The Energy Department has unveiled blueprints showing industry and policymakers how to bring three new clean-energy technologies from the lab to market and scale them up, according to E&E News鈥� (subscription).听The cost of the initiatives could surpass $200 billion by 2030.

What鈥檚 going on: The reports, developed partly for private-sector investors, 鈥渁re the first in a larger series dubbed the 鈥楶athways to Commercial Liftoff鈥� reports, which will focus on how a broad range of energy technologies can become 鈥榓 largely self-sustaining market.鈥欌��

• Advanced nuclear, clean hydrogen and long-duration storage will require investments of at least $129 billion and possibly more than $260 billion. (To date, roughly $40 billion in public and private investment has been poured into these sectors.)听

Betting on nuclear: 鈥淎dvanced nuclear could become a major contributor to net-zero goals in 2050, accounting for around 200 gigawatts of the firm power capacity necessary to meet the midcentury target, according to DOE.鈥�

• 鈥淏ut the department said that within the next few years, at least one specific nuclear design needs to emerge as a clear leader by winning contracts to build anywhere from five to 10 reactors.鈥�

The big picture: The Biden administration鈥檚 goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035 and net-zero emissions across the economy by 2050 鈥渨ill hinge partly on commercializing the three technologies,鈥� the reports say.
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