The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Manufacturing & Energy Supply Chains and Office of Policy have issued requests for public input to inform how the Defense Production Act (DPA) authority provided to DOE through Presidential Determinations could best be used as a tool to accelerate manufacturing and deployment of clean energy technologies to bolster national defense, tackle climate change and environmental injustice, and improve employment opportunities and broader economic prosperity for Americans.  

In June, the President announced new authority for DOE to utilize the DPA pertaining to five energy technologies. DOE recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) to determine how best to leverage DPA authority to accelerate domestic production and deployment of four technologies, including transformers and electric grid components; solar photovoltaics; insulation materials; and electrolyzers, platinum group metals, and fuel cells for clean hydrogen. DOE is also gathering input from the public, through an RFI and Notice of Intent (NOI) on the fifth aspect of DOE’s DPA authority, heat pump manufacturing and deployment.

Stakeholder input will inform DOE on the design of potential DPA actions to scale up clean energy in ways that strengthen national defense, lower fuel prices, ramp up domestic clean energy industries, create family-sustaining jobs, build economic prosperity, slash climate pollution, and benefit (and avoid harm to) communities—all in the fastest possible timeframe.