networks, raising immediate economic concerns, and highlighting the vulnerability of energy infrastructures to unforeseen technical incidents.
French greenhouse gas emissions are expected to rise by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2025, indicating a global slowdown in reductions forecast for the full year, according to Citepa, an independent organisation responsible for national monitoring.
The Republican budget bill passed by the U.S. Senate accelerates the phase-out of tax credits for renewable energies, favoring fossil fuels and raising economic concerns among solar and wind industry professionals.
Rapid growth in solar and wind capacities will lead to a significant rise in electricity curtailment in Brazil, as existing transmission infrastructure remains inadequate to handle this massive influx of energy, according to a recent study by consulting firm Wood Mackenzie.
In April 2025, fossil fuels represented 49.5% of South Korea's electricity mix, dropping below the symbolic threshold of 50% for the first time, primarily due to a historic decline in coal-generated electricity production.
The US Senate Finance Committee modifies the '45Z' tax credit to standardize the tax treatment of renewable fuels, thereby encouraging advanced biofuel production starting October 2025.
According to the 2025 report on global energy access, despite notable progress in renewable energy, insufficient targeted financing continues to hinder electricity and clean cooking access, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
While advanced economies maintain global energy leadership, China and the United States have significantly progressed in the security and sustainability of their energy systems, according to the World Economic Forum's annual report.
On the sidelines of the US–Africa summit in Luanda, Algiers and Luanda consolidate their energy collaboration to better exploit their oil, gas, and mining potential, targeting a common strategy in regional and international markets.
The UK's Climate Change Committee is urging the government to quickly reduce electricity costs to facilitate the adoption of heat pumps and electric vehicles, judged too slow to achieve the set climate targets.
The European Commission will extend until the end of 2030 an expanded state-aid framework, allowing capitals to fund low-carbon technologies and nuclear power to preserve competitiveness against China and the United States.
Japan's grid operator forecasts an energy shortfall of up to 89 GW by 2050 due to rising demand from semiconductor manufacturing, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence technologies.
Energy-intensive European industries will be eligible for temporary state aid to mitigate high electricity prices, according to a new regulatory framework proposed by the European Commission under the "Clean Industrial Deal."
Mauritius seeks international investors to swiftly build a floating power plant of around 100 MW, aiming to secure the national energy supply by January 2026 and address current production shortfalls.