Energy Department

  • During chemical, biological, and radiological/nuclear atmospheric releases, the more information available about which way the wind is blowing, the better. To that end, WeatherBug, DHS and DOE are working together. Details from WeatherBug\'s Bill Callahan.

    October 01, 2010
  • Reverse auctions -- in which the bidder is the seller -- have helped larges companies and cities save millions of dollars in energy costs and could be used for individuals and neighborhoods, according to a Southeastern Louisiana University professor in

    September 29, 2010
  • Agencies must make their data networks compliant with the IPv6 protocol now. The government and private industry face a looming crisis as Internet addresses defined by an increasingly dated technical protocol run out, possibly as early as next year. Agencies must first upgrade external servers to run the new protocol.

    September 28, 2010
  • Vote today in our Best of the Federal Government series.

    September 10, 2010
  • DoE set up Energy Savings Performance Contracts with several different companies to work under a share-in-savings approach to reduce agency utility bills. Agencies do not have to pay upfront costs to move electricity or other infrastructure away from fossil fuels. The contracts could help agencies meet the White House\'s carbon footprint and greenhouse goals.

    August 19, 2010
  • WFED\'s Jason Miller reports.

    August 18, 2010
  • A building that runs on almost no energy. It\'s not magic, it\'s called a net zero building -- and the Energy Department can now boast of creating the world\'s largest.

    August 16, 2010
  • The Energy Department has awarded $92 million for 43 cutting-edge research projects aimed at improving how Americans use and produce energy. Dr. Arun Majumdar, the Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency, tells us why these organizations were awarded the money.

    August 02, 2010
  • The Obama administration crafted the comprehensive New Energy for America Plan.

    July 27, 2010
  • A Milwaukee-based company is about to begin research on an alternative form of refrigeration for cooling buildings, under a $2-point-nine million dollar energy research grant funded through the federal stimulus package. Using a solid state cooling technology, the privately held Astronautics Corporation of America will research a type of magnetic refrigeration that does not rely on a liquid-based refrigerant. Energy Department officials say, if successful, the breakthrough system could achieve significant energy efficiency, greatly reducing system operating costs compared to conventional compression systems, in addition to producing zero greenhouse gases. In all, $30 million dollars in grant money is being given to 17 different projects around the country that focus on a variety of novel approaches to air-conditioning.

    July 21, 2010
  • China is now the world\'s biggest energy consumer.

    July 19, 2010
  • 43 projects will be funded.

    July 13, 2010
  • Smart USA, which recently debuted its smart for two electric vehicle or EV , will deploy a fleet of 250 of them across the U.S. in October. The company says it will target key cities leading in electrification and Department of Energy grant areas, but it hasn\'t yet released its list of cities. Smart USA is looking for partnerships and is targeting companies, municipalities, organizations, and individuals interested in making a statement on conservation and environmental awareness. The Electric Vehicles are powered by a 30 kilowatt drive motor and a 16.5 kilowatt/hour lithium ion battery; can be fully recharged in about eight hours with a 220 volt outlet. The vehicles can reach highway speeds of 60 miles an hour and offer a range of 82 miles on a single charge.

    July 09, 2010
  • The Department of Energy\'s Brookhaven National Lab is constructing the world\'s most brilliant light source, the National Synchrotron Light Source II. In a recent decision, DOE approved a new project to begin the conceptual design of experimental tools needed to complete the project. Its research potential will only be realized when equipped with scientific instruments known as beamlines. Specialized magnets called insertion devices will create the light used by the most advanced of the beamlines. Energy officials say, as the world\'s most brilliant light source, NSLS II will foster groundbreaking scientific advances. The new source will give scientists the ability to image materials down to a nanometer, or one billionth of a meter. The facility is expected to start operating in 2015.

    July 09, 2010
  • The administration issues two new memos focusing on all IT projects and specifically on financial management systems. OMB will issue guidance in the next month detailing how they will evaluate which programs are at most risk. OMB\'s Zients says programs worth more than $10 billion are significantly off track in cost, schedule or both.

    June 29, 2010