Tennessee is leading the way in new clean energy initiatives, spurred on by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The federal government has made millions of dollars available to the Volunteer State for new clean power projects that improve energy efficiency and grid resilience.
The funding includes $1.1 million to Knoxville’s Carbon Rivers to improve recycling of wind turbine blades and $3.4 million to Knoxville’s Electric Power Research Institute for solar energy research. Additionally, several nuclear companies have received funding through the DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, intending to use clean nuclear power to reduce pollution.
Photo Courtesy U.S. Department of Energy/Carbon Rivers
Tennessee has a long history of nuclear energy research, with the Oak Ridge and Knoxville area considered power pioneers.
To continue that forward motion, DOE announced it signed an agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority to power the Oakridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex with completely local carbon pollution-free electricity by 2030.
The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management broke ground on a $550 million on-site disposal facility scheduled for completion in 2029. Y-12 has been at work on the Uranium Processing Facility, one of the largest construction projects in Tennessee, which will create 2,000 new clean energy jobs. This news follows an inclusion of $50 million in the state’s 2023-24 budget to provide financial assistance to nuclear-related businesses from Governor Bill Lee. “Tennessee is ready-made to lead America’s energy independence and drive continued economic growth with safe, clean and reliable nuclear energy for the future,” Tennessee Governor Lee said. Nuclear, one of the cleanest forms of energy, is receiving unprecedented support from Tennessee and Americans broadly. According to the Pew Research Center, a majority of Americans support building more nuclear power plants.
Photo Courtesy Y-12 National Security Complex
Also in East Tennessee, the government awarded a $192 million, five-year contract to Management Solutions, a female-owned Knoxville business, to hire 70 new staff members to help clean energy startups manage their operations. DOE also renewed funding to the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, a public-private partnership between the government and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Nearby in McMinn County, Piedmont Lithium received a $141.7 million grant for a new domestic battery supply chain facility. The plant is scheduled to begin construction next year and will add 120 jobs.
Video Courtesy Piedmont Lithium
Tennessee continues to join the electric vehicle revolution, with 28,300 registered electric cars in 2022, a 53% increase from the previous year. The state currently counts nearly 2,000 charging points statewide. However, it will receive more than $18 million to build more from the Mississippi River to the Smoky Mountains, ensuring that any travelers and businesses in the state will never be far from a charge.
Photo Courtesy Oak Ridge National Laboratory
All of Tennessee’s new clean energy funding comes thanks to the bipartisan federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which will invest $900 million in large-scale clean energy projects and job creation in Tennessee until 2030. According to DOE, the IRA tax credits that “encourage investment in wind and solar will help reduce energy costs, as the costs of solar and wind power are projected to drop by 23% and 34%, respectively, over the next 30 years in Tennessee.” The funding is a part of the United States’ move toward complete reliance on renewables, with a net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 goal on the horizon.
