Sublime Systems, a low-carbon cement manufacturer, paused construction of its Holyoke, Massachusetts manufacturing plant and laid off staff due to the cancellation of an $87 million government grant, which the company received during the Biden administration in 2024. The grant was slated to fund 50 percent of the plant’s costs. The plant was originally scheduled to open in 2026 for annual production of up to 30,000 tons of low-carbon cement, creating hundreds of jobs during construction with an additional 70 to 90 ongoing roles once the plant was operational. The Department of Energy terminated 321 financial awards for 223 total projects for a claimed savings of more than $7.5 billion. The agency used a review process that determined the canceled projects didn’t meet the economic, national security, or energy security standards which would necessitate continued investment. Because of the cancellation, Sublime Systems experienced trouble with its capital and will consider alternative options for the facility. Through a press release, Sublime Systems says it remains in conversations with the DOE regarding the potential of low-carbon cement, stating, “We are actively working through a robust set of alternative scale-up plans and have several exciting options to bring our first commercial plant online.”
— Source: www.constructiondive.com