Northwestern will join dozens of universities across the country in receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Energy in an effort to advance the deployment of carbon-free nuclear power, the DOE announced in a Tuesday news release. 

The DOE will distribute a total of $61 million in funding for the development of 99 advanced nuclear energy technologies in 30 states and one U.S. territory, $58 million of which will go to U.S. universities. The project focuses on nuclear energy research and nuclear reactor infrastructure to meet the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2035 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“At DOE we’re not only investing in the country’s current nuclear fleet, but we’re also investing in the scientists and engineers who are developing and deploying the next generation of advanced nuclear technologies,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in the news release. 

Nuclear power, which provides a fifth of America’s electricity and more than half of zero-emission energy, is essential to reaching the goal of clean energy, the release said. The awards managed by the DOE program will enhance nuclear energy technology, increase the safety of nuclear waste storage and improve resilience of nuclear reactor facilities. 

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