The Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Investments Are Catalyzing Innovation Nationwide

The U.S. Department of Energy allocated more than $860 million in 2018 to support energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean transportation research through grants to 600-plus small businesses, industrial partners, national labs, and academic institutions across almost every state. Funding from the DOE helps drive down the costs of clean energy innovation, from solar and wind power to electric vehicles, making these technologies more affordable while accelerating market adoption. Here, we highlight several recipients of energy innovation grants, such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, which is exploring long-duration energy storage, or Nexceris in Lewis Center, Ohio, which is developing cobalt-free batteries for electric vehicles. Policymakers should encourage developments like these by continuing to support American clean energy advancements though the DOE’s innovation budgets.