Welcome to the Energy Blog. I am pleased to be the first of many voices from across the Department of Energy that you will hear from here, each of whom I trust will provide you with a unique perspective on our mission.

We’re introducing the Energy Blog at a critical moment for the Department. From our program offices to our national laboratories to our field offices, we are driving innovation to create a new, clean energy economy that will spark job creation and reduce our dependence on oil, while cutting our greenhouse gas emissions. We are also meeting the critical responsibilities of reducing nuclear dangers and environmental risks. At the core of all our work is a commitment to lead the world in science, technology and engineering and expand the frontiers of knowledge.

While the act of starting a blog is hardly novel, it is a first for us and part of our commitment to achieving the level of transparency, engagement, and accessibility that you should expect from your government. This past year, I’ve enjoyed building relationships around DOE’s mission on my personal Facebook page and the Department’s YouTube and Flickr pages. I’m excited that we are also launching DOE on Facebook and Twitter today.

Our goal is to use the Energy Blog and our other social media outlets to show you who we are, what we do, and why it matters to you, while allowing you to connect with us in new and creative ways.

That’s not a promise for the future; that’s a commitment we’re putting into action today. Later this morning, Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs David Sandalow will field your questions from Facebook and Twitter about the Clean Energy Ministerial. This meeting is the first time in history that ministers of the world’s largest economies have gathered to focus exclusively on clean energy. We will be making important announcements today about the real results this meeting has produced, and I hope you will check back later today to learn more.

This is just the first example of what we will be bringing you through this blog. Be sure to subscribe to our updates so that we can keep you posted as it happens.

Thanks for stopping by.

Steven Chu is the Secretary of Energy