After Congress passed The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in November 2021, Jennifer Granholm and the Department of Energy have been making alterations to improve energy and infrastructure systems around the United States.
The legislation cost nearly $1 trillion, and vowed to reconstruct the country’s roads, bridges and rails, increase access to clean drinking water, make sure every American has access to high-speed internet, address the issue of climate change, promote the concept of environmental justice and invest in groups that many believe have been left behind.
“We’re in an all-out sprint to beat the climate crisis, and that race runs straight through our nation’s building sector” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said. “Faster and more efficient construction and renovation methods that improve our nation’s supply of affordable housing are the kinds of transformative innovations we need to lower costs for working families and build a better America.”
Granholm expressed excitement about how new technology could deal with these problems.
“We are modernizing America’s national highway system for drivers in cities large and small, towns and rural communities, to take advantage of the benefits of driving electric" Granholm said. "The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is helping states to make electric vehicle charging more accessible by building the necessary infrastructure for drivers across America to save money and go the distance, from coast-to-coast.”
Over the following five years, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will develop 60 new Department of Energy (DOE) programs, which includes 16 demonstration and 32 deployment programs, and increases funding for 12 existing Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment (RDD&D) programs. The DOE is ready to host a virtual consultation session on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) for Tribal and Alaska Native Corporation leaders or their designated representatives on March 29. Leaders of the session will provide advice for the Energy Department in creating more than 60 new programs.
On March 14, the U.S. DOE revealed a $32 million award to fund over 30 next-generation building retrofit projects that will significantly upgrade affordable housing technologies. The award will give 7 awardees the chance to test renovation strategies that decrease the disruption to tenants while improving the energy and environmental impact of buildings more quickly, affordably, and effectively. Earlier in February President Biden, DOT, and DOE announced their joining together to bring nearly $5 billion to be made available under the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The program is intended to create a national electric vehicle charging network.
