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Innovation powers American progress and is the heart of what we do at the Department of Energy.
Video courtesy of the Department of Energy

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Innovation … it powers American progress … it’s the heart of what we do at the Department of Energy.

Every day the Trump Administration is pushing for fresh ideas to help create new energy and manufacturing technologies that will lead us into a better, brighter future.

DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy – or EERE – invests in innovation. Our vision is to give every American access to abundant, affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy.

We know that a safe and secure grid is essential to a strong economy—that’s why we’re advancing research to better integrate all American energy sources into the grid.

The Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems—or ARIES—platform at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado is helping build and test tomorrow’s grid today.

Leveraging infrastructure at our National Labs and advanced computing, ARIES creates a virtual environment with real-time digital simulators to help overcome the challenges of bringing together fossil, wind, solar, nuclear, hydropower, and more.

And on hydro, we’re working to make it even more efficient to help power the grid of the future by partnering with America’s largest producers – the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

This work and the world-leading ARIES platform will make it possible to research how connecting devices and technologies like electric vehicles ... renewable power ... hydrogen ... energy storage ... and grid-interactive efficient buildings … impact the grid.

Under the President’s leadership, DOE is driving innovation in manufacturing … creating jobs … increasing energy efficiency … securing American supply chains ... and bolstering access to critical materials needed to make the advanced technologies of tomorrow.

In fact, by early 2020, the U.S. had added over half a million manufacturing jobs in the last three years alone. 

At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, researchers at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility are leveraging 3D printing to improve manufacturing processes and strengthen domestic supply chains. 

And at Argonne National Laboratory, researchers are developing cost-effective manufacturing processes to scale up promising new materials – materials that can be used to make batteries last longer or fuel cells more efficient.

Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette traveled to Detroit to announce $139 million in federal funding for 55 projects across the country that will support new and innovative advanced vehicle technologies … including projects to  help revitalize America’s manufacturing competitiveness.

DOE’s Better Buildings and Better Plants program works with the private sector to help make buildings and plants more energy efficient and reduce their energy footprint.

This voluntary program helps private sector owners and operators save money, which can make products more price competitive, and can be used to create jobs … raise wages … and expand operations here at home.

To date, the program has saved $11 billion in energy-costs for more than 950 public and private sector organizations.

DOE is also helping American manufacturing by empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators to help solve some of our most pressing energy issues.

Launched in 2018, DOE’s American-Made Challenges incentivizes entrepreneurs to reduce barriers to improve manufacturing across a range of technologies.

DOE has invested more than $40 million in 16 different American-Made prizes and competitions to advance energy innovation and American manufacturing.

The Department is also reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens.

In February 2020, we modernized our process for setting energy conservation standards …

… To allow DOE to focus on standards that will provide by far the largest return on investment for the American people...

The Administration has also taken bold action to guarantee Americans the choice to buy household appliances that best meet their needs … and incentivize manufacturers to produce innovative new designs, like dishwashers and clothes washers and dryers that can complete a cycle quickly.

At DOE … through our Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Department-wide … we’re working to make a brighter future for everyone.

Developing innovative technologies that:

Offer a wide range of clean energy options …

And keep our manufacturing sector and economy strong...

Through innovation, we strive to make our cleanest energy sources more affordable for all Americans…

We’re also making sure that American families are able to choose the appliances and products they need to make their lives better.

Innovation, choice, and competition …

Top priorities for the Administration.

It all starts here at the Department of Energy.