United States Department of Energy

United States Department of Energy
Seal of the U.S. Department of Energy
Flag of the U.S. Department of Energy

James V. Forrestal Building, headquarter building named after James Forrestal
Agency overview
FormedAugust 4, 1977; 47 years ago (1977-08-04)
Preceding agencies
JurisdictionU.S. federal government
HeadquartersJames V. Forrestal Building
1000 Independence Avenue
Southwest, Washington, D.C., U.S.
38°53′13″N 77°1′34″W / 38.88694°N 77.02611°W / 38.88694; -77.02611
Employees14,382 federal civilian (2018)[1]
93,094 contract (2008)
Annual budget$31.7 billion (2020)[2]
Agency executives
Websiteenergy.gov

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government that oversees U.S. national energy policy and energy production, the research and development of nuclear power, the military's nuclear weapons program, nuclear reactor production for the United States Navy, energy-related research, and energy conservation.

The DOE was created in 1977 in the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis. It sponsors more physical science research than any other U.S. federal agency, the majority of which is conducted through its system of National Laboratories.[3][4] The DOE also directs research in genomics, with the Human Genome Project originating from a DOE initiative.[5]

The department is headed by the secretary of energy, who reports directly to the president of the United States and is a member of the Cabinet. The current secretary of energy is Jennifer Granholm, who has served in the position since February 2021.[6] The department's headquarters are in southwestern Washington, D.C., in the James V. Forrestal Building, with additional offices in Germantown, Maryland.

  1. ^ "Department of Energy". FedScope Federal Workforce Data. United States Office of Personnel Management. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  2. ^ "The Budget for Fiscal Year 2020". Archived from the original on May 29, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  3. ^ "Office of Science Funding". Energy.gov. Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  4. ^ "NSF Science and Engineering Indicators 2012". National Science Foundation. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017.
  5. ^ "Genomes to Life, Black Bag" (PDF). U.S. Department of Energy. Spring 2002. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  6. ^ "President Joe Biden-announces acting federal agency leadership". whitehouse.gov. January 21, 2021. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2021.