Carbon recycler Twelve makes a wide range of products using waste materials that would otherwise further warm Earth's climate: Sunglasses, laundry detergent, car parts and even a sustainable aviation fuel it says reduces jet emissions by 90%.
That kind of fuel isn't cheap. A gallon of sustainable aviation fuel costs almost twice as much as traditional aviation fuel, according to the International Air Transport Association. Carbon recycling technology is broadly expensive, limiting how widely these kinds of systems can be embraced, which can then limit their development and adoption. The Biden administration took a step to address that chicken-and-egg problem Monday with the announcement of a $100 million grant program aimed at subsidizing carbon recycling purchases by state and local governments, as well as public utilities. The initiative, spearheaded by the Energy Department, will fund a range of technologies and projects that recycle carbon waste, work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build a circular economy — an economic model based on manufacturing goods from things that have already been produced. Geoff Cooper, CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, said that the funding will also help stimulate demand and make these technologies more competitive. "The program will significantly lower the cost of these products for state and local governments and public utilities, which in turn will increase the size of the market for recycled carbon," he said. The funding consists of grants to help cities and towns pay for carbon recycling…