In support of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $22 million to 12 state-run programs to accelerate smart manufacturing at small- and medium-sized facilities. Funded by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the State Manufacturing Leadership Program aims to make smart manufacturing technologies and high-performance computing more accessible for use across the domestic manufacturing sector, which accounts for over one-sixth of U.S. carbon emissions and nearly a quarter of the nation’s energy usage. This funding will help states remove existing barriers that inhibit the ability of small- and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) to utilize innovative, data-driven tools and technologies—improving production efficiency to reduce costs, support new domestic manufacturing opportunities, and cut harmful emissions. Advancing sustainable, next-generation tools and resources in the manufacturing sector is key to achieving the Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious goal of a net-zero economy by 2050 and will help revitalize and strengthen America’s global leadership in manufacturing.
“America’s manufacturing sector is the backbone of our nation’s economy, and President Biden is laser-focused on ensuring this industry—and the workforce it supports—prospers well into the 21st Century,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Thanks to the President’s Investing in America agenda, DOE is helping provide the innovative tools needed to improve efficiency and reduce costs—supporting state efforts to bolster manufacturing competitiveness while combatting the climate crisis.”