In support of carbon-free energy sources, the U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, has invested $61 million in projects that will foster nuclear research and development.
The DOE announced the investment Tuesday; the majority of the funds will be directed toward universities, including UC Berkeley. A DOE press release noted President Joe Biden’s administration’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 as a contributing factor in the investment.
According to Lee Bernstein, a past grant winner and UC Nuclear Data group leader, the funding directed from the federal government toward these projects is “essential.”
“This investment is primarily focused on reactors and the development of clean, safe nuclear power,” Bernstein said. “One of the biggest challenges that it lets you address is climate change, and maintaining our standard of living while not spewing endless carbon into the environment.”