The Department of Transportation’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Infrastructure could further its objectives of transforming the sector through various opportunities in a new net-zero carbon emission initiative, government officials said Wednesday.
In a commentary published on the White House website, DOT Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology Robert Hampshire, and Office of Science and Technology Policy deputy directors Kei Koizumi and Sally Benson made their case for ARPA-I’s potential benefit to the Net-Zero Game Changers Initiative.
ARPA-I is the latest research projects unit created for a U.S. executive department and is awaiting initial budget approval from Congress.
The net-zero initiative includes research and development proposals focused on clean and efficient transportation systems, smart mobility, next-generation construction of infrastructure construction and advanced electricity and clean fuel infrastructure.
The three experts said that ARPA-I could fulfill its transformation and climate change goals by supporting the R&D efforts. For instance, smart mobility could lead to widespread adoption of electric, autonomous and virtually connected vehicles. This vision aligns with ARPA-I’s purpose to “contribute significantly to improving the safe, secure, and efficient movement of goods and people.”
Koizumi is OSTP’s principal deputy director for policy and Benson is OSTP’s deputy director for energy.
