As an integral part of our everyday lives, energy provides light, heat, cool air, and clean water; operates our businesses, industry, and transportation; keeps our devices running; and more. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) invests in people and ideas to advance cost-effective, emerging technologies and develop clean energy innovations that will boost the U.S. economy and create quality jobs, while combatting climate change, advancing America’s energy independence, and securing our power grid.

As America’s innovation engine, DOE funds the research, development, demonstration, and deployment of renewable energy, energy-efficiency, and sustainable transportation technologies to provide clean, affordable, reliable energy for all. 

How EERE Sparks Innovation

Funding

DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) regularly issues funding opportunities—through its 11 technology offices and the Small Business Innovation Research/Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs—to obtain and explore new ideas from diverse innovators for clean energy technologies.

Prizes and Competitions

DOE’s American-Made Challenges (AMC) are prize competitions that award funding and technical support to teams of entrepreneurial clean energy innovators for ideas they transform into prototypes on an accelerated timeline. EERE supports collegiate and other competitions, too.

National Laboratories

DOE’s 17 national labs have state-of-the-art facilities, tools, capabilities, and expertise to translate science into innovation and tackle our most critical scientific challenges. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory provides AMC competitors with technical and business support by connecting them with technology incubators and accelerators, venture capital firms, angel investors, and industry representatives to help speed the development and commercialization of their innovations.

Technical Assistance

EERE offers technical assistance (TA) to communities; local, tribal, and state governments; building professionals; manufacturers; utilities; developers and others to help meet their specific energy planning, efficiency, and implementation needs. TA is customizable and can include tools, best practices, assessments, training resources, facilitating strategic partnerships, and more.

If you have an innovative idea or solution that supports our clean energy future, view and apply for EERE’s open funding opportunities, prizes, and competitions.

Read EERE Success Stories to learn about EERE-funded clean energy solutions that transformed from an idea to a demonstration, prototype, or product that now helps decarbonize the U.S. economy.

Learn more about the groups EERE funds: What Funding Is Available from the Office of EERE? | Department of Energy.