​(Communicated by the Energy Ministry Spokesperson)

The Ministry of Energy and the United States Department of Energy deepen their cooperation in research and development by tripling their budget threefold.
 
The governments will jointly invest an additional $ 8 million in energy research and development, in addition to the $ 4 million already invested through the BIRD Energy Fund since 2009. 
 
With the US Senate budget approval, the governments through the relative ministries will publish a call for proposals for the establishment of a joint research and development center in the field of energy, which will include partners from both the business-technological side and the academic side in both countries.
 
This is a significant strengthening of the energy cooperation between the countries that began in 2009, mainly in light of recent changes in priorities in the US budget. The joint investment is a continuation of the implementation agreement signed by Energy Minister Dr. Yuval Steinitz and former US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, in 2016. As part of this agreement, the fields of cooperation between the two countries have been expanded in the energy sector, including: fuels and substitutes, Smart grid and electricity grid in general, desalination and water treatment and physical and cyber protection of energy and water infrastructure facilities.