Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Encyclopedia
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is an office within the United States Department of Energy
that invests in high-risk, high-value research and development in the fields of energy efficiency
and renewable energy
technologies. The Office of EERE is led by the Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, who manages several internal EERE offices and ten programs that support research, development, and outreach efforts.
The Office of EERE is led by the Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The Office manages ten major programs, each of which is responsible for research, development, and outreach in a particular field of renewable energy or energy efficiency.
. The Office of EERE received $1,457,241,000 in fiscal year 2007, $1,722,407,000 in fiscal year 2008, and requested $1,255,393,000 for fiscal year 2009. These funds are divided among the ten EERE programs and internal costs such as program direction, program support, and facilities and infrastructure.
documents.
feedstocks and conversion technologies. Key goals of the Program include focusing research and development efforts to ensure that cellulosic ethanol
is cost competitive by 2012, and further developing infrastructure and opportunities for market penetration of bio-based fuels and products.
The Building Technologies Program oversees the U.S. Department of Energy's work with Energy Star
, which is managed through partnership with the United States Environmental Protection Agency
.
facilitates the federal government's implementation of cost-effective energy management and investment practices. This is delivered through project transaction services, applied technology services, and decision support services.
energy technologies, and supports finding, accessing, and using geothermal resources in the United States. One of their primary goals is to develop a 5 megawatt proof-of-principle demonstration of enhanced geothermal systems technology by 2015, and to validate the sustainability of this project by 2020.
, delivery, and storage technologies; to develop hydrogen safety codes and standards; to validate and demonstrate hydrogen technologies in real-world situations; and to educate stakeholders about these technologies.
, concentrating solar power, market transformation
, and systems integration.
for home, farm, and business applications. One example of a project sponsored by the Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program is the Wind ENergy Data & Information (WENDI) Gateway
, established by Oak Ridge National Laboratory
in March 2010. An additional program within this section is the Wind Powering America Initiative
. Water energy research includes traditional hydropower technologies
as well as wave energy
, ocean current, tidal current
, and river current technologies.
is a competition held in Washington, D.C. every other year. Students from 20 universities and colleges across the United States and the world construct homes that are powered exclusively by solar energy
. These homes are displayed on the National Mall
in Washington, D.C. and judged in ten contests.
The next Solar Decathlon will be held in 2009, on October 9-13 and 15-18.
The event is run by the U.S. Department of Energy and General Motors
.
is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, 25 cities across the United States, and municipal, county, and state agencies, universities, solar companies, utilities, developers, and non-profit organizations. The 25 selected cities each received $5 million, as well as technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy, to:
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
that invests in high-risk, high-value research and development in the fields of energy efficiency
Efficient energy use
Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is the goal of efforts to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services. For example, insulating a home allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable temperature...
and renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
technologies. The Office of EERE is led by the Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, who manages several internal EERE offices and ten programs that support research, development, and outreach efforts.
Management and organization
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's mission, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's Web site, is to strengthen America's energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality in public-private partnerships that enhance energy efficiency and productivity; bring clean, reliable and affordable energy technologies to the marketplace; and make a difference in the everyday lives of Americans by enhancing their energy choices and their quality of life.The Office of EERE is led by the Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The Office manages ten major programs, each of which is responsible for research, development, and outreach in a particular field of renewable energy or energy efficiency.
Assistant Secretary
The Acting Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is Dr. Henry Kelly.Offices
EERE is divided internally into several different offices that are responsible for different aspects of its operations.- Business Administration
- Commercialization and Deployment
- Golden Field Office
- Technology Advancement and Outreach
- Technology Development
Budget
The Office of EERE's annual budget is determined by annual congressional appropriationsAppropriation (law)
In law and government, appropriation is the act of setting apart something for its application to a particular usage, to the exclusion of all other uses....
. The Office of EERE received $1,457,241,000 in fiscal year 2007, $1,722,407,000 in fiscal year 2008, and requested $1,255,393,000 for fiscal year 2009. These funds are divided among the ten EERE programs and internal costs such as program direction, program support, and facilities and infrastructure.
2007
These values are taken from the EERE 2007 budgetBudget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
documents.
| (values in thousands) | Appropriation Appropriation (law) In law and government, appropriation is the act of setting apart something for its application to a particular usage, to the exclusion of all other uses.... |
Request | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | FY07 to FY08 | |||||
| Energy Supply and Conservation | ||||||||
| Biomass Biomass Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel.... and Biorefinery Biorefinery A biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, heat, and value-added chemicals from biomass... Systems R&D |
89,776 | 149,687 | 179,263 | +29,576 | ||||
| Building Technologies | 68,190 | 77,329 | 86,456 | |||||
| Federal Energy Management Program Federal Energy Management Program The USA Federal Energy Management Program promotes energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy resources at federal sites, helping agencies save energy, save taxpayer dollars, and demonstrate leadership with responsible, cleaner energy choices, because as the largest energy consumer in the... |
18,974 | 16,906 | 16,791 | -115 | ||||
| Geothermal Geothermal Geothermal is related to energy and may refer to:* The geothermal gradient and associated heat flows from within the Earth- Renewable technology :... Technology |
22,762 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Hydrogen Technology | 153,451 | 195,801 | 213,000 | +17,199 | ||||
| Hydropower | 495 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Industrial Technologies | 55,856 | 45,563 | 45,998 | +435 | ||||
| Solar Energy | 81,791 | 148,372 | 148,304 | -68 | ||||
| Vehicle Technologies | 178,351 | 166,024 | 176,138 | +10,114 | ||||
| Weatherization Weatherization Weatherization or weatherproofing is the practice of protecting a building and its interior from the elements, particularly from sunlight, precipitation, and wind, and of modifying a building to reduce energy consumption and optimize energy efficiency.Weatherization is distinct from building... and Intergovernmental Activities |
316,866 | 225,031 | 204,904 | -20,127 | ||||
| Wind Energy Wind energy Wind energy is the kinetic energy of air in motion; see also wind power.Total wind energy flowing through an imaginary area A during the time t is:E = ½ m v2 = ½ v 2... |
38,333 | 43,819 | 40,069 | -3,750 | ||||
| Facilities and Infrastructure | 26,052 | 5,935 | 6,982 | +1,047 | ||||
| Program Direction | 101,868 | 91,024 | 105,013 | +13,989 | ||||
| Program Support | 13,321 | 10,930 | 13,281 | +2,351 | ||||
| Adjustments | -3,339 | |||||||
| Total, Energy Supply and Conservation | 1,162,747 | 1,176,421 | 1,236,199 | +59,778 | ||||
Biomass
The Biomass Program works with industry, academia, and national laboratory partners on research in biomassBiomass
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
feedstocks and conversion technologies. Key goals of the Program include focusing research and development efforts to ensure that cellulosic ethanol
Cellulosic ethanol
Cellulosic ethanol is a biofuel produced from wood, grasses, or the non-edible parts of plants.It is a type of biofuel produced from lignocellulose, a structural material that comprises much of the mass of plants. Lignocellulose is composed mainly of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin...
is cost competitive by 2012, and further developing infrastructure and opportunities for market penetration of bio-based fuels and products.
Building Technologies
The Building Technologies Program works to improve the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings through industry partnerships, research, and tool development. The program’s strategic goal is to create technologies and design approaches that lead to marketable net zero energy homes by 2020 and net zero energy commercial buildings by 2025.The Building Technologies Program oversees the U.S. Department of Energy's work with Energy Star
Energy Star
Energy Star is an international standard for energy efficient consumer products originated in the United States of America. It was first created as a United States government program during the early 1990s, but Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and the European Union have also adopted...
, which is managed through partnership with the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
.
Federal Energy Management
The Federal Energy Management ProgramFederal Energy Management Program
The USA Federal Energy Management Program promotes energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy resources at federal sites, helping agencies save energy, save taxpayer dollars, and demonstrate leadership with responsible, cleaner energy choices, because as the largest energy consumer in the...
facilitates the federal government's implementation of cost-effective energy management and investment practices. This is delivered through project transaction services, applied technology services, and decision support services.
Geothermal Technologies
The Geothermal Technologies Program supports research and development for geothermalGeothermal
Geothermal is related to energy and may refer to:* The geothermal gradient and associated heat flows from within the Earth- Renewable technology :...
energy technologies, and supports finding, accessing, and using geothermal resources in the United States. One of their primary goals is to develop a 5 megawatt proof-of-principle demonstration of enhanced geothermal systems technology by 2015, and to validate the sustainability of this project by 2020.
Hydrogen, Fuel Cell Technologies
The Hydrogen, Fuel Cell Technologies Program works with academia, industry, the U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratories, and EERE's Vehicle Technologies Program to research and develop hydrogen productionHydrogen production
Hydrogen production is the family of industrial methods for generating hydrogen. Currently the dominant technology for direct production is steam reforming from hydrocarbons. Many other methods are known including electrolysis and thermolysis...
, delivery, and storage technologies; to develop hydrogen safety codes and standards; to validate and demonstrate hydrogen technologies in real-world situations; and to educate stakeholders about these technologies.
Industrial Technologies
The Industrial Technologies Program works with U.S. industries to reduce their energy intensity and carbon emissions, and supports the development of advanced industrial technologies and energy management best practices. Through the Save Energy Now initiative, this program is leading a drive to reduce industrial energy intensity 25% by 2017, a national goal outlined in the Energy Policy Act of 2005.Solar Energy Technologies
The Solar Energy Technologies Program focuses on accelerating the advancement of solar energy technologies. Its four subprograms are photovoltaicsPhotovoltaics
Photovoltaics is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaic power generation employs solar panels composed of a number of solar cells containing a photovoltaic material...
, concentrating solar power, market transformation
Market transformation
Market transformation describes both a policy objective and a program strategy to promote the value and self-sustaining presence of energy-efficient technologies in the marketplace...
, and systems integration.
Vehicle Technologies
The Vehicle Technologies Program works with industry to develop technologies that could increase vehicle energy efficiency and to research, develop, demonstrate, test, validate, commercialize, and educate about alternative fuel vehicles.Weatherization & Intergovernmental
The Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program provides grants to state governments, Indian tribes, municipal utilities, and low-income families through four separate programs that utilize all of EERE’s energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies:- Renewable Energy Production Incentive
- State Energy Program
- Tribal Energy Program
- Weatherization Assistance Program
Wind and Hydropower Technologies
The Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program conducts research in wind and water energy technologies. Wind energy R&D includes utility-scale technologies for both land-based and offshore applications and small distributed wind energy systemsWind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
for home, farm, and business applications. One example of a project sponsored by the Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program is the Wind ENergy Data & Information (WENDI) Gateway
Wind ENergy Data & Information (WENDI) Gateway
The Wind ENergy Data & Information Gateway was launched by the Environmental Sciences Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory in March 2010 to support the United States Department of Energy's Wind & Hydropower Technologies Program...
, established by Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the DOE's largest science and energy laboratory. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville...
in March 2010. An additional program within this section is the Wind Powering America Initiative
Wind Powering America Initiative
Wind Powering AmericaWind Powering America is an initiative of the United States Department of Energy that seeks to increase the use of wind energy throughout the United States...
. Water energy research includes traditional hydropower technologies
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
as well as wave energy
Wave power
Wave power is the transport of energy by ocean surface waves, and the capture of that energy to do useful work — for example, electricity generation, water desalination, or the pumping of water...
, ocean current, tidal current
Tidal power
Tidal power, also called tidal energy, is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into useful forms of power - mainly electricity....
, and river current technologies.
EERE-funded activities and events
The Office of EERE sponsors, in whole or in part, activities aimed at public outreach and engagement in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. Prominent national events include:Solar Decathlon
The Solar DecathlonSolar Decathlon
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is an international competition that challenges 20 collegiate teams to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house...
is a competition held in Washington, D.C. every other year. Students from 20 universities and colleges across the United States and the world construct homes that are powered exclusively by solar energy
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
. These homes are displayed on the National Mall
National Mall
The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service , and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit...
in Washington, D.C. and judged in ten contests.
The next Solar Decathlon will be held in 2009, on October 9-13 and 15-18.
EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge
EcoCAR is a college-level competition during which college-level students at 17 North American universities are given three years to produce a zero emissions vehicle. The students produce a variety of alternative vehicles, including full-function electric, range-extended electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles. The event culminates in a week-long competition.The event is run by the U.S. Department of Energy and General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
.
Solar America Cities
Solar America CitiesSolar America Cities
The U.S. Department of Energy has named 25 U.S. cities as Solar America Cities which are promoting solar technology adoption at the local level....
is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, 25 cities across the United States, and municipal, county, and state agencies, universities, solar companies, utilities, developers, and non-profit organizations. The 25 selected cities each received $5 million, as well as technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy, to:
- Integrate solar energy technologies into city energy planning
- Remove barriers to solar energy development in their city
- Promote solar technologies among the residents and local businesses.
National laboratories
The Office of EERE provides funding to 12 of the U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratories for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.- Argonne National LaboratoryArgonne National LaboratoryArgonne National Laboratory is the first science and engineering research national laboratory in the United States, receiving this designation on July 1, 1946. It is the largest national laboratory by size and scope in the Midwest...
- Brookhaven National LaboratoryBrookhaven National LaboratoryBrookhaven National Laboratory , is a United States national laboratory located in Upton, New York on Long Island, and was formally established in 1947 at the site of Camp Upton, a former U.S. Army base...
- Idaho National LaboratoryIdaho National LaboratoryIdaho National Laboratory is an complex located in the high desert of eastern Idaho, between the town of Arco to the west and the cities of Idaho Falls and Blackfoot to the east. It lies within Butte, Bingham, Bonneville and Jefferson counties...
- Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryThe Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory conducting unclassified scientific research. It is located on the grounds of the University of California, Berkeley, in the Berkeley Hills above the central campus...
- Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryThe Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , just outside Livermore, California, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center founded by the University of California in 1952...
- Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
- National Energy Technology LaboratoryNational Energy Technology LaboratoryThe National Energy Technology Laboratory is a science, technology, and energy laboratory owned and operated by the U.S. Department of Energy . As part of DOE's national laboratory system, NETL supports DOE's mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States...
- National Renewable Energy LaboratoryNational Renewable Energy LaboratoryThe National Renewable Energy Laboratory , located in Golden, Colorado, is the United States' primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is a government-owned, contractor-operated facility; it is funded through...
- Oak Ridge National LaboratoryOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak Ridge National Laboratory is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the DOE's largest science and energy laboratory. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville...
- Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryPacific Northwest National LaboratoryPacific Northwest National Laboratory is one of the United States Department of Energy National Laboratories, managed by the Department of Energy's Office of Science. The main campus of the laboratory is in Richland, Washington....
- Sandia National LaboratoriesSandia National LaboratoriesThe Sandia National Laboratories, managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation , are two major United States Department of Energy research and development national laboratories....
- Savannah River National LaboratorySavannah River National LaboratoryThe Savannah River National Laboratory is the applied research and development laboratory at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina. SRNL was founded in 1951 as the Savannah River Laboratory. It was certified as a national laboratory on May 7, 2004...