The Department of Energy (DOE) is a U.S. federal executive department responsible for the nation’s energy policy and nuclear weapon program, as well as science and technology research. DOE was created in 1977 with the merger of the Federal Energy Administration, the Energy Research and Development Administration, and the United States Atomic Energy Commission. The agency’s headquarters are in Washington D.C., with offices scattered throughout the country.
DOE’s primary mission is to advance energy security through science and technology solutions that enable critical advances in our Nation’s energy infrastructure. This includes developing clean energy technologies, advancing scientific discovery, improving grid resilience and cybersecurity, cleaning up legacy waste sites, and expanding access to cleaner forms of energy like solar and wind power.
To achieve these goals, DOE funds basic research at national laboratories and universities, manages America’s nuclear weapons stockpile, develops domestic energy resources including renewable electricity generation from solar, wind, water, geothermal sources), supports development of advanced fossil fuel technologies including natural gas production and carbon capture & sequestration), advances nuclear power research & development ,and provides funding for innovative demonstration projects that deploy new clean energy technologies at scale . In addition to its own programs , DOE also makes significant contributions to programs led by other federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation , Department of Defense ,and Department of Agriculture .
In order to ensure American leadership in key emerging technologies that will underpin future economic growth across multiple sectors , DOE has launched a number of initiatives focused on accelerating innovation in specific areas . These include:
- The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) which focuses on high-risk/high-reward research investments in breakthrough technologies with commercial potential;
- The Office of Electricity Delivery & Reliability which works to modernize our electric grid infrastructure;
- The Office of Fossil Energy which supports R&D efforts aimed at reducing emissions from coal -fired power plants;
- And the Office of Nuclear Energy which is working to develop next generation reactors that are smaller, safer, more efficient, and less expensive than current designs.