The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy announced the release of a memo by the Deputy Secretary of Energy that describes a framework designed to minimize foreign risks to the scientific enterprise of DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The newly published Research, Technology & Economic Security (RTES) Framework highlights DOE’s goals, process, high level risk factors, and commitment to mitigation when assessing RTES risk. This framework outlines a harmonized approach across all DOE/NNSA funding offices that undertakes to protect DOE’s early-stage research and development (R&D) in academic settings, applied R&D stage projects, and demonstration and deployment stage projects while maintaining an open collaborative, and world leading scientific enterprise. The framework also highlights DOE’s commitment to mitigation when assessing RTES risk and outlines its goals and processes. Join an RTES Informational Webinar To Learn More To assist the applicant and recipient community in understanding and adapting to the recently published framework, DOE will host a webinar to introduce the approach and answer questions. Funding awardees and prospective applicants are encouraged to review the framework and attend Monday, December 16, 2024. Register today. About DOE’s RTES Office DOE’s Office of Research, Technology & Economic Security (RTES), situated in DOE’s Office of International Affairs, undertakes several risk mitigation activities that support DOE’s responsibility to protect federal funding from undue foreign influence and to accomplish its mission in ways that protect and further energy security and technological advancement of the United States. Specifically, RTES identifies and addresses potential security risks that threaten the scientific enterprise; establishes best practices for programs; conducts outreach activities for stakeholders; educates Department programs on potential security risks; and conducts or facilitates risk assessments of DOE proposals, loans, and awards. More information about RTES’s mission, activities, events, and ways to get involved

Spotlight on Success: First Megawatt-Scale Demonstration of Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Data Center Backup Power Earlier this year, Caterpillar Inc. announced successful completion of a first-of-a-kind collaboration with Microsoft and Ballard Power Systems to demonstrate the viability of using large-format hydrogen fuel cells to supply reliable backup power for data centers.  The demonstration, hosted at Microsoft’s Cheyenne, Wyoming, data center, simulated a 48-hour power outage, providing critical insights into the capabilities of fuel cell systems to power multi-megawatt data centers, ensuring uninterrupted power supply to meet 99.999% uptime requirements. Caterpillar served as project lead, providing overall system integration, power electronics, and microgrid controls that form the central structure of the hydrogen power solution. Hardware for the demonstration included two Caterpillar power grid stabilization storage systems alongside a 1.5-MW hydrogen fuel cell supplied by Ballard Power Systems. Over the course of the project, researchers evaluated the cost and performance of the fuel cell system including analysis of key performance characteristics such as power transfer time and load acceptance. Launched in 2020 and completed this year, the project was supported and partially funded by DOE under the H2@Scale initiative, which brings stakeholders together to advance affordable hydrogen production, transport, storage, and utilization in multiple energy sectors. During the demonstration, researchers at DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) analyzed safety, techno-economics, and greenhouse gas impacts.

To support and advance future maritime fuel technology and investment, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a Request for Information (RFI) to establish a consistent and reliable definition for sustainable maritime fuel (SMF) that informs and aligns community, industry, governments, and other maritime stakeholders. The Action Plan for Maritime Energy and Emissions Innovation (Action Plan), a summary of which was released in December 2024, builds on the 2023 U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization to define actions that aim to achieve a clean, safe, accessible and affordable U.S. maritime transportation system. The Action Plan calls for the federal government to define “Sustainable Maritime Fuel,” which is critical to evaluating and determining future SMF production volume goals in the Action Plan and alternative fuels that align with the U.S. 2050 net emission goals. “The global maritime sector is pursuing sustainable maritime fuels. The United States is well positioned to be a global leader in producing, distributing, and selling these sustainable fuels that can provide more affordable options to the market,” said Michael Berube, deputy assistant secretary for sustainable transportation and fuels, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “This Request for Information will help align the industry around common definitions, enabling broader adoption across the economy.” The U.S. maritime sector connects virtually every aspect of American life—from our clothes and food, to our cars, and the oil and natural gas used to heat and cool homes. About 99% of U.S. overseas trade enters or leaves the United States by ship. This waterborne cargo and associated activity contribute more than $500 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product and sustain over 10 million U.S. jobs. However, the Action Plan estimates the total amount of greenhouse (GHG) emissions from fuel sold in the United States for use in maritime applications accounts for 4% of the U.S. transportation sector’s GHG

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) today highlighted a recent groundbreaking achievement in hydrogen-powered transportation: a prototype H2Rescue truck, built and powered by Accelera with funding support from DOE and other federal agency partners, last month established a new world record by traveling 1,806 miles on a single fill of hydrogen fuel. The truck completed its record-setting journey in California and was closely monitored and validated by an adjudicator from Guinness World Records who confirmed the truck’s hydrogen tank was sealed before the journey began. Powered by a Cummins Accelera fuel cell engine and a 250-kilowatt traction motor, the truck carried 175 kilograms of hydrogen and consumed 168 kilograms while navigating rush hour traffic, between 50 to 55 mph, on public roads, operating in temperatures varying from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Accelera researchers confirmed that over the 1,800-mile trip, the hydrogen-filled truck emitted zero pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2), a stark contrast to the 664 pounds of CO2 a standard internal combustion engine vehicle would have emitted over the same distance. Using hydrogen in this type of truck—which is typically used in emergency response, military, and utility applications—can displace approximately 1,825 gallons of fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.5 metric tons annually. This demonstration vehicle, weighing approximately 33,000 pounds, is the result of an innovative collaboration between Accelera, HFTO, DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the termination of 321 financial awards supporting 223 projects, resulting in a savings of approximately $7.56 billion dollars for American taxpayers. Following a thorough, individualized financial review, DOE determined that these projects did not adequately advance the nation’s energy needs, were not economically viable, and would not provide a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars. The awards were issued by the Offices of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Grid Deployment (GDO), Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC), Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and Fossil Energy (FE). “On day one, the Energy Department began the critical task of reviewing billions of dollars in financial awards, many rushed through in the final months of the Biden administration with inadequate documentation by any reasonable business standard,” Secretary Wright said. “President Trump promised to protect taxpayer dollars and expand America’s supply of affordable, reliable, and secure energy. Today’s cancellation’s deliver on that commitment. Rest assured, the Energy Department will continue reviewing awards to ensure that every dollar works for the American people.” Of the 321 financial awards terminated, 26% were awarded between Election Day and Inauguration Day. Those awards alone were valued at over $3.1 billion. In May 2025, Secretary Wright issued a Secretarial Memorandum entitled, “Ensuring Responsibility for Financial Assistance,” establishing a new policy for evaluating financial awards. The policy authorized program offices to request additional information from awardees. It also required that awards be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to identify waste, safeguard taxpayer dollars, protect America’s national security, and advance President Trump’s commitment to deliver affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people. Using this review process, DOE evaluated each of these awards and determined that they did not meet the economic, national security or energy

WASHINGTON— U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright today signed the final export authorization for the Venture Global CP2 LNG Project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, allowing exports of up to 3.96 billion cubic feet per day of U.S. natural gas as liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries.  “In less than ten months, President Trump’s administration is redefining what it means to unleash American energy by approving record new LNG exports,” said Kyle Haustveit, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Fossil Energy. “Finalizing the non-FTA authorization for CP2 LNG will enable secure and reliable American energy access for our allies and trading partners, while also providing well-paid jobs and economic opportunities at home.” Today’s authorization follows the Department’s conditional authorization to CP2 LNG in March 2025 and reflects the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s May 2025 decision approving the siting, construction, and operation of the facility. It also incorporates DOE’s May 2025 response to comments on the 2024 LNG Export Study, which reaffirmed that U.S. LNG exports strengthen America’s energy leadership, expand opportunities for American workers, and provide our allies with secure access to reliable U.S. energy. On day one, President Trump directed the Energy Department to end the Biden administration’s LNG export pause and to resume the consideration of pending applications to export LNG to countries without a free trade agreement (FTA). Under President Trump’s leadership, DOE has authorized more than 13.8 Bcf/d of LNG exports—greater than the volume exported today by the world’s second-largest LNG supplier. Today, U.S. exports are approximately 15 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), an increase of approximately 25% from 2024 levels. ###