The BIRD U.S.-Israel Energy Center Announces Call for Proposals

The Energy Center seeks U.S. and Israeli Consortia Making Advances in Energy Storage, Fossil Energy, or the Energy-Water Nexus

TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A second Call for Proposals under the U.S.-Israel Energy Center. The program, managed by the BIRD Foundation (Binational Industrial Research and Development), will focus on three priority areas: energy storage, fossil energy, and the energy-water nexus.

Industrial companies, research institutes, and post-secondary institutions from the U.S. and Israel are encouraged to form consortia and apply. Each consortium must include at least one industrial corporation and one research institute or post-secondary institution from each country.

Under the call, two binational consortia will be selected to receive grants of $6 million each. With required cost-sharing, the total budget for each consortium is expected to be at least $12 million over three years, with an option to submit a proposal for an additional two years. The new call follows the success of the Energy Center’s initial five years of operation, in which four active consortia have resulted in 11 pilots, 19 patents, 231 scientific publications, and a commercial potential estimated at $500 million annually within a decade.

The goal of the Energy Center is to promote energy efficiency, security, resilience, and economic development through the research and development of innovative energy technologies. The Center additionally aims to facilitate cooperation among consortia of U.S. and Israeli companies, universities, and research institutes.

Jaron Lotan, Executive Director of the BIRD Foundation, said, “This strategic U.S.-Israeli partnership forges a direct and vital link between our two innovation-driven economies. By uniting our leading companies and universities, we are creating a powerful engine for economic growth. This initiative accelerates the journey of next-generation energy technologies from the laboratory to industrial use, building critical infrastructure while driving job creation and prosperity in both the United States and Israel.”

Yossi Dayan, Director General of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, added, “The U.S.-Israel Energy Center creates an environment where breakthrough ideas are translated into real-world solutions, strengthening resilient energy infrastructure. By fostering deep collaboration between academia and industry in both countries, the program builds long-term capabilities that support energy security, economic growth, and technological leadership.”

Dror Bin, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority: “This call builds on a proven Israel–U.S. collaboration that brings industry and academia together around shared technological challenges. By aligning the needs of industry with the depth of academic research and knowledge, these binational consortia accelerate the development and maturation of breakthrough technologies toward real-world, commercial impact. Led by industry and strengthened by international partnership, this model delivers meaningful value to Israel’s innovation ecosystem and reinforces the strategic technological ties between Israel and the United States.”

The establishment of a joint U.S.-Israel Energy Center was first authorized by Congress in the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Israeli Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoE), along with the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) signed an Implementation Agreement on June 25, 2018, establishing the U.S. Israel Energy Center and its topic areas.

In 2019, the DOE, MoE and IIA announced the BIRD Foundation as the operating agent of the Energy Center. The BIRD Foundation was established by the U.S. and Israeli governments in 1977 to generate mutually beneficial cooperation between U.S. and Israeli companies, including start-ups and established organizations. In addition to the Energy Center, BIRD operates and manages the BIRD Energy Program, which funds cooperative R&D projects submitted jointly by one U.S. and one Israeli company or research institute. 

The deadline for the submission of executive summaries is June 30, 2026.

More information on the Calls for Proposals and how to apply can be found on the BIRD Foundation website.

About the BIRD Foundation 

The BIRD (Binational Industrial Research and Development) Foundation is the binational foundation for industrial research and development of the governments of Israel and the U.S. The Foundation encourages and funds R&D collaborations between Israeli and American companies across various technological fields.

For further information, please contact:

Nitzn Zarotski, Extra Mind PR
nizan@xmind.co.il, +972-54-421-1275

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SOURCE The BIRD Foundation