DOE Creates Two Undersecretary Roles to Consolidate Clean Energy Offices

The Department of Energy has created two new undersecretary roles as part of its strategy to implement clean energy investments.

DOE said the new undersecretary for infrastructure will focus on deploying clean energy solutions. The role will consolidate existing offices working on technology demonstrations and deployment, DOE said Wednesday.

Some of the affected offices are the Loan Program Office; Office of Indian Energy; Office of Clean Energy Demonstration; Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response; and the Federal Energy Management Program.

The undersecretary for infrastructure will also be in charge of three new offices focused on clean energy deployment: the Grid Infrastructure Office, the State and Community Energy Program and the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains.

DOE also created the position of undersecretary for science and innovation, a role that will consolidate offices that conduct research and development in energy technologies.

The Office of Science, the applied energy offices and the 17 national laboratories will be realigned under the new role.

DOE added that the science and innovation offices will continue implementing $12 billion in fiscal 2021 base appropriations funding and $3.8 billion in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Energy Act of 2020.

Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said the organizational changes will create new efficiencies in the department and help it accelerate the development of technologies critical to combating climate change.

DOE added that the reorganization supports the Biden administration‘s goal of decarbonizing the U.S. electricity sector by 2035 and achieving a net-zero economy by 2050.