In a surprising move, the Energy Department declared on May 30 that it would cancel $3.7 billion in awards established during the Biden administration, directed at various companies working to develop technologies intended to mitigate climate change. This decision affects 24 distinct funding commitments that were allocated to industries including cement, iron, glass, and chemicals, all striving to diminish their carbon footprints. Among the notable cancellations is a $540 million investment jointly directed at Calpine, a leading electricity producer, which was focused on capturing carbon emissions from two significant natural gas power stations located in Yuba City, California, and Baytown, Texas.
Additionally, Exxon Mobil was affected by this financial overhaul, losing a prospective $331 million award intended to assist the company in transitioning from natural gas to less polluting hydrogen in its Baytown, Texas chemical facility. Energy Secretary Chris Wright justified the revocation by asserting that the terminated projects “failed to advance the energy needs of the American people” and were not seen as economically viable. He also highlighted deficiencies in the previous administration's financial reviews related to these awards, indicating that many were hastily approved in the transitional phase from the election to Trump's inauguration, raising concerns over their long-term viability for taxpayer investments.
