42 USC 17113 - Low-emissions steel manufacturing research program

View all text of Part D [§ 17111 - § 17116]

§ 17113a. Low-emissions steel manufacturing research program

(a) PurposeThe purpose of this section is to encourage the research and development of innovative technologies aimed at—

(1) increasing the technological and economic competitiveness of industry and manufacturing in the United States; and

(2) achieving significant net nonwater greenhouse emissions reductions in the production processes for iron, steel, and steel mill products.

(b) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Commercially available steelmaking

(2) Critical material

(3) Critical mineral

(4) Eligible entityThe term “eligible entity” means—

(A) an institution of higher education;

(B) an appropriate State or Federal entity, including a federally funded research and development center of the Department;

(D) a private entity;

(E) any other relevant entity the Secretary determines appropriate; and

(F) a partnership or consortium of two or more entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (E).

(5) Institution of higher education

(6) Low-emissions steel manufacturing

(d) RequirementsIn carrying out the program under subsection (c), the Secretary shall—

(1) coordinate this program with the programs and activities authorized in title VI of division Z of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021;

(2) coordinate across all relevant program offices of the Department, including the Office of Science, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the Office of Fossil Energy, and the Office of Nuclear Energy;

(3) leverage, to the extent practicable, the research infrastructure of the Department, including scientific computing user facilities, x-ray light sources, neutron scattering facilities, and nanoscale science research centers; and

(4) conduct research, development, and demonstration of low-emissions steel manufacturing technologies that have the potential to increase domestic production and employment in advanced and commercially available steelmaking.

(e) Strategic plan

(1) In general

(2) ContentsThe strategic plan submitted under paragraph (1) shall—

(A) identify programs at the Department related to low-emissions steel manufacturing that support the research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities described in this section, and the demonstration projects under subsection (h);

(B) establish technological and programmatic goals to achieve the requirements of subsection (d); and

(3) Updates to plan

(f) Focus areasIn carrying out the program established in subsection (c), the Secretary shall focus on—

(1) medium- and high-temperature heat generation technologies used for low-emissions steel manufacturing, which may include—

(A) alternative fuels, including hydrogen and biomass;

(B) alternative reducing agents, including hydrogen;

(D) electrification of heating processes, including through electrolysis; and

(E) other heat generation sources;

(2) carbon capture technologies for advanced and commercially available steelmaking processes, which may include—

(A) combustion and chemical looping technologies;

(B) use of slag to reduce carbon dioxide emissions;

(D) post-combustion technologies;

(3) smart manufacturing technologies and principles, digital manufacturing technologies, and advanced data analytics to develop advanced technologies and practices in information, automation, monitoring, computation, sensing, modeling, and networking to—

(A) model and simulate manufacturing production lines;

(B) monitor and communicate production line status; and

(4) technologies and practices that minimize energy and natural resource consumption, which may include—

(A) designing products that enable reuse, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling;

(B) minimizing waste from advanced and commercially available steelmaking processes, including through the reuse of waste as resources in other industrial processes for mutual benefit;

(D) increasing the energy efficiency of advanced and commercially available steelmaking processes;

(5) alternative materials and technologies that produce fewer emissions during production and result in fewer emissions during use, which may include—

(A) innovative raw materials;

(B) high-performance lightweight materials;

(D) other technologies that achieve significant carbon emission reductions in low-emissions steel manufacturing, as determined by the Secretary; and

(6) high-performance computing to develop advanced materials and manufacturing processes contributing to the focus areas described in paragraphs (1) through (5), including—

(A) modeling, simulation, and optimization of the design of energy efficient and sustainable products; and

(B) the use of digital prototyping and additive manufacturing to enhance product design.

(g) Testing and validation

(h) Demonstration

(1) EstablishmentNot later than 180 days after August 9, 2022, the Secretary, in carrying out the program established in subsection (c), and in collaboration with industry partners, institutions of higher education, and the National Laboratories, shall support an initiative for the demonstration of low-emissions steel manufacturing, as identified by the Secretary, that uses either—

(A) a single technology; or

(B) a combination of multiple technologies.

(2) Selection requirementsUnder the initiative established under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall select eligible entities to carry out demonstration projects and to the maximum extent practicable—

(A) encourage regional diversity among eligible entities, including participation by rural States;

(B) encourage technological diversity among eligible entities; and

(i) expand on the existing technology demonstration programs of the Department; and

(ii) prioritize projects that leverage matching funds from non-Federal sources.

(3) ReportsThe Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate—

(A) not less frequently than once every two years for the duration of the demonstration initiative under this subsection, a report describing the performance of the initiative; and

(B) if the initiative established under this subsection is terminated, an assessment of the success of, and education provided by, the measures carried out by recipients of financial assistance under the initiative.

(i) Additional coordination

(1) Manufacturing U.S.A.In carrying out this section the Secretary shall consider—

(A) leveraging the resources of relevant existing Manufacturing USA Institutes described in section 278s(d) of title 15;

(B) integrating program activities into a relevant existing Manufacturing USA Institute; or

(2) Other Federal agencies

(Pub. L. 110–140, title IV, § 454A, as added Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title VI, § 10751(a), Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1722.)