The Trump administration has canceled nearly $4 billion in awards for emerging energy technologies issued under the Biden administration, it announced Friday.
A press release described the $3.7 billion in canceled funding as mostly carbon capture projects — where technology is used to cut planet-warming emissions from fossil fuel plants — and “decarbonization initiatives.”
It also notes that of the 24 awards it canceled, 16 of them were issued between Election Day and Trump’s inauguration.
It said that the projects in question “failed to advance the energy needs of the American people” and were not economically viable.
The effort comes as the Trump administration seeks to cut spending across the board. During a recent congressional hearing, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that the department was screening awards for criteria including whether the tech is viable, whether there’s a market for it and whether it aligns with the Trump agenda.
“While the previous administration failed to conduct a thorough financial review before signing away billions of taxpayer dollars, the Trump administration is doing our due diligence to ensure we are utilizing taxpayer dollars to strengthen our national security, bolster affordable, reliable energy sources and advance projects that generate the highest possible return on investment,” Wright said in a written statement on Friday.
In addition to carbon capture, projects that were canceled include efforts to advance climate-friendly cement production, getting greener furnaces at glass and pipe companies and an effort to cut emissions at various plants used by food company Kraft Heinz.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.