The Biden administration is tapping funds secured in last year’s infrastructure bill to advance programs it argues can help reduce carbon emissions in the manufacture of widely-used materials such as steel, aluminum and concrete.

The industrial sector is central to tackling the climate crisis, many analysts agree, because it is responsible for nearly a third of domestic greenhouse gas emissions. And targeting industrials will be vital to meeting the U.S. goal of cutting carbon pollution nationwide by at least 50% by 2030, proponents of the plan say.

A new “Buy Clean” Task Force will be created to steer federal agencies to buy construction materials that are manufactured producing fewer emissions. This influx of demand is meant to push the private sector to have more readily and cheaper access to the same processes.

The Energy Department will spend $9.5 billion to encourage the commercial-scale development of clean hydrogen, a zero-carbon alternative, primarily instead of natural gas NG00, -1.27%, that is currently expensive and not scalable. Hydrogen, particularly “green” hydrogen, and the “blue” hydrogen that includes natural gas in its mix, is a major pursuit of both the public and private sectors.

Further, the White House on Tuesday will issue new guidance on deploying technology for carbon capture, utilization and sequestration (CCUS), including job creation in this segment. Carbon capture is aimed at grabbing the pollution at the source of burning and storing it or reusing it.

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