what does the department of energy do

11 months ago 32
Nature

The Department of Energy is a Cabinet-Level Executive Branch Agency that oversees U.S. national energy policy and manages the research and development of nuclear power, the militarys nuclear weapons program, nuclear reactor production for the United States Navy, energy-related research, and domestic energy production and energy conservation. The Department of Energy has one of the richest and most diverse histories in the Federal Government, and its lineage can be traced to the Manhattan Project effort to develop the atomic bomb during World War II. The Department of Energys mission is to ensure Americas security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology innovation that promotes affordable and reliable energy through market solutions and meets our nuclear security and environmental cleanup challenges. The Department of Energy is responsible for advancing the energy, environmental, and nuclear security of the United States; promoting scientific and technological innovation in support of that mission; sponsoring basic research in the physical sciences; and ensuring the environmental cleanup of the nation’s nuclear weapons complex. The Department of Energy also funds scientific research in the field.