Mission Innovation at DOE

Mission Innovation is a multinational initiative to dramatically accelerate public and private global clean energy innovation that was announced at the United Nations climate-change conference in Paris on November 30, 2015.  Through the initiative, 20 countries are committing to double their respective clean energy research and development (R&D) investment over five years.  The partner countries represent 75 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions from electricity, and more than 80 percent of the world’s clean energy R&D investment.  A summary of each country's funding commitment and cooperative efforts to date can be found at the international Mission Innovation coordination website.

The U.S. commitment is to double clean energy R&D funding from $6.4 billion to $12.8 billion; the FY 2017 President's Budget Request provides an initial 20% increase towards that goal.  Department of Energy R&D represents 75% of the base and 80% of the increase.

News

Current DOE Activities

Participation in University-Hosted Forums: Listening to Regional Opportunities in Clean Energy Technology Innovation

Beginning in April 2016, leading research universities across the nation invited DOE principals to participate in forums that the universities convened to examine the clean energy technology innovation environment in their respective regions.  At each event, DOE senior leaders listened to participants to gain a clear understanding of regional energy resources and challenges, innovation opportunities, and economic development activities that can be leveraged to accelerate innovation while helping to build capacity to develop or improve sustainable energy technology innovation ecosystems.

Highlights from the forums are summarized in Volume I (featured at the right) of a two-part volume set.  Individual university reports and a compilation ("Volume II") are available on the University Forums page.

U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Energy Investment Center

In 2015, the White House launched the Clean Energy Investment Initiative to catalyze expanded private sector investment in climate change solutions, including innovative technologies with breakthrough potential to reduce carbon pollution. Investment markets can be hampered, however, by lack of information.

To address these information challenges, the Department of Energy has responded in 2016 by establishing the Clean Energy Investment Center (CEIC). The Center’s mission is to assist and support investors by providing a one-stop-shop to access subject-matter experts, acquire the latest research studies and reports, and identify promising energy products. CEIC builds the framework to spur the public-private partnerships needed to realize the goals of Mission Innovation.

CEIC Offerings

  • Laboratory-Investor Knowledge Series (LINKS):
    CEIC coordinates meetings in various locations and connects DOE National Laboratories and investors to discuss partnership opportunities.
     
  • Laboratory Partnering Service (LPS):
    LPS is as an online portal connection service for investors and national laboratory experts.
     
  • Project Data Access:
    CEIC offers a library of information on individual DOE project awardees that will increase awareness of, and access to, the DOE portfolio of investable clean energy opportunities.
     
  • Innovation Interface (I2):
    I2 Seminars connect investors with DOE technical experts and program managers.
     
  • Technical Assistance:
    CEIC will share research and analysis produced by DOE and its National Laboratories on relevant developments in clean energy technology.

 

Accelerating Clean Energy Technology Solutions through the President’s Budget

The U.S. commitment is to double clean energy R&D funding from $6.4 billion to $12.8 billion; the FY 2017 President's Budget Request provides an initial 20% increase towards that goal, to $7.7 billion for clean energy R&D, distributed across 12 federal agencies and spanning the full range of R&D activities, from use-inspired basic research to demonstration.  Of the $7.7 billion requested for FY 2017, $5.865 billion (76%) is Department of Energy R&D.

The U.S. Mission Innovation commitment addresses 11 clean energy R&D focus areas: 

  • Industry and buildings
  • Vehicles and transportation
  • Bio-based fuels and energy
  • Solar, wind, and other renewables
  • Nuclear energy
  • Hydrogen and fuel cells
  • Cleaner fossil energy
  • CO2 capture, utilization, and storage
  • Electricity grid
  • Energy storage
  • Basic energy research

Additional information can be found in the Accelerating Clean Energy Technology Solutions through the President’s Budget article on this website.