Energy Department Announces Five Clean Energy Projects Through BIRD Energy Partnership With Israel

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Israel’s Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources (MIEW) along with the Israel Innovation Authority today announced $4 million for five newly selected clean energy projects as part of the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy program. Today’s announcement represents the eighth annual selection of BIRD Energy projects, which support President Obama’s efforts to develop low-carbon alternatives to traditional energy resources.

This announcement builds on the robust and ongoing cooperation between the Energy Department and MIEW under the U.S. Israel Energy Dialogue, which brings together experts from both nations to encourage the use of clean energy technologies, foster natural gas regulations that encourage sustainable development, explore the energy-water nexus, and enhance energy cybersecurity. It also reinforces the goals of an amendment to a U.S.-Israel Energy Agreement signed by Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Dr. Yuval Steinitz, Israel’s Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources in April 2016 to expand cooperative clean energy efforts between the two countries.

“The collaboration through BIRD Energy leverages the work of top energy scientists in the U.S. and Israel which will help both nations continue to work together to foster research and development efforts, build on the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement, and drive down the costs of clean energy technologies,” said Secretary Moniz.

“The climate change and clean energy challenges cross borders, and that’s where collaborative projects emerge and succeed,” said Dr. Steinitz. “The great minds and capabilities from Israel and the U.S. together with the MIEW and DOE continuous support to the BIRD Energy program, does and will drive technological developments for the Clean Energy market in both countries and worldwide.”