DOE’s FY 2011 Budget Proposal Invests Heavily in Renewables, Efficiency, and Nuclear

February 4, 2010


For Immediate Release: February 4, 2010
For more information contact EESI at (202) 662-1892 or eesi [at] eesi.org.


The President’s FY 11 budget request for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE/RE) programs is $2.36 billion (approximately eight percent of the total DOE budget), an increase of $113 million (five percent above the FY 10 appropriations). Nuclear Energy programs received an increase of $42 million (five percent above FY 10 appropriations) and Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability programs increased by $14 million (five percent above FY 10 appropriations). The budget request for fossil energy decreased by $191 million (20 percent below FY 10 appropriations), primarily through a $105 million cut (43 percent below FY 10 appropriations) in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) program was authorized in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-69), and is responsible for funding specific “high-risk, high-payoff, game-changing research and development projects to meet the nation’s long-term energy challenges.” The FY 11 budget includes a request of $300 million for this program, following its initial FY 09 funds of approximately $400 million.

 


The President’s FY 11 energy efficiency and renewable energy budget request for DOE includes:

  • $115 million increase in the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Activities program (43% increase from FY 10 appropriations)
  • $55 million increase in the Solar Energy program (22% increase from FY 10 appropriations)
  • $50 million for the RE-ENERGY SE (Regaining Our Energy Science and Engineering Edge), previously unfunded
  • $43 million increase in the Wind Energy program (53% increase from FY 10 appropriations)
  • $14 million increase in Vehicle Technologies program (5% increase from FY 10 appropriations)
  • $11 million increase in the Geothermal program (25% increase from FY 10 appropriations)
  • $10 million increase in the Federal Energy Management Program (32% increase from FY 10 appropriations)
  • $10 million decrease in the Water Power program (19% decrease from FY 10 appropriations)