— DOE National Labs Partner with ExxonMobil for $100 Million in Joint Research. This 10-year agreement will advance lower-emissions energy technologies that could be brought to commercial scale. This agreement is one of the largest public-private partnerships between DOE’s national laboratories and the private sector, and exemplifies DOE’s commitment to cross-cutting, result-driven research initiatives. DOE hosted National Energy Technology Laboratory, ExxonMobil and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for a signing ceremony at DOE Headquarters on May 21. Video of the ceremony is online.
— Building Efficiency: DOE announced $33.5 million for early-stage research and development of advanced building construction techniques to reduce energy bills. The aim is to develop deep energy retrofit and new construction technologies.
— Cybersecurity: DOE announced $8 million in funding available for innovative approaches to enhance the reliability and resilience of the nation’s energy infrastructure. This funding opportunity supports the Administration’s National Cyber Strategy through research and development of real-time intrusion detection, self-healing energy delivery control systems, and innovative technologies that enhance cybersecurity in the energy sector.
— Better Plants: DOE recognized the energy productivity achievements of Eastman Chemical, a global advanced materials and specialty additives company headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee. As a partner in DOE’s Better Plants Challenge, Eastman committed to improving its energy performance across all U.S. operations by 20%, from a 2008 baseline, while sharing strategies and results.