Advanced Nuclear Energy Is Coming to U.S. Military Bases

A reliable energy supply is key to a prepared and effective military, especially considering the amount of digital and electric domestic infrastructure used today. Approximately 95% of the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) military bases are powered by the existing regional grid, making it the foundation for national defense. The Trump administration’s four nuclear energy executive orders recognize the role advanced nuclear technology can play in securing reliable power for both military and civilian use, marking a bold vision for an energy-dominant America that leads the world in nuclear energy deployment. These orders prioritize rapid reactor deployment, set a goal of quadrupling nuclear capacity to 400 GW by 2050, direct the DoD to demonstrate military applications of advanced nuclear energy and outline a whole-of-government approach to streamline licensing and revitalize domestic nuclear energy and fuel infrastructure.

In addition to providing a dedicated power supply to support these efforts, a reliable grid with a robust transmission system is key to ensuring certainty for national security. Avoiding power disruptions is essential to maintaining mission readiness, communications and defense operations. By securing their own reliable energy supply, military bases reduce vulnerability to grid failures, cyberattacks and fuel supply chain disruptions, ensuring consistent operational capability in both peacetime and conflict.

May 2025 Executive Order: Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security

Sources: Whitehouse.gov

The Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security executive order tasks the DoD with demonstrating at least one advanced nuclear reactor on a military installation by September 30, 2028, a clear milestone that aligns with previous initiatives in the DoD and Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). To achieve this, they will collaborate closely with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to streamline development, testing and approval processes, focusing on pilot microreactor programs at military bases. This effort can reduce the military’s dependence on vulnerable fuel supply lines and enhance the energy resilience of installations through reliable off-grid power. Additionally, these efforts can have transformative effects on the broader nuclear energy industry. Establishing a steady pipeline of military-led advanced reactor projects can help build out an order book that enables more predictable demand for manufacturers, encourages investment in domestic supply chains and promotes regulatory certainty that can significantly lower costs over time. As more units are built and deployed, economies of scale and standardization can help bend the cost curve, making advanced nuclear reactors more accessible for commercial use.

This push to leverage nuclear innovations to support defense capabilities mirrors history. Naval reactors, first developed in 1954, pioneered many design innovations and critical safety protocols that paved the way for the first civilian power plants. The DoD could jump-start the civilian nuclear industry again by procuring and de-risking advanced reactor technology.

Existing DoD Advanced Nuclear Energy Initiatives

Sources: 1. Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations (ANPI), 2. Air and Space Forces Magazine, 3. ClearPath, 4. American Nuclear Society

Overall, President Trump’s nuclear energy executive orders represent a strategic connection between national defense and energy independence. By placing advanced nuclear technologies at the core of military reliability and broader energy security, these initiatives create a forward-looking framework for public-private collaboration. The potential results following recent DoD initiatives and executive orders not only enhance military readiness but also revitalize the U.S. nuclear industry by providing an early demand signal. Ultimately, this effort lays the foundation for a clean, secure and self-reliant energy future for the military.

The New Realities of Grid Planning: A Dominion Energy Case Study

It’s no secret that U.S. electricity demand is skyrocketing. New manufacturing, electrification and data centers are driving this growth. U.S. power demand is expected to increase 78% by 2050. This contrasts with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) forecasts, which predict an 18% winter peak demand growth and 15% summer peak demand growth over the next 10 years. This dramatic increase represents a significant shift from the last two decades of relatively stagnant demand, fundamentally shifting the paradigm for utilities. Nationwide, power providers must quickly build new generation and transmission assets to meet this demand while maintaining affordability, reliability and energy security. Dominion Energy, for example, faces a particularly daunting path as the demand growth in its service area is growing, at nearly 6% annually, due to Virginia’s status as the data center capital of the world.

To deliver affordable, reliable and secure energy, utilities develop comprehensive integrated resource plans (IRPs), which outline how they intend to build energy infrastructure and meet the needs of ratepayers. Utilities must excel at forecasting energy needs to avoid the costly mistakes of building too little or too much generation capacity. In today’s era of fast-paced growth, an all-of-the-above approach strategy is necessary to bring enough new generation online to keep up.

To put this into perspective, Dominion Energy’s energy demand forecasts jumped from an annual growth rate of 1-1.4% in its 2020 IRP to nearly 7% in its 2023 IRP and are now projecting 5.5% in its 2024 IRP. This signals that forecasting energy demand is turbulent, especially when facing evolving laws, retiring generation assets and demand.

The Road Ahead

The passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) in 2020, which mandates a transition to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045, is a factor that Dominion must address in its IRP development. The VCEA encourages significant deployment of clean, firm power sources like nuclear energy to ensure grid reliability and meet growing demand. The VCEA has made it challenging to continue operating and developing new natural gas or coal projects, leading to the forced retirement of several operating fossil fuel plants by 2045, which collectively provide more than 4.5 GW of baseload energy generation. This loss of reliable generation is a central hurdle for Dominion, making clean, firm power critical to ensure grid reliability and affordability.

The U.S. needs to be focused on energy addition, not subtraction. Focusing on data centers alone, in 2023, Dominion connected 15 data centers to the grid, with 15 more in 2024, adding nearly two GW to the grid. This additional demand is roughly the size of two advanced large reactors, such as Vogtle units 3 & 4 in Georgia. This demand will not slow anytime soon and will be the main driver of the 183% increase in unconstrained demand by 2040, according to a study conducted by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), the Virginia General Assembly’s oversight agency.

In a “show me the money” moment reminiscent of Jerry Maguire’s Rod Tidwell, Dominion is significantly increasing its five-year capital expenditure plan, now totaling approximately $50.1 billion through 2029, up from a previous estimate of $43.2 billion. This is an enormous capital investment, and it is only one utility in one state. Dominion is also:

Proposing its first rate base increase since 1992;
Prioritizing the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) by the mid-2030s;
Partnering with Commonwealth Fusion Systems to operate the first commercial fusion power plant by the early 2030s; and
Committing to building approximately 21 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2039.

Rapid Energy Addition

Fusion energy was not even mentioned 5 years ago in Dominion’s 2020 IRP or subsequent updates until 2023. SMRs were not viewed as an “available resource” for deployment until the 2022 IRP. Prior to that, in the 2020 IRP, SMRs were only discussed as a developing technology under investigation. Now, plans call for significant new SMR capacity, such as the 1.3 GW proposed by 2039 in the 2024 IRP. Battery storage also shows a striking increase in Dominion’s plans. While the 2022 IRP called for approximately 100 MW of new battery storage capacity, the 2024 IRP now projects as much as 4,500 MW of battery storage by 2039.

As utilities like Dominion Energy face the monumental task of building new energy infrastructure, getting projects online sooner is an imperative. The multi-year wait times for permitting are a significant bottleneck, which is why modernizing the U.S. permitting system should be a bipartisan priority. Robust support for innovative technologies like advanced nuclear and fusion energy is equally vital. Tech-neutral clean electricity credits like 45Y and 48E support quicker scale-up of new generation. Programs such as the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP), which aims to demonstrate new nuclear technologies, and the Loan Program Office (LPO), which provides much-needed financing for early-stage scale-up, are essential for providing the financial backing these innovative projects need to reach commercialization. Addressing these challenges head-on can ensure a more reliable, secure and affordable energy future.

Transformative Regulatory Reform for New Reactors

Energy Incentives Will Unlock Energy Dominance (The Washington Times)

This op-ed was originally published by The Washington Times on April 28, 2025. Click here to read the entire piece.

The first 100 days of the new Trump administration have reshaped the energy landscape. Reliable, affordable energy is a top priority as the president seeks to unleash a new era of American energy dominance. Lower energy prices can usher in a true golden age for U.S. consumers. Done well, this agenda can also reduce global carbon dioxide emissions.

This dynamic is underscored by the president’s work to recruit new artificial intelligence and data center investments to the U.S. These investments can lead to economic development and will require rapid energy demand growth when paired with an American manufacturing resurgence, increasing U.S. energy demand by as much as 18% over the next decade, according to data from the North American Electric Reliability Council. Energy prices are one of the most important cost drivers in these energy-intensive industries.

A rapid increase in supply is required to maintain affordable costs for all American consumers. The U.S. must rapidly deploy all types of new American power. To effectively deploy these new technologies at speed, the administration will need to break down permitting barriers to accelerate the buildout of new energy infrastructure like pipelines, transmission, and other grid-enhancing technologies.

In addition to streamlining the permitting process to increase and maximize new investments, minimizing the tax burden on developers is another essential part of this equation. Maintaining low corporate rates is certainly going to help, but tax incentives also play an enormous role in minimizing investment risk and keeping prices low. Fortunately, some key incentives will not require drastic policy changes like the green new deal or a heavy-handed government regulation.

Existing incentives authored or supported by Republicans in Congress under current law are critical for American leadership in new, affordable, 24/7 American power. These forms of power include advanced nuclear, geothermal, hydropower, natural gas with carbon capture, and even new breakthroughs in fusion technology. Key incentives, like 48E/45Y technology-neutral electricity credit; the 45X advanced manufacturing credit; the 45Q carbon capture, utilization, and storage credit; and the 45V hydrogen credit, can reduce the costs for American producers and support the manufacturers and the mineral supply chain across the economy. Simply put, consumer prices go up if the U.S. doesn’t lower the tax and energy cost burden for American producers and manufacturers.

Click here to read the full article

State of Play: The Chemical and Refining Sectors

Securing Indiana’s Nuclear Energy Future

Indiana is on the brink of a new era in energy security–one that will strengthen its economy and pave the way to a reliable energy future. Driven by Governor Braun’s commitment to advanced nuclear power, private sector investments can boost local power generation, provide businesses with predictable energy costs and meet rising demand.

Reimagining Indiana’s grid to capitalize on AI technology and the American manufacturing resurgence will require new state and federal policies to let Indiana build. A multi-faceted effort by Indiana’s government, academic institutions and a major utility is underway to explore, incentivize and prepare for the integration of advanced nuclear energy technologies into the state’s future energy landscape.

Indiana is facing an unprecedented surge in electricity demand. Regional grid projections indicate that demand will climb nearly 2% annually through 2030, then double to 4% annually through 2040 – a rate that is 10 to 20 times higher than in the past decade. Over the next 15 years, this growth translates to a potential 60% increase in electricity demand – more than Colorado’s energy demand today.

The state government is proactively preparing for this increase. In 2024, it commissioned a study by Purdue University to explore the feasibility and impacts of building new nuclear in Indiana, which identified three key opportunities:

Supply chain growth is driven by early adopters and can attract new high-value businesses to Indiana, including component manufacturing and workforce development.
Construction benefits the local economy because many materials, structures and labor are locally sourced.
Coal site colocation is an opportunity to leverage an existing workforce and infrastructure to grow state energy production while minimizing land use.

Since his inauguration, Governor Braun has committed to exploring pathways for new nuclear projects and is positioning the state at the forefront of energy innovation. Several major milestones advanced this mission:

In February 2025, Indiana took a leading role in the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative, a 10-state effort that aims to use supportive policies to deploy new nuclear power to meet growing energy demands.
In April 2025, the State Assembly and Governor Mike Braun enacted SB424, a bill that empowers utilities to act swiftly and strategically, ensuring Hoosiers have access to diverse energy options, including advanced nuclear technology.
Looking ahead, in the summer of 2025, Indiana is hosting a strategic nuclear energy planning retreat alongside the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Governors Association to create a framework that supports energy security and economic growth through the use of new nuclear technologies. The event will focus on establishing a state-based nuclear working group to develop educational resources and a community engagement strategy and to analyze the potential for economic development.

Support for nuclear energy is recognized at a national level. Over the past eight years, the U.S. Congress has passed several bipartisan bills to support demonstrations, improve regulations and secure America’s nuclear fuel supply. Most recently, Senator James Risch (R-ID) introduced the Accelerating Reliable Capacity (ARC) Act, which mitigates risk and provides insurance against escalating costs. There is undeniable momentum for new nuclear energy in the U.S., particularly in Indiana.

With increasing momentum, companies are taking notice. The utility, Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), applied for $50 million to begin the early stages of nuclear reactor deployment near a coal facility in Rockport, Indiana. I&M is a participant in a coalition of utilities, industry and universities that collectively applied for a public-private partnership of $800 million to advance deployment at several sites.

America needs an energy addition, not an energy transition. With so much growth potential, consider the economic advantages of a robust and reliable energy sector. Businesses will be attracted to Indiana, knowing they can rely on a steady and affordable power supply, especially from a reliable source like nuclear energy. Indiana is positioning itself as a leader in energy innovation and empowering its utilities to plan for the future and adopt new technologies, ensuring it remains a competitive and thriving state for decades to come. By embracing innovation and prioritizing reliability, along with the incorporation of advanced nuclear energy, Indiana can secure its energy future.

Power Demand Explained: Watts, Gigawatts and the Future of Energy

These days, we hear a lot about the rapid increase in global energy demand due to various factors like growing economies, widespread electrification, and the rise of data centers as AI expands. And it’s true. Here in the United States, after 15 years of static growth, our electricity demand is rising at an accelerated rate. Researchers estimate that by 2030, we will need 20% more energy – a total of 5 million gigawatt-hours of electricity each year.

“5 million gigawatt-hours.” That sounds like a lot. But what does that really mean?

Let’s start with the basics. A watt is a measure of power in an instant. For example, the 60-watt light bulb in your lamp at home requires 60 watts of power to turn on. A Watt-hour is a measurement of that power usage over time.

So, let’s say you turn on your lamp to read a book for two hours, you use 120 watt-hours of electricity. Easy enough.

Now, let’s take a look at a few other examples, going in order from smallest to largest. But first a reminder about unit prefixes: there are one thousand watts in a kilowatt, one million in a megawatt, and one billion in a gigawatt.

While you’re reading your book, your lamp might only use 120-watt hours of electricity, but the average American household will use 2.4 kilowatt-hours during that time. That’s your lamp, the AC, the TV playing, and so on. Scaling up – with 150 megawatt-hours – you could power 42,000 American households for three hours while they watch a Sunday afternoon football game… or you could use your 150 megawatt-hours to power the NFL stadium itself. In the same amount of time, a large city like Washington D.C. would consume 25 times that much electricity, almost 4 gigawatt hours.

Currently, the U.S. needs around 4 million of these gigawatt-hours a year – again that’s 4 million billion watt-hours – or 4 with 15 zeros after it – and those needs are met with a mixture of 60% fossil fuels, 30% renewables, and 10% nuclear energy. And to get us 20 percent more energy – up to 5 million gigawatt hours a year – we would need the equivalent of 1,500 Hoover dams in additional generation. That means we are going to need a lot more of ALL of these energy sources to keep up with expected demand.

And, we don’t just need more energy, we need energy that is affordable, reliable and clean. In other words, we need to take a pragmatic, all of the above approach to U.S. energy development. To keep the lights on – at a price that consumers can afford, we need more baseload energy – the 24/7/ 300 and 65 days a year electricity sources that provide clean power. That means things like advanced nuclear, geothermal, and natural gas with carbon capture.

Ultimately, in order to generate and move all this energy around, we are going to need more than 15,000 new energy projects in this decade alone, and every single one of those projects starts with a permit. Unfortunately today in the United States, you can get a college degree faster than you can get a permit to build a clean energy project. That is why we all must work together to streamline federal permitting processes and unleash American energy.

ClearPath’s answer to the power demand challenge? It’s time to Let America Build.

Five States to Watch for New Nuclear

U.S. power use is projected to hit record highs in 2024 and 2025, with electricity demand expected to rise 9% by 2028. Several states are deciding to act now, and positioning nuclear as a key solution to meet growing needs and attract early business opportunities.

The time is ripe: 2024 showed the strongest wave of interest in nuclear power development from industries other than utilities since construction began on Vogtle over a decade ago. Tech giants like Google, Amazon and Microsoft have made deals with nuclear developers to meet clean energy goals in response to soaring electricity demand fueled by AI investment.

Google signed an agreement to purchase up to 500 MWs of Kairos Power’s reactor technology.
Amazon led a $500 million investment in X-energy to build up to 5 GW of nuclear projects by 2039 – enough electricity to power ~4M U.S. homes. They are partnering with Energy Northwest and Dominion Power to deploy reactors at existing nuclear sites.
Microsoft is reviving Three Mile Island’s Unit 1 near Harrisburg, PA.
Meta issued a request for proposals seeking up to 4 GW of new nuclear energy to support its data center portfolio.

These developments reflect years of strong bipartisan support and policy wins. The growing collaboration among project developers, utilities, and major corporations underscores the critical role nuclear power will play in meeting future energy demand.

The U.S. currently consumes 4,300 TWh of electricity annually, with 60% generated from fossil fuels, 19% from nuclear power, and 21% from renewables. Surging energy demand from data centers and manufacturing growth is driving states to seek more reliable power. Electrifying these industries could add 6,000 to 10,000 TWh to grid demand, more than tripling current electricity consumption. This dramatic increase stresses the importance for states to expand clean energy generation and grid infrastructure. Large industrial economies, like Indiana, West Virginia and North Dakota where industry consumes ~50% of energy, are seeking additional energy generation sources, including nuclear, to meet demand.

Federal Programs and Incentives for Nuclear Energy

While federal policy drives broad nuclear innovation, states play a critical role in actually building and deploying the nuclear energy. The U.S. has seen early mover states collaborate with developers to streamline permitting, reduce delays and support early-site preparation. This state-level action is crucial for moving projects from concept to reality.

U.S. State Limits on New Nuclear Deployment

Several states have recently lifted historical bans on nuclear development or passed updated policies. West Virginia ended a 25-year ban, and Illinois repealed its 36-year moratorium. Connecticut passed legislation exempting the Millstone Power Station from the state’s nuclear construction moratorium, allowing for potential new reactor development at the site. Montana, Kentucky and Wisconsin also removed bans, signaling a shift toward nuclear for grid reliability and economic stability.

In April 2024, Georgia celebrated the launch of Units 3 & 4 at Plant Vogtle, two of three U.S. commercial reactors built in the 21st century, marking a major milestone in U.S. nuclear leadership. Terrapower bolstered this momentum, building the Natrium Reactor in Kemmerer, WY, a project supported by the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). Vogtle’s completion and projects like Natrium are revitalizing interest in nuclear energy. This includes the restarts of decommissioned plants in Michigan and Pennsylvania, as well as new policies creating energy funds and strengthening public-private partnerships.

Five States to Watch

Indiana’s Nuclear Innovation

Governor Mike Braun released his Freedom and Opportunity Agenda, which includes support for advanced nuclear power in the state.

The agenda aims to leverage federal cost-reduction programs, streamline regulatory processes, and form partnerships among developers, utilities and consumers to convert base-load plants to nuclear power.

Tennessee Nuclear Momentum

Tennessee is advancing nuclear innovation by leveraging Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and strategic partnerships.

Governor Bill Lee created the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Advisory Council to accelerate deployment.
The state established a $50 million Nuclear Energy Fund to expand the state’s nuclear development and manufacturing ecosystem.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) committed $350 million to new reactor development.
TVA is leading a multi-joint public-private application for $800 million in funding from the Department of Energy’s U.S. Gen III+ SMR technology grant to help accelerate the deployment of the BWRX-300.
Orano USA is pursuing construction of a uranium enrichment facility at ORNL supported by the state’s Nuclear Energy Fund.

Texas’ Nuclear Strategy

Texas released a landmark report in response to Governor Greg Abbott’s 2023 directive to the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) to position Texas as a leader in advanced nuclear energy.

X-energy is constructing four Xe-100 reactors at the Dow Chemical plant in Seadrift, Texas – the first new reactors built at an industrial site in North America.
Texas A&M’s RELLIS project will test advanced reactors, while Abilene Christian University’s NEXT lab develops the first university-based molten salt coolant reactor.
Diamondback Energy and Oklo signed a letter of intent to construct 50 MW of power.

Utah’s Nuclear Expansion

Governor Spencer Cox is driving nuclear innovation in Utah with his 2025 budget announcement, prioritizing site identification, permitting readiness, and creating the infrastructure and economic ecosystem needed to enable nuclear leadership.

Governor Cox included $20 Million for nuclear infrastructure in his proposed budget as part of Operation Gigawatt. Utah collaborates with Idaho National Lab’s Frontier Initiative to develop strategic nuclear development frameworks.
Utah’s Office of Energy Development released a 2024 Strategic Nuclear Energy Pathway to inform the legislature of regulatory needs and aid in planning.

Virginia’s Nuclear Progress

Virginia’s load growth is projected to double by 2039, the highest electricity demand in the nation, causing the state to position itself to lead in new reactor development.

The Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium was established to align industry and academia.
State bills SB 549 and HB 1303 create a strategic nuclear energy plan, and SB 454 allows electric utilities to recover new reactor development costs.
The Clean Energy Innovation Bank, seeded with $10 million, links public and private capital for advanced energy.
Dominion Energy and Amazon signed a memorandum of understanding to explore new reactor development in Virginia.

A unified state-federal policy effort is essential to unlocking nuclear’s potential, meeting growing energy needs and achieving a clean, reliable future. Federal incentives alone cannot ensure the economic viability of advanced nuclear projects. Because of this, states are taking on their own initiatives to complement federal policies. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to deploying new nuclear; states deserve to optimize their own resources in conjunction with federal resources to meet their power needs.

Delivering America First Energy Policy — 5 Priorities for the 119th Congress

The 119th Congress and incoming Administration have a major opportunity: Make America the world innovation leader in clean energy and clean manufacturing. This opportunity builds on the foundation established under the first Trump Administration to unleash American energy projects and build a stronger America.

The incoming Trump administration has nominated leaders to key agencies who have the experience to deliver on these results – Lee Zeldin for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Chris Wright for the Department of Energy (DOE), and former Governor of North Dakota Doug Burgum for the Department of the Interior (DOI).

And Congress is poised to deliver on this too by focusing on innovation over regulation and markets over mandates to advance clean, reliable, and affordable American-made energy.

ClearPath has outlined five policy areas for the 119th Congress to unleash the power of American innovation:

Modernize permitting: Today, it takes longer to get a permit to build an energy project than it does to earn a college degree. Congress has done a lot of work exploring options to expedite permitting and concepts like permit-by-rule could give a clear blueprint for projects to follow in order to receive a permit. This will reduce regulatory burdens and still require compliance with all environmental and safety laws. Without additional critical infrastructure, our future energy independence could be at risk.
Drive deployment of new reliable energy and innovation: America is experiencing massive energy demand growth related to advanced American manufacturing, datacenters, and AI needs. By supporting and streamlining the Department of Energy’s later-stage programs, American energy producers can deploy more new nuclear, carbon capture, geothermal, energy storage, and grid infrastructure to meet the demand. Deploying more energy is the simplest way to keep costs lower for consumers and businesses.

Grow the nuclear order book: The first Trump administration made significant efforts to accelerate new nuclear investments and facilitate American nuclear leadership. Congress could continue to make progress on the nuclear front with policies such as The Accelerating Reliable Capacity (ARC) Act of 2024, which seeks to reduce risk investment and drive strong project management on these innovative and capital-intensive new nuclear design projects. Addressing uncertainty and perceived risk will allow companies to deploy new American nuclear assets and compete globally.

Bring American manufacturing back: American manufacturing is the cleanest in the world with the highest environmental standards. We can restore American manufacturing leadership in industries like steel and concrete by strengthening our own supply chains and supporting new innovative practices to drive competitiveness. Legislation such as the Concrete and Asphalt Innovation Act (CAIA) could support R&D for American-made cement, concrete, and asphalt, reduce red tape by shifting to performance specifications, and scale up domestic manufacturing through market signals such as advanced market commitments (AMCs).
Expand U.S. exports, trade, and direct investment abroad: Expanding into global markets positions the U.S. as a key partner in the future of clean energy and innovation while seizing a valuable trade opportunity. Some estimates suggest that U.S. exports of clean energy technologies could generate approximately $330 billion annually by 2050. By enabling U.S. leadership in the global marketplace, promoting American products, and better utilizing tools like Development Finance Corporation and Export Import Bank, we can reduce global emissions while boosting American products and jobs.

ClearPath’s mission is to accelerate American innovation to reduce global energy emissions. ClearPath therefore supports all-of-the above energy and innovation policies that make America stronger and more secure.

We look forward to advancing policies that will further strengthen America’s leadership role in clean energy and innovation.

Let’s get to work.

Top 5 New Technologies for Clean U.S. Chemical Production

Chemical production and refining play a critical role in producing essential fuels for, power, heat and transportation while also creating vital inputs for a wide range of products such as plastics, fertilizers and pharmaceuticals—key export commodities for the U.S.. Chemical production and refining processes are also the largest contributors to industrial CO₂emissions in the U.S. economy, accounting for 11 percent of energy-related emissions and a striking 37 percent of all industrial CO₂ emissions. Those emissions are projected to increase by 20 percent by 2050, largely driven by a rise in demand for chemicals. As demand increases, the U.S. has the opportunity to lead the way forward in clean chemical manufacturing while reducing emissions.

The good news is that clean solutions do exist for the chemical sector. Let’s take a deeper look at announcements to date and what has yet to come.

Mapping the Top 5 Tech Innovations for Emission Reduction

Combining Nuclear with Clean Chemical Production: Seadrift Advanced Reactor
Dow and X-energy have partnered to deploy a groundbreaking small modular, high-temperature nuclear reactor at Dow’s chemical production site in Seadrift, Texas. This advanced reactor, equipped with four modules, is set to reduce site emissions by approximately 440,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent per year. The project, backed by ARDP funding, marks a significant milestone as the first high-temperature gas reactor to be deployed domestically in the U.S.. Only one other reactor of its kind exists, which began operations in China in December 2023. This first-of-its-kind initiative will help decarbonize power and heat needs for industrial customers, positioning the U.S. as a leader in advanced nuclear technology for clean manufacturing applications. Construction is slated to begin in 2026, with operations expected to start by 2028.

Reducing Emissions with Electric Steam Cracking: Channelview E-Furnace Demonstration
Technip Energies, LyondellBasell and Chevron Phillips are collaborating on the design, construction, and operation of a demonstration unit for an electric steam-cracking furnace in Channelview, Texas. This innovative technology enables clean electricity to be a heat source for the olefins cracking process (a petrochemical process in which large hydrocarbons are broken down into smaller hydrocarbons), which is responsible for approximately 12 to 13 percent of CO₂ equivalent emissions. Steam-cracking furnaces, which operate at over 1,500°F, play a vital role in breaking down hydrocarbons into olefins and aromatics — key building blocks for various chemicals. By switching to electric power, the new e-furnace has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90 percent compared to conventional furnaces.

PET Recycling Decarbonization Project: Eastman’s Circularity Initiative
Eastman is leading the way in plastic recycling with its first-of-its-kind molecular recycling facility in Longview, Texas, which aims to transform landfill-bound waste streams into virgin-quality polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET is a kind of plastic derived from petroleum and is known for its durability, malleability, and widespread use in various fields (i.e., fiber materials, plastic bottles, etc.). The Longview facility, which has received up to $375 million in funding from the Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, plans to use thermal energy storage coupled with on-site solar power to recycle approximately 110,000 metric tons of hard-to-recycle plastic waste. By doing so, Eastman’s process will create products that have 70% lower emissions than traditional products. When accounting for avoided incineration emissions, this figure rises to 90%.

Advancing Opportunities to Fuel Switch: ExxonMobil Baytown Olefins Project
Exxon’s Olefins Project in Baytown, Texas, is set to revolutionize ethylene production by using hydrogen in place of natural gas. Ethylene is a base chemical that is used as a feedstock for more complex chemicals, like polymers. This project, which has secured up to $331.9 million in federal funding, involves implementing new burner technology capable of using 100% hydrogen. The switch is expected to avoid 2.5 million tons of CO₂ emissions annually, reducing site-wide emissions by approximately 30 percent of current operations. In addition to creating 400 construction jobs and retraining 140 workers, this project is a significant step in proving that clean hydrogen can decarbonize large industrial facilities. The successful demonstration of hydrogen fuel switching could provide a pathway for reducing emissions across the entire chemical industry.

Clean Feedstocks for Cleaner Ammonia: Trammo and ReMo Energy Pilot Project
Trammo, Inc., a raw materials distributor, and ReMo Energy, Inc., a clean chemical start-up, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to produce clean ammonia at ReMo’s forthcoming plant in Meredosia, Illinois, which could be the first-of-its-kind in the U.S. ReMo will produce clean ammonia from clean hydrogen at a site co-located with Trammo’s existing ammonia terminal in Illinois. Trammo is the exclusive off-taker of ReMo’s ammonia. By optimizing the plant design with distributed scale and electrolyzer integration, ReMo aims to build ammonia production plants at a lower cost than traditional plants. This partnership represents a major step toward cleaner ammonia production, which is essential for reducing emissions from agriculture and other industries.

The Path Forward: U.S. Leadership in Clean Manufacturing
As the demand for chemicals grows, so do the challenges and opportunities in decarbonizing the U.S. clean manufacturing sector. By embracing advanced technologies such as small modular reactors, electric steam cracking, molecular recycling, hydrogen and others, America can lead the global shift towards cleaner, more innovative chemical production processes. This is not only an opportunity to reduce emissions but also an economic opportunity, as U.S. producers can utilize their emissions advantage over global competitors, particularly China, to access markets with demand for cleaner goods. Now is the time for the U.S. to build off this momentum and position itself as the global leader in reducing emissions through clean manufacturing.