Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz is seen during a quadrilateral Ministerial Summit in Nicosia, Cyprus, Dec. 5, 2017. Photo: Reuters / Yiannis Kourtoglou.

JNS.org – The US Department of Energy and the Israeli Energy Ministry along with the Israel Innovation Authority have selected eight clean energy projects to receive $7.15 million under the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy program. The total value of the projects is $17.4 million, which includes $10.25 million in cost-share from the companies selected for funding.

BIRD Energy began in 2009 as a result of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Since then, including the projects announced today, BIRD Energy has funded 55 projects with a total government investment of approximately $42 million in addition to approximately $55 million in funds matched by the private sector.

Each project is conducted by a US and an Israeli partner. Selected projects address energy challenges and opportunities that are of interest to both countries and focus on commercializing clean energy technologies that improve economic competitiveness, create jobs and support innovative technologies and companies.

“The BIRD Energy program fosters collaboration between US and Israeli companies that has produced real innovations in renewable energy and energy efficiency. This partnership continues to build bilateral relationships that will benefit our economies and environment for years to come,” said US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette.

Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said, “I am proud of the successful collaboration between Israeli and US companies, which is based on mutual trust and groundbreaking innovation in the energy market. I hope that these R&D projects will bring us closer to an efficient and clean energy market. Government investment in R&D is important to help reach these goals, and as a recovery tool from the coronavirus crisis we are experiencing now.”