Over $1 billion in federal funding got slashed for this polluting industry

The startup’s approach is to make cement using electricity. The conventional process requires high temperatures typically achieved by burning fossil fuels, so avoiding that could prevent a lot of emissions. In 2024, Sublime received an $87 million grant from the DOE to construct a commercial demonstration plant in Holyoke, Massachusetts. That grant would have covered roughly half the construction costs for the facility, which is scheduled to open in 2026 and produce up to 30,000 metric tons of cement each year. “We were certainly surprised and disappointed about the development,” says Joe Hicken, Sublime’s senior VP of business development and policy. Customers are excited by the company’s technology, Hicken adds, pointing to Sublime’s recently announced deal with Microsoft, which plans to buy up to 622,500 metric tons of cement from the company. Another big name, Brimstone, also saw its funding affected. That award totaled $189 million for a commercial demonstration plant, which wa ... Read full article.