DOE undergoes realignment to implement clean energy investments
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will undergo an organizational realignment to ensure that it has the proper structure in place to implement the clean energy investments in the Infrastructure Law and the Energy Act of 2020.
Under the new structure, there will be two Under Secretaries: one focused on fundamental science and clean energy innovation, and the other focused on deploying clean infrastructure.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Energy Act of 2020 supercharge the Department of Energy to propel the U.S. economy towards cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable energy,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “These structural changes set DOE up for success in carrying out all of our missions – and to carry them forward for the coming years and decades. Our strategic realignment optimizes the world-class expertise of our talented staff. It builds new efficiencies across our enterprise and will maximize our ability to accelerate the technologies needed to grow clean energy jobs and fight the climate crisis.”
The new Under Secretary for Infrastructure, formerly Under Secretary for Energy, will focus on deploying clean energy solutions, focusing on infrastructure financing, project development, project management, and other key areas. The existing offices moving to the new Under Secretary include DOE’s Loan Programs Office, Office of Indian Energy, Office of Clean Energy Demonstration, Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), and the Federal Energy Management Program.
Also, three new offices have been created to support clean energy infrastructure deployment. The Grid Infrastructure Office will execute DOE’s Building a Better Grid initiative to modernize and upgrade the nation’s electric transmission lines and deploy cheaper, cleaner electricity across the country. The State and Community Energy Program will work more closely with states, localities, and communities to plan and deploy decarbonization solutions.
The Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains will work to ensure the energy industrial base is supported by a clean, resilient, domestic supply chain.
The new Under Secretary for Science and Innovation, formerly the Undersecretary for Science and Energy, will drive research and development of energy technologies, with connected demonstration and deployment activities. The Office of Science, DOE’s applied energy offices, and DOE’s 17 National Labs will be under this umbrella as part of the realignment.
The DOE also launched the Clean Energy Corps in January. This group is made up of staff from more than a dozen offices across DOE who will work together to research, develop, demonstrate, and deploy solutions to climate change.
The Infrastructure Law and the Energy Act of 2020 provides over $60 billion primarily for new major clean energy demonstration and deployment programs.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is an opportunity to deliver on President Biden’s commitments on climate, environmental justice, and creating opportunities for good-paying union jobs in clean energy. That’s why this realignment makes sense right now as we implement this once-in-a-generation investment,” Mitch Landrieu, White House senior advisor and infrastructure implementation coordinator, said.
