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DOE Releases 2026 U.S. Energy and Employment Report

William Attardi on September 9, 2026

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released the 2026 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER). The annual report highlights strong job growth across critical energy sectors at the heart of President Trump’s Energy Dominance agenda. America’s most reliable energy sectors are adding jobs and powering industries across the country. These critical sectors deliver the affordable, reliable, and secure energy that American families, businesses, and industries depend on. DOE Releases 2026 U.S. Energy and Employment Report – tEDmag

 

 

Supporters Hopeful as DOE and EPA Finalize Energy Star Transition Plan by Robert Freedman

William Attardi on September 9, 2026

The U.S. Department of Energy’s success with its Better Buildings Initiative shows the agency knows how to make a public-private partnership like Energy Star work, an industry supporter says. The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Aug. 28 finalized a planto make DOE the lead agency on the federal government’s Energy Star program by this time next year. In what industry groups say is an encouraging sign, the document emphasizes the agencies’ commitment to ensuring the program has adequate funding and staffing, a concern since the Trump administration has tried cutting the program in its budget requests. Supporters hopeful as DOE and EPA finalize Energy Star transition plan | Facilities Dive

Analysis: Proposed Building Codes Would Cost Americans $9.2B Per Year

William Attardi on June 30, 2026

The S. Department of Energy (DOE)released a new analysis finding that nationwide adoption of the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) would significantly increase housing construction costs and burden American families with costly Green New Scam mandates. DOE’s analysis found that the 2024 IECC would increase residential construction costs by more than $9.2 billion annually compared to the 2006 code levels, adding more than $127 billion in cumulative costs nationwide. If states choose to update their energy codes to the 2024 IECC, construction costs for a typical single-family home could increase by as much as $14,000. These costly mandates force American families to pay thousands of dollars more upfront for a new home, while projected energy savings may take decades to materialize. In most states, estimated payback periods exceed 10 years, with some exceeding 20 years.  Under President Trump’s leadership, DOE will continue implementing Executive Order, Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction, to put homeowners first and allow Americans to decide how to build and power their homes. Analysis: Proposed Building Codes Would Cost Americans $9.2B Per Year

DOE Is Dedicating $17.5 Billion in Loans to the Nuclear Supply Chain by Catherine Boudreau

William Attardi on June 23, 2026

The low-interest loans are aimed at supporting the Trump’s administration’s push to build 10 large nuclear plants by 2030. DOE’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing plans to provide $17.5 billion in low-interest loans to five projects so they can procure components like pressure vessels, steam generators, and main coolant pumps. All five intend to build Westinghouse AP1000s — the nation’s flagship nuclear reactor. EDF Director Gregory Beard told reporters that the office hasn’t selected the projects yet, but at least seven utilities and energy companies have formally expressed interest in the program. To further support the U.S. nuclear buildout, the Trump administration is also trying to build up a domestic supply of nuclear fuel — another major bottleneck in bringing new plants online. DOE is dedicating $17.5 billion in loans to the nuclear supply chain | Latitude Media

DOE Issues Request for AI Information

William Attardi on May 28, 2026

(DOE) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is helping ensure America leads the world in Artificial Intelligence (AI) while helping to lower energy costs by co-locating data centers and new energy infrastructure on DOE lands. To support this effort, DOE’s Office of Policy released a Request for Information (RFI) the full PDF RFI to inform possible use of DOE land for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure development to support growing demand for data centers. DOE has identified 16 potential sites uniquely positioned for rapid data center construction, including in-place energy infrastructure with the ability to fast-track permitting for new energy generation such as nuclear. The Department is seeking input from data center developers, energy developers, and the broader public to further advance this partnership. DOE Issues Request for AI Information

DOE Explores Using Its Lands for Data Centers

William Attardi on April 23, 2026

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is helping ensure America leads the world in Artificial Intelligence (AI) while helping to lower energy costs by co-locating data centers and new energy infrastructure on DOE lands. To support this effort, DOE’s Office of Policy released a Request for Information (RFI) to inform possible use of DOE land for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure development to support growing demand for data centers. DOE has identified 16 potential sites uniquely positioned for rapid data center construction, including in-place energy infrastructure with the ability to fast-track permitting for new energy generation, such as nuclear.

View the full PDF RFI.   DOE Explores Using Its Lands for Data Centers – electrifiED

Energy Star’s Move to DOE Helps It Escape Proposed EPA Cuts

William Attardi on April 10, 2026

The Trump administration for the second year in a row is calling for elimination of the Office of Atmospheric Protection inside the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but the Energy Star program, which has been part of the office for 30 years, is positioned to escape the cut; since November, the program has been operating out of EPA’s Office of Radiation and Indoor Air and, starting in June, will be moved out of EPA entirely. Under an agreement EPA signed with the U.S. Department of Energy last month, DOE will take over administration of the program. The administration says the office isn’t needed and shutting it down will save the government $100 million.  Energy Star’s move to DOE helps it escape proposed EPA cuts | Facilities Dive

DOE Allots $171.5 Million to Expand US Geothermal Energy

William Attardi on February 27, 2026

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a funding opportunity of $171.5 million to support next-generation geothermal field-scale tests for both electricity generation and exploration drilling to support characterization and potential confirmation of promising geothermal prospects. The activities enabled by this opportunity will help advance geothermal technology, innovation, and exploration, in turn supporting the potential for geothermal energy to provide affordable, reliable, around-the-clock domestic electricity to Americans nationwide. Although the United States leads the world in geothermal electricity capacity with about four gigawatts, DOE analysis shows the potential for at least 300 gigawatts of reliable, flexible geothermal power on the U.S. grid by 2050. DOE Allots $171.5 Million to Expand US Geothermal Energy – electrifiED

US Energy Department Reorganization Signals Major Policy Shift to Nuclear and Gas

William Attardi on January 24, 2026

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a significant shift in its energy policy, moving away from renewable energy sources like solar and wind and towards baseload power sources such as natural gas and nuclear power. This decision involves the reorganization of nearly $84 billion in loans and conditional commitments, with approximately $9.5 billion in subsidies for wind and solar projects being eliminated. The DOE’s new focus is on supporting the private sector through energy projects that provide consistent power rather than intermittent generation. This shift is part of a broader policy to enhance energy security and domestic production, as outlined by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. US Energy Department Reorganization Signals Major Policy Shift to Nuclear and Gas → Energy

DOE Advances Investments in AI for Science

William Attardi on December 15, 2025

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)has announced over $320 million in investments to rapidly advance the Genesis Mission’s artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. These awards are in accordance with President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cut and other DOE appropriations to advance “AI for science” initiatives at the DOE. The awards will begin building the integrated American Science and Security Platform, a discovery engine designed to double the productivity and impact of American science and engineering investments within a decade. To view the full list of projects and awards, please click here. DOE Advances Investments in AI for Science – electrifiED

 

It’s Back to School – How Some of Our Most Acknowledged Universities Got Their Name – Who were the true visionaries who would donate half of their estate to sculpting the minds of the future. These stories are monuments to history and culture. Let’s take a stroll through academia’s memory lane and uncover the origins of these storied university names!

  1. Ah, Harvard! The Ivy League giant was once a small college in the Massachusetts Bay Colony settlement called New Towne. But where did “Harvard” come from? Enter John Harvard, a clergyman who, in 1638, decided to bequeath half his estate and his library (a whopping 400 books!) to the fledgling college. Grateful for this generous gift, they promptly named the institution after him.
  2. A gem of New Haven, Connecticut, Yale is another Ivy League powerhouse known for its prestigious law and drama schools. It owes its name to Elihu Yale, a wealthy merchant who, in 1718, donated a modest shipment of goods (including portraits, books, and textiles) to a struggling collegiate school. Those goods were auctioned off, raising a much-needed £562 –a small fortune at the time.
  3. Dartmouth is renowned for its beautiful rural setting, nestled in the picturesque town of Hanover, New Hampshire. It was named after the Earl of Dartmouth, William Legge, a British nobleman who supported the college’s founding –despite never actually setting foot in America!
  4. Brown, this Rhode Island Ivy University, known for its open curriculum and emphasis on student choice, was founded with a mouthful of a name – the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It was renamed in 1704 for Nicholas Brown, Jr., a prominent merchant whose family donated generously to the school.
  5. Perched atop a hill overlooking Ithaca, New York, Cornell is celebrated for its diverse academic programs and its stunning natural surroundings. Founded by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, this university was unique for its commitment to practical education, allowing students the freedom to choose their own course of study. It was a revolutionary notion at the time, which would guide a curricular reform across the country.
  6. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford is renowned for its entrepreneurial spirit and its close ties to the tech industry. But this California powerhouse has a touching origin story. Leland Stanford, Jr., the founder’s son, tragically died young from typhoid fever. His father Leland Sr., railroad magnate and former state governor, and his mother Jane, founded the university in his memory, ensuring his legacy lived on through the pursuit of knowledge.
  7. This North Carolina research giant, known for its strong medical and law schools, underwent a bit of a name change in its history. Originally called Trinity College, it was renamed Duke University in 1924 after James Buchanan Duke, a tobacco and electric power industrialist who founded the American Tobacco Company. He established The Duke Endowment, to which he donated throughout his life and left half his estate after his death.
  8. Nestled in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt is a renowned research university with a vibrant campus life. It owes its name to “The Commodore,” Cornelius Vanderbilt, a shipping and railroad magnate, who provided the initial gift to establish the university.
  9. Texas businessman William Marsh Rice provided the initial funding for this Houston university, but did not live to see its opening. He was murdered by his valet as he slept, in a plot to forge the man’s will. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Rice University flourished through the years, becoming an institution known for its strong engineering and science programs.
  10. Who was Harvard named after? Origin of university names