DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Funds

For expenses necessary for Federal Salaries and Expenses in the National Nuclear Security Administration, [$383,666,000] $412,817,000, to remain available until September 30, [2017] 2018, including official reception and representation expenses not to exceed $12,000[: Provided, That of the unobligated balances from prior year appropriations available under this heading, $19,900,000 is hereby rescinded: Provided further, That no amounts may be rescinded from amounts that were designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985]. (Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.)

Program and Financing (in millions of dollars)

Federal Salaries and Expenses.—This account provides the Federal salaries and other expenses of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) mission and mission support staff. The Federal Salaries and Expenses appropriation allows for the creation of a well-managed, inclusive, responsive, and accountable organization through the strategic management of human capital and greater integration of budget and performance data. It also includes funding for a standardized corporate project management enterprise. Program direction for Naval Reactors is within that program's account, and program direction for Secure Transportation Asset is within the Weapons Activities account.

Object Classification (in millions of dollars)

Employment Summary

For Department of Energy expenses necessary for naval reactors activities to carry out the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the acquisition (by purchase, condemnation, construction, or otherwise) of real property, plant, and capital equipment, facilities, and facility expansion, [$1,375,496,000] $1,420,120,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of such amount, [$42,504,000] $47,100,000 shall be available until September 30, [2017] 2018, for program direction. (Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.)

Program and Financing (in millions of dollars)

Naval Reactors.—This account funds all naval nuclear propulsion work. It begins with reactor technology development and design, continues through reactor operation and maintenance, and ends with reactor plant disposal. The program ensures the safe and reliable operation of reactor plants in nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers (constituting over 45 percent of the Navy's combatants), and fulfills the Navy's requirements for new nuclear propulsion plants that meet current and future national defense requirements. Due to the crucial nature of nuclear reactor work, Naval Reactors is a centrally managed organization. Federal employees oversee and set policies/procedures for developing new reactor plants and operating existing nuclear plants and the facilities that support these plants.

Object Classification (in millions of dollars)

Employment Summary

For Department of Energy expenses, including the purchase, construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment and other incidental expenses necessary for atomic energy defense weapons activities in carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, or expansion, [$8,846,948,000] $9,285,147,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of such amount, [$97,118,000] $106,600,000 shall be available until September 30, [2017] 2018, for program direction: Provided further, That [funding made available under this heading may be made available for project engineering and design for the Albuquerque Complex Project] of the unobligated balances from prior year appropriations available under this heading, $42,000,000 is hereby permanently cancelled: Provided further, That no amounts may be cancelled from amounts that were previously designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. (Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.)

Program and Financing (in millions of dollars)

Programs funded within the Weapons Activities appropriation support the Nation's current and future defense posture, and its attendant nationwide infrastructure of science, technology and engineering capabilities. Weapons Activities provides for the maintenance and refurbishment of nuclear weapons to continue sustained confidence in their safety, reliability, and performance; continued investment in scientific, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities to enable certification of the enduring nuclear weapons stockpile; and manufacture of nuclear weapon components. Weapons Activities also provides for continued maintenance and investment in the NNSA nuclear complex to be more responsive and cost effective. The major elements of the program include the following:

Directed Stockpile Work.—Encompasses all activities that directly support the nuclear weapons stockpile. These activities include: maintenance and surveillance; planned refurbishment; reliability assessment; weapon dismantlement and disposal; and research, development, and certification technology efforts to meet stockpile requirements. Additionally, starting in FY 2016, Strategic Materials are also included in Directed Stockpile Work, in order to recognize the investment needed in nuclear materials to maintain the viability of the enduring stockpile.

Research, Development, Test and Evaluation.—Focuses on scientific, technical, and engineering efforts to develop and maintain critical capabilities, tools, and processes needed to support science-based stockpile stewardship, weapons refurbishments, and continued certification of the stockpile over the long-term in the absence of underground nuclear testing.

Infrastructure and Operations (formerly Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities).—Provides for the base operations funding required to operate NNSA facilities and support underlying infrastructure and capabilities at the level necessary to deliver mission results in a safe and secure manner. Includes resources for cross-cutting programmatic functions such as Long Term Stewardship (formerly Environmental Projects and Operations), Nuclear Safety Research & Development, Nuclear Criticality Safety, and the Packaging (formerly Containers) program. Modernizes NNSA infrastructure through recapitalization, capability investments, strategic development, and line-item construction projects for the enhancement of capabilities.

Defense Nuclear Security.—Provides protection for NNSA personnel, facilities, and nuclear weapons from a full spectrum of threats, most notably terrorism. Provides for all safeguards and security requirements including protective forces and systems at all NNSA sites.

Secure Transportation Asset.—Provides for the safe, secure movement of nuclear weapons, special nuclear material, and weapon components to meet projected DOE, Department of Defense (DOD), and other customer requirements. The Program Direction in this account provides for the secure transportation workforce, including the Federal agents.

Information Technology and Cybersecurity.—Provides for research and development of information technology and cyber security solutions such as identity, credential, and access management to help meet energy security, proliferation resistance, and climate goals.

NNSA's request reflects the partnership between NNSA and DOD to maintain and modernize the nuclear deterrent. DOD's NNSA Program Support account has the amounts for Weapons Activities that are shown in the table below, underscoring the close link between these activities and DOD nuclear weapons-related requirements and missions. OMB will ensure that future budget year allocations to NNSA occur in the required amounts.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUPPORT TO NNSA ACTIVITIES (in millions)

Of the Future Funds from DOD, OMB will ensure that the following allocations from DOD occur as planned for Naval Reactors: FY 2018, $393 million; FY 2019, $402 million; FY 2020, $411 million; and FY 2021, $419 million. The remaining Future Funds from DOD are included in "Weapons Activities Total Including DOD Support to NNSA."

Object Classification (in millions of dollars)

Employment Summary

For Department of Energy expenses, including the purchase, construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment and other incidental expenses necessary for defense nuclear nonproliferation activities, in carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, or expansion, [$1,940,302,000] $1,821,916,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of the unobligated balances from prior year appropriations available under this heading, $14,000,000 is hereby permanently cancelled: Provided further, That no amounts may be cancelled from amounts that were previously designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. (Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.)

Program and Financing (in millions of dollars)

Nuclear threat reduction is one of the three pillars of the NNSA mission, as identified in the 2015 DOE/NNSA Enterprise Strategic Vision. To achieve this mission, the NNSA strategy is to address the entire nuclear threat spectrum by preventing the acquisition of nuclear weapons or weapons-usable materials, countering efforts to acquire such weapons or materials, and responding to nuclear or radiological incidents.

This appropriation funds the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (DNN) program, which primarily supports efforts to prevent nuclear threats, as well as the Nuclear Counterterrorism and Incident Response (NCTIR) program, which primarily supports efforts to counter and respond to nuclear threats. These two programs provide policy and technical leadership to prevent or limit the spread of materials, technology, and expertise relating to weapons of mass destruction; advance technologies that detect the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction worldwide; eliminate and secure inventories of surplus materials and infrastructure usable for nuclear weapons; ensure a technically trained response to nuclear and radiological incidents worldwide; support the Department's enterprise-wide approach to emergency management; and reduce the danger that hostile nations or terrorist groups may acquire nuclear devices or weapons-usable material, nuclear and dual-use commodities and technology, or nuclear-related expertise that could be used to develop nuclear weapon capabilities by states or non-state actors.

These activities are carried out within the context of a dynamic global security environment, which is described in NNSA's annual report entitled Prevent, Counter, and Respond—A Strategic Plan to Reduce Global Nuclear Threats. This environment is characterized by the persistent vulnerability of nuclear and radiological materials (particularly in regions of conflict); the pressure on arms control and nonproliferation regimes from enduring interest in nuclear weapons capabilities by state- and non-state actors; the global expansion of nuclear power and possible spread of fuel cycle technology; the increasing opportunities for illicit nuclear material trafficking due to expanding global trade volumes and increasingly sophisticated procurement networks; and the rapid advance of technology (including cyber) that may shorten nuclear weapon development pathways and directly affect nuclear safeguards and security missions.

The major elements of the appropriation account include the following:

Global Material Security (GMS).—Supports the President's nuclear security agenda and the Secretary's goal of enhancing nuclear security through nonproliferation by working with partner countries to increase the security of vulnerable stockpiles of nuclear weapons, weapons-usable nuclear materials, and radiological materials and to improve partner countries' abilities to deter, detect, and interdict illicit trafficking.

Material Management and Minimization (M³).—Presents an integrated approach to addressing the persistent threat posed by nuclear materials through a full cycle of materials management and minimization efforts. Consistent with the priorities articulated in the National Security Strategy of the United States and the Nuclear Posture Review, the primary objective of the program is to achieve permanent threat reduction by minimizing and, when possible, eliminating weapons-usable nuclear material around the world.

Nonproliferation and Arms Control (NPAC).—Supports activities to prevent the proliferation or use of WMD, including dual-use materials, equipment, technology, and expertise, by state and non-state actors. The NPAC program strengthens the nonproliferation and arms control regimes by developing and implementing programs and strategies to: strengthen international nuclear safeguards; control the spread of dual-use WMD material, equipment, technology, and expertise; verify nuclear reductions and compliance with nonproliferation and arms control treaties and agreements; and develop programs and strategies to address nonproliferation and arms control challenges and opportunities.

Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D).—Drives the innovation of unilateral and multi-lateral technical capabilities to detect, identify, and characterize: 1) foreign nuclear weapons programs, 2) illicit diversion of special nuclear materials, and 3) nuclear detonations. To meet national and Departmental nuclear security requirements, DNN R&D leverages the unique facilities and scientific skills of the Department of Energy, academia, and industry for the performance of research, conduct of technology demonstrations, development of prototypes for integration into operational systems, and the conduct of certain counterterrorism R&D activities.

Nonproliferation Construction.—Consolidates construction costs for DNN programs previously contained within each program budget. Construction covers Total Project Costs (TPC), which include Other Project Costs (OPC) and Total Estimated Costs (TEC). Currently, the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) is the only project in this program. However, beginning in FY 2017 the MOX project will be terminated. The Department will complete pre-conceptual design for the dilute and dispose (D&D) option to establish Critical Decision-0 (CD-0), Approve Mission Need, and begin conceptual design in late FY 2017.

Nuclear Counterterrorism and Incident Response (NCTIR).—Strategically manages and deploys expert scientific teams and equipment to provide a technically trained, rapid response to nuclear or radiological incidents and accidents worldwide. NCTIR evaluates and assesses nuclear or radiological threats and leverages that knowledge to provide interagency policy and contingency planning, training and support to national counterterrorism and counterproliferation capabilities. Finally, NCTIR also executes the DOE's emergency management and Operations Support program that manages the Emergency Operations Centers, Emergency Communications Network and Continuity of Operations (COOP) activities.

Object Classification (in millions of dollars)

Program and Financing (in millions of dollars)

Cerro Grande Fire Activities.—Emergency funding was provided in 2000 and 2001 for restoration activities at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico after the Cerro Grande Fire in May 2000.

Federal Funds

For Department of Energy expenses, including the purchase, construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment and other expenses necessary for atomic energy defense environmental cleanup activities in carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, or expansion, and the purchase of not to exceed one fire apparatus pumper truck, [and one armored vehicle] one aerial lift truck, one refuse truck, and one semi-truck for replacement only, [$5,289,742,000] $5,382,050,000, to remain available until expended, of which $155,100,000 shall be transferred to the "Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund": Provided, That of such amount, [$281,951,000] $290,050,000 shall be available until September 30, [2017] 2018, for program direction. (Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.)

Program and Financing (in millions of dollars)

The Defense Environmental Cleanup program is responsible for protecting human health and the environment by identifying and reducing risks, as well as managing waste and facilities, at sites where the Department carried out defense-related nuclear research and production activities. Those activities resulted in radioactive, hazardous, and mixed -waste contamination requiring remediation, stabilization, decontamination and decommissioning, or some other type of cleanup action. The budget displays the cleanup program by site and activity.

Closure Sites.—Funds post-closure administration costs after the physical completion of cleanup, including costs for contract closeout and litigation support.

Hanford Site.—Funds cleanup and environmental restoration to protect the Columbia River and surrounding communities. The Hanford site cleanup is managed by two Environmental Management (EM) site offices: the Richland Operations Office and the Office of River Protection.

The Richland Office is responsible for cleanup activities on most of the geographic area making up the Hanford site. The primary cleanup focus is decontamination and decommissioning legacy facilities and characterizing and treating contaminated groundwater.

The Office of River Protection is responsible for the safe storage, retrieval, treatment, immobilization, and disposal of 56 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in 177 underground tanks. It is also responsible for related operation, maintenance, engineering, and construction activities, including those connected to the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant being built to solidify the liquid tank waste in a glass form that can be safely stored.

Idaho.—Funds retrieval, treatment, and disposition of nuclear and hazardous wastes and spent nuclear fuel, and legacy site cleanup activities..

NNSA Sites.—Funds the safe and efficient cleanup of the environmental legacy past operations at National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) sites including Nevada National Security Site, Sandia National Laboratories, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Separations Process Research Unit. The cleanup strategy follows a risk-informed approach that focuses first on those soil and groundwater contaminant plumes and sources that are the greatest contributors to risk. The overall goal is first to ensure that risks to the public and workers are controlled, then to clean up soil and groundwater using a risk-informed methodology. NNSA is responsible for long-term stewardship of its sites after physical cleanup is completed.

Los Alamos.—Funds the safe and compliant cleanup of legacy contamination resulting from the Los Alamos National Laboratory's national security mission. Key activities include safe storage and processing of legacy transuranic wastes and remediation of contaminated groundwater. Los Alamos legacy cleanup is managed by the newly formed EM Los Alamos field office.

Oak Ridge.—Funds defense-related cleanup of the three facilities that make up the Oak Ridge Reservation: the East Tennessee Technology Park, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Y-12 Plant. The overall cleanup strategy is based on surface water considerations, encompassing five distinct watersheds that feed the adjacent Clinch River.

Savannah River Site.—Funds the safe stabilization, treatment, and disposition of legacy nuclear materials, spent nuclear fuel, and waste at the Savannah River site. Key activities include operating the Defense Waste Processing Facility, which is solidifying the high activity liquid waste contained in underground storage tanks, and the construction of the Salt Waste Processing Facility, which will separate various tank waste components and treat and dispose the low activity liquid waste stream.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.—Funds the world's first permitted deep geologic repository for the permanent disposal of radioactive waste, and the Nation's only disposal site for defense-generated transuranic waste. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, managed by the Carlsbad Field Office, is an operating facility, supporting the disposal of transuranic waste from waste generator and storage sites across the DOE complex. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is crucial to the Department of Energy (DOE) completing its cleanup and closure mission.

Program Direction.—Funds the Federal workforce responsible for the overall direction and administrative support of the EM program, including both Headquarters and field personnel.

Program Support.—Funds management and direction for various crosscutting EM and DOE initiatives, intergovernmental activities, and analyses and integration activities across DOE in a consistent, responsible, and efficient manner.

Safeguards and Security.—Funds activities to protect against unauthorized access, theft, diversion, loss of custody or destruction of DOE assets, and hostile acts that could cause adverse impacts to fundamental national security or the health and safety of DOE and contractor employees, the public or the environment.

Technology Development and Deployment.—Funds projects managed through Headquarters to address the immediate, near- and long-term technology needs identified by the EM sites, enabling them to accelerate their cleanup schedules, treat orphaned wastes, improve worker safety, and provide technical foundations for the sites' cleanup decisions. These projects focus on maturing and deploying the technologies necessary to accelerate tank waste processing, treatment, and waste loading.

Infrastructure.—Funds the maintenance, repair, and recapitalization of general-purpose infrastructure to support the cleanup mission.

Object Classification (in millions of dollars)

Employment Summary

For Department of Energy expenses, including the purchase, construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment and other expenses, necessary for atomic energy defense, other defense activities, and classified activities, in carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, or expansion, [$776,425,000] $791,552,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of such amount, [$249,137,000] $258,061,000 shall be available until September 30, [2017] 2018, for program direction. (Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.)

Program and Financing (in millions of dollars)

Environment, Health, Safety and Security Mission Support.—The program supports the Department's health, safety, environment, and security programs to enhance productivity while maintaining the highest standards of safe operation, protection of national assets, and environmental sustainability. As the Department's "environment, health, safety and security advocate," the program works closely with DOE line managers who are ultimately responsible for ensuring that the Department's work is managed and performed in a manner that protects workers and the public as well as the Department's material and information assets. The program functions include: policy and guidance development and technical assistance; analysis of health, safety, environment, and security performance; nuclear safety; domestic and international health studies; medical screening programs for former workers; Energy Employee Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act support; quality assurance programs; interface with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board; national security information programs; and security for the Department's facilities and personnel in the National Capital Area.

Enterprise Assessments.—The program supports the Department's independent analysis of security, cyber security, emergency management, and environment, safety and health performance; enforcement of worker safety and health, nuclear safety; and classified information security regulations; and implementation of safety and security professional development and training programs.

Specialized Security Activities.—The program supports national security related analyses requiring highly specialized skills and capabilities.

Legacy Management.—The program supports long-term stewardship activities (e.g., groundwater monitoring, disposal cell maintenance, records management, and management of natural resources) at sites where active remediation has been completed. In addition, Legacy Management funds the pensions and/or post-retirement benefits for former contractor employees.

Hearings and Appeals.—The Office of Hearings and Appeals adjudicates personnel security cases, as well as whistleblower reprisal complaints filed by DOE contractor employees. The office is the appeal authority in various other areas, including Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act appeals. In addition, the office decides requests for exception from DOE orders, rules, regulations, and is responsible for the DOE's alternative dispute resolution function.

All Other.—Obligations are included for defense-related administrative support.

Object Classification (in millions of dollars)

Employment Summary

Program and Financing (in millions of dollars)

In FY 2010, the Department closed the Yucca Mountain Project and the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. Residual obligations and outlays in this account are associated with Yucca Mountain project closeout activities and remaining legacy activities such as accounting.

Federal Funds

For Department of Energy expenses including the purchase, construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment, and other expenses necessary for science activities in carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real property or facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, or expansion, and purchase of not more than 17 passenger motor vehicles for replacement only, including one ambulance and one bus, [$5,350,200,000] $5,572,069,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of such amount, [$185,000,000] $204,481,000 shall be available until September 30, [2017] 2018, for program direction[: Provided further, That of such amount, not more than $115,000,000 shall be made available for the in-kind contributions and related support activities of ITER: Provided further, That not later than May 2, 2016, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a report recommending either that the United States remain a partner in the ITER project after October 2017 or terminate participation, which shall include, as applicable, an estimate of either the full cost, by fiscal year, of all future Federal funding requirements for construction, operation, and maintenance of ITER or the cost of termination]. (Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.)

Program and Financing (in millions of dollars)

Summary of Budget Authority and Outlays (in millions of dollars)

Advanced Scientific Computing Research.—The Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) program supports research in applied mathematics and computer science; delivers the most advanced computational scientific applications in partnership with disciplinary science; advances computing and networking capabilities; and develops future generations of computing hardware and tools for science, in partnership with the research community and U.S. industry. The strategy to accomplish this has two thrusts: developing and maintaining world-class computing and network facilities for science; and advancing research in applied mathematics, computer science and advanced networking. The program supports the development, maintenance, and operation of large high performance computing and network facilities, including the Leadership Computing Facilities at Oak Ridge and Argonne National Laboratories, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the Energy Sciences Network.

The National Strategic Computing Initiative (NSCI) established by executive order in July 2015 to ensure a coordinated Federal strategy in HPC research, development, and deployment will be implemented by DOE, the Department of Defense, and the National Science Foundation. Specifically, the DOE Office of Science and the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) are responsible for the execution of a joint program focused on advanced simulation through a capable exascale computing program, with an emphasis on sustained performance on science and national security mission applications and increased convergence between exascale and large-data analytic computing. The Department of Energy will meet its NSCI assignment through the Exascale Computing Initiative (ECI), which began in FY 2016. The ECI, a partnership between Office of Science and NNSA, will accelerate research and development (R&D) to overcome key exascale challenges in parallelism, energy efficiency, and reliability, leading to deployment of exascale systems in the mid-2020s. Acceleration or advancement is defined as a hundred-fold increase in sustained performance over today's computing capabilities, enabling applications to address next-generation science, engineering, and data problems.

Basic Energy Sciences.—The Basic Energy Sciences (BES) program supports fundamental research to understand, predict, and ultimately control matter and energy at the electronic, atomic, and molecular levels in order to provide the foundations for new energy technologies and to support DOE missions in energy, environment, and national security. Key to exploiting such discoveries is the ability to create new materials using sophisticated synthesis and processing techniques, precisely define the atomic arrangements in matter, and control physical and chemical transformations. The energy systems of the future —whether they tap sunlight, store electricity, or make fuel by splitting water or reducing carbon dioxide —will revolve around materials and chemical changes that convert energy from one form to another.

The research disciplines that BES supports—condensed matter and materials physics, chemistry, geosciences, and aspects of physical biosciences—are those that discover new materials and design new chemical processes that touch virtually every important aspect of energy resources, production, conversion, transmission, storage, efficiency, and waste mitigation. BES research provides a knowledge base to help understand, predict, and ultimately control the natural world and helps build the foundation for achieving a secure and sustainable energy future. BES also supports world-class, open-access scientific user facilities consisting of a complementary set of intense x-ray sources, neutron sources, and research centers for nanoscale science. BES facilities probe materials with ultrahigh spatial, temporal, and energy resolutions to investigate the critical functions of matter—transport, reactivity, fields, excitations, and motion—and answer some of the most challenging grand science questions. BES-supported activities are entering a new era in which materials can be built with atom-by-atom precision and computational models can predict the behavior of materials before they exist.

In FY 2017, BES will support optimal operations at all of its scientific user facilities, which will enable additional studies in clean energy research, and will develop next generation tools and technologies at DOE x-ray light sources and Nanoscale Science Research Centers to enable advances in brain imaging and sensing. In addition, BES is a partner in three Department-wide, crosscutting activities: Subsurface Technology and Engineering RD&D (SubTER), the ECI, and Advanced Materials for Energy Innovation.

Biological and Environmental Research.—The Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program supports fundamental research and provides scientific user facilities to achieve a predictive understanding of complex biological, climatic, and environmental systems for a secure and sustainable energy future.

The program seeks to understand the biological, biogeochemical, and physical principles needed to predict a continuum of processes occurring at the molecular and genomics-controlled smallest scales to environmental and Earth system change at the largest scales. Starting with the genetic potential encoded by organisms' genomes, BER research seeks to define the principles that guide the translation of the genetic code into functional proteins and the metabolic and regulatory networks underlying the systems biology of plants and microbes as they respond to and modify their environments. This predictive understanding can enable more confident redesign of microbes and plants for sustainable biofuels production, improved carbon storage, and controlled biological transformation of materials such as nutrients and contaminants in the environment. BER research also advances understanding of how the Earth's dynamic, physical, and biogeochemical systems (the atmosphere, land, oceans, sea ice, and subsurface) interact and cause future climate and environmental change, to provide information that will inform plans for future energy and resource needs.

Investments in Biological Systems Science will provide a fundamental understanding in sustainable bioenergy production and a predictive understanding of carbon, nutrient, and contaminant transformation in support of DOE's environmental missions. These investments are aligned with national priorities in Clean Energy and Innovation in life sciences. Genomic Sciences research activities continue with core research at the DOE Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs) and within the broader subprogram to provide a scientific basis for sustainable and cost effective bioenergy production. Climate and Environmental Research activities will focus on scientific analysis of the sensitivity and uncertainty of climate predictions to physical and biogeochemical processes, with emphasis on Arctic and Tropical environments as part of the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEEs). These investments reflect national priorities in Global Climate Change, Information Technology and High Performance Computing, Ocean and Arctic Issues, and R&D for informed policy-making and management. As part of the ECI, BER will be responsible for determining the scope and management of Climate Modeling programs, which demand access to extreme scale computational capabilities.

Fusion Energy Sciences.—The Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program mission is to expand the fundamental understanding of matter at very high temperatures and densities and to build the scientific foundation needed to develop a fusion energy source. This is accomplished through the study of plasma, the fourth state of matter, and how it interacts with its surroundings.

The next frontier for the major international fusion programs is the study of the burning plasma state, in which the fusion process itself provides the dominant heat source for sustaining the plasma temperature. Production of strongly self-heated fusion plasma will allow the discovery and study of a number of new scientific phenomena relevant to fusion energy. These include the effects of highly energetic fusion -produced alpha particles on plasma stability and confinement; the strongly non-linear coupling that will occur among fusion alpha particles, pressure-driven self-generated current, turbulent transport, and boundary-plasma behavior; the properties of materials in the presence of high heat and particle fluxes and neutron irradiation; and the self-organized nature of plasma profiles over long time scales. To support the program mission and its major focus, the U.S. fusion program has four elements: Burning Plasma Science: Foundations; Long Pulse; High Power; and Discovery Plasma Science. To achieve these research goals, FES invests in experimental facilities of various scales, international partnerships leveraging U.S. expertise, large-scale numerical simulations based on experimentally validated theoretical models, development of advanced fusion-relevant materials, and invention of new measurement techniques. The knowledge base being established through FES research supports U.S. goals for future scientific exploration on ITER.

High Energy Physics.—The High Energy Physics (HEP) program mission is to understand how the universe works at its most fundamental level by discovering the elementary constituents of matter and energy, probing the interactions among them, and exploring the basic nature of space and time. The High Energy Physics Program offers research opportunities for individual investigators and small-scale collaborations, as well as very large international collaborations. A world-wide program of particle physics research is underway to discover what lies beyond the Standard Model. Five intertwined science drivers of particle physics provide compelling lines of inquiry that show great promise for discovery: use the Higgs Boson as a new tool for discovery; pursue the physics associated with neutrino mass; identify the new physics of dark matter; understand cosmic acceleration, dark energy, and inflation; and explore new particles, interactions and physical principles. The program enables scientific discovery through a strategy organized along three frontiers of particle physics: 1) The Energy Frontier, where researchers accelerate particles to the highest energies ever made by humans and collide them to produce and study the fundamental constituents of matter. This requires some of the largest machines ever built. 2) The Intensity Frontier, where researchers use a combination of intense particle beams and highly sensitive detectors to make extremely precise measurements of particle properties, study some of the rarest particle interactions predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics, and search for new physics. 3) The Cosmic Frontier, where researchers seek to reveal the nature of dark matter and dark energy by using naturally occurring particles to explore new phenomena. The highest-energy particles ever observed have come from cosmic sources, and the ancient light from distant galaxies allows the distribution of dark matter to be mapped and perhaps the nature of dark energy to be unraveled. Investments in Theoretical and Computational Physics, which provides the framework to explain experimental observations and gain a deeper understanding of nature, and Advanced Technology R&D, which fosters fundamental research into particle acceleration and detection techniques and instrumentation, support these three frontiers.

The FY 2017 Budget Request continues implementation of the recommendations contained in the report by the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5), which was convened by the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel (HEPAP) in September 2013 in response to a charge from the DOE and the National Science Foundation to develop a ten-year strategic plan for U.S. high energy physics in the context of a 20-year global vision. The Request supports full operation of existing major HEP facilities and experiments; the planned construction funding profile for the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility/Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (LBNF/DUNE), and the Muon to Electron Conversion Experiment (Mu2e); and fabrication for recent major items of equipment (MIEs) for the Large Underground Xenon (LUX)-ZonEd Proportional scintillation in LIquid Noble gases (ZEPLIN) experiment (LZ), and the Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search at Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Laboratory (SuperCDMS-SNOLab) experiment. The Request includes capital equipment funding to continue support of the planned funding profiles for the camera for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSSTcam) project, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) project, the Muon g-2 Experiment, and the U.S. contributions to the LHC ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC Apparatus) Detector, and CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) Detector upgrades. The Muon g-2 Experiment and LHC detector upgrades complete their funding profiles in FY 2017. Many of the advanced technologies and research tools originally developed for high energy physics have also proven widely applicable to other sciences as well as industry, medicine, and national security.

Nuclear Physics.—The Nuclear Physics (NP) program mission is to discover, explore, and understand all forms of nuclear matter. Although the fundamental particles that compose nuclear matter —quarks and gluons— are themselves relatively well understood, exactly how they interact and combine to form the different types of matter observed in the universe today and during its evolution remains largely unknown. Nuclear physicists seek to understand not just the familiar forms of matter we see around us, but also exotic forms such as those which existed in the first moments after the Big Bang and that exist today inside neutron stars, and to understand why matter takes on the specific forms now observed in nature. The NP program addresses three tightly interrelated scientific thrusts: Quantum Chromodynamics; Nuclei and Nuclear Astrophysics; and Fundamental Symmetries.

The FY 2017 Request provides enhanced support for university and laboratory research. The Request also supports the initiation of the Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Array (GRETA), a premiere gamma-ray tracking device that will exploit world-leading capabilities of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Funding increases for operations at Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) to support initiation of the full scientific program with the recently upgraded 12 GeV machine and new scientific equipment in the experimental halls. Operations of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) facility are also increased. Operations of the ATLAS facility continue to exploit the capabilities of the Californium Rare Ion Breeder Upgrade (CARIBU) as well as newly completed instrumentation. Support for the Isotope Development and Production for Research and Applications (DOE Isotope Program) maintains mission readiness for the production of stable and radioactive isotopes that are in short supply for research and a wide array of applications. Research investments in this subprogram are increased to develop new cutting-edge approaches for important isotopes that are not currently available to the public in sufficient quantities by establishing a full-scale production capability for actinium-225, to enable clinical trials for cancer therapy. Following several years of research supported by the Isotope Program, funding is requested for a Stable Isotope Production Facility (SIPF) to enable the production of a broad range of enriched stable isotopes, a capability that has not been available in the U.S. for almost 20 years. Finally, construction continues according to the baselined profile for the FRIB project, which will provide intense beams of rare isotopes for a wide variety of studies in nuclear structure, nuclear astrophysics, and fundamental symmetries.

Science Laboratories Infrastructure.—The Science Laboratories Infrastructure (SLI) program supports scientific and technological innovation at the Office of Science (SC) laboratories by funding and sustaining mission-ready infrastructure and fostering safe and environmentally responsible operations. The program provides state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure that are flexible, reliable, and sustainable in support of scientific discovery. The SLI program also funds Payments in Lieu of Taxes to local communities around the Argonne, Brookhaven, and Oak Ridge National Laboratories.

Safeguards and Security.—The Safeguards and Security (S&S) program is designed to ensure appropriate security measures are in place to support the SC mission requirement of open scientific research and to protect critical assets within SC laboratories. This is accomplished by providing physical controls that will mitigate possible risks to the laboratories' employees, nuclear and special materials, classified and sensitive information, and facilities. The S&S program also provides funding for cyber security for the laboratories' information technology systems to protect electronic data while enabling the SC mission.

Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists.—The Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) program mission is to help ensure that DOE has a sustained pipeline of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workers. This is accomplished through support of undergraduate internships, graduate thesis research, and visiting faculty programs at the DOE laboratories; the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship for K-12 STEM teachers, administered by WDTS for DOE and for a number of other federal agencies; and annual, nationwide, middle- and high-school science competitions culminating in the National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C. These investments help develop the next generation of scientists and engineers to support the DOE mission, administer programs, and conduct research.

Program Direction.— Science Program Direction supports a highly skilled Federal workforce to develop and oversee SC investments in research and scientific user facilities SC investments deliver scientific discoveries and major scientific tools that transform our understanding of nature and advance the energy, economic, and national security of the United States. In addition, SC provides public access to DOE scientific findings to further leverage the Federal science investment and advance the scientific enterprise. SC requires highly skilled scientific and technical program and project managers, as well as experts in areas such as acquisition, finance, legal, construction, and infrastructure management, human resources, and environmental, safety, and health oversight. SC plans, executes, and manages basic science research programs that address critical national needs. Oversight of DOE's basic research portfolio, which includes grants and contracts supporting nearly 23,000 researchers located at 300 universities and other institutions and 17 national laboratories, as well as supervision of major construction projects, is a Federal responsibility.

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For Department of Energy expenses necessary in carrying out the activities authorized by section 5012 of the America COMPETES Act (Public Law 110–69), [$291,000,000] $350,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of such amount, [$29,250,000] $32,000,000 shall be available until September 30, [2017] 2018, for program direction. (Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.)

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The U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) was established by the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–69), as amended. The mission of ARPA-E is to enhance the economic and energy security of the United States through the development of energy technologies that reduce imports of energy from foreign sources, increase energy efficiency, and reduce energy-related emissions, including greenhouse gases. ARPA-E will ensure that the United States maintains a technological lead in developing and deploying advanced energy technologies. ARPA-E will identify and promote revolutionary advances in energy-related applied sciences, translating scientific discoveries and cutting-edge inventions into technological innovations. It will also accelerate transformational technological advances in areas where industry by itself is not likely to invest due to technical and financial uncertainty. The role of ARPA-E is not to duplicate DOE's basic research and applied programs but to focus on novel early-stage energy research and development with technology applications that can be meaningfully advanced with a small investment over a defined period of time.

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For Department of Energy expenses including the purchase, construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment, and other expenses necessary for nuclear energy activities in carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, or expansion, [$986,161,000] and the purchase of no more than three emergency service vehicles for replacement only, $993,896,000, to remain available until expended, of which $61,040,000 shall be derived from the Nuclear Waste Fund: Provided, That of such amount, [$80,000,000]$88,700,000 shall be available until September 30, [2017] 2018, for program direction [including official reception and representation expenses not to exceed $10,000]. (Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.)

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The Office of Nuclear Energy funds a range of research and development activities as well as supports the Nation's nuclear facilities. The FY 2017 Budget continues programmatic support for advanced reactor R&D activities; fuel cycle R&D, including work on storage, transportation, disposal, and process development activities that support the Administration's Strategy for the Management and Disposal of Used Nuclear Fuel and High Level Radioactive Waste; the safe, environmentally compliant, and cost-effective operation of the Department's facilities vital to nuclear energy R&D activities.

Small Modular Reactor Licensing Technical Support (SMR LTS).— This program supports first-of-a-kind costs associated with design certification and licensing activities for small modular reactor technologies, and site licensing activities for SMRs through cost-shared arrangements with industry partners. FY 2017 will be the final year of the SMR LTS program.

Reactor Concepts Research, Development and Demonstration.— This program develops new and advanced reactor designs and technologies and conducts research and development (R&D) on advanced technologies that improve the reliability, sustain the safety, and extend the life of the current light water reactor (LWR) fleet.

Fuel Cycle Research and Development.— This program conducts generic R&D and generic non-R&D activities related to used nuclear fuel (UNF) and nuclear waste management and disposal issues; and conducts R&D on advanced fuel cycle technologies that have the potential to improve resource utilization and energy generation, reduce waste generation, enhance safety, and limit proliferation risk.

Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies.— This program conducts R&D and strategic infrastructure investments to develop innovative and crosscutting nuclear energy technologies, including a strong investment in modeling and simulation tools and providing access to unique nuclear energy research capabilities through the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF).

Radiological Facilities Management.— This program supports the continued operation of U.S. university research reactors by providing university research reactor fuel services, as well as maintenance of, and safety upgrades to, fuel fabrication equipment and facilities.

Idaho Facilities Management.— This program manages the planning, acquisition, operation, maintenance, and disposition of the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)-owned facilities and capabilities at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), maintains Department of Energy mission-supporting facilities and capabilities at the INL in a safe, compliant status to support the Department's nuclear energy research, testing of naval reactor fuels and reactor core components, and a diverse range of national security technology programs that support the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and other federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security in the areas of critical infrastructure protection, nuclear nonproliferation, and incident response.

Idaho Sitewide Safeguards and Security.— This program supports the INL complex nuclear facility infrastructure and enables R&D in support of multiple program missions.

International Nuclear Energy Cooperation.— This program supports the Department's international activities related to civil nuclear energy, including analysis, development, coordination and implementation of international civil nuclear energy policy and integration of the Office of Nuclear Energy's (NE) international nuclear technical activities.

Program Direction.— This program provides the federal staffing resources and associated costs required to support the overall direction and execution of the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) programs.

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In January 2013 the Administration released its Strategy for the Management and Disposal of Used Nuclear Fuel and High Level Radioactive Waste. This Strategy lays out a broad outline for a stable, integrated system capable of transporting, storing, and disposing of high-level nuclear waste from civilian nuclear power generation, defense, national security and other activities. In March 2015 the President made the determination that a separate repository for defense waste is required. The Administration is working with Congress to build and implement this new program for managing both commercial and defense high-level nuclear waste and believes that providing adequate and timely funding is critical to success.

Currently approximately 70,000 metric tons heavy metal (MTHM) of used nuclear fuel are stored at 72 commercial sites around the country with almost 2,000 MTHM added to that amount every year. As a result of litigation by contract holders, the government was found in partial breach of contract, and is now liable for damages to some utilities to cover the costs of that on-site, at-reactor storage. The FY 2017 Budget continues to reflect a more complete estimate of those liability payments in the baseline. Please see additional discussion of the cost of the government's liability in the Budget Process chapter in the Analytical Perspectives volume.

To support the nuclear waste management program over the long term, reform of the current funding arrangement is necessary and the Administration believes the funding system should consist of the following elements: ongoing discretionary appropriations, access to annual fee collections provided in legislation either through their reclassification from mandatory to discretionary or as a direct mandatory appropriation, and eventual access to the balance or "corpus" of the Nuclear Waste Fund. The FY 2017 Budget includes a proposal to implement such reform. Discretionary appropriations are included for this new program for the duration of the effort. These funds would be used to fund expenses that are regular and recurring, such as program management costs, including administrative expenses, salaries and benefits, studies, and regulatory interactions. Mandatory appropriations, in addition to the discretionary funding, are proposed to be provided annually beginning in 2018 to fund the balance of the annual program costs for managing commercial used nuclear fuel. The Department of Energy is currently exploring options for managing defense high-level waste with the goal of a separate, permanent repository. The FY 2017 Budget includes defense discretionary funding for the management of defense high-level waste.

The program envisioned in the FY 2017 Budget is a very long term, flexible, multi-faceted approach to dispose of the nation's commercial and defense waste. The estimated programmatic cost of implementing the Administration's strategy for commercial used nuclear fuel over the first 10 years is approximately $4.5 billion. As part of this program, the Budget assumes the construction and operation of a pilot interim waste storage facility within the next 10 years as well as notable progress on both full-scale interim storage and long-term permanent geologic disposal. The deployment of pilot interim storage within the next 10 years allows the government to begin picking up waste, thus enabling the collection of one-time fees owed by certain generators that will offset some of this spending. Over the 10-year budget window, the projected net mandatory cost would be in the range of $700 million. 10-year funding for the management of defense high-level waste is being estimated as the program develops.

The sooner that legislation enables progress on implementing a nuclear waste management program, the lower the ultimate cost will be to the taxpayers. This proposal is intended to limit, and then end, liability costs by making it possible for the government to begin performing on its contractual obligations.

For Department of Energy expenses including the purchase, construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment, and other expenses necessary for electricity delivery and energy reliability activities in carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, or expansion, [$206,000,000] $262,300,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of such amount, [$28,000,000] $29,000,000 shall be available until September 30, [2017] 2018, for program direction. (Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.)

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The mission of the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) is to drive electric grid modernization and resiliency in energy infrastructure. OE leads the Department of Energy's efforts to strengthen, transform, and improve energy infrastructure so that consumers have access to reliable, secure, and clean sources of energy. OE also leads the Grid Modernization Initiative, which is targeted at coordinating, integrating and executing grid related activities across the Department in response to the Quadrennial Energy Review and Quadrennial Technology Review. OE programs include:

Clean Energy Transmission and Reliability (CETR).—The CETR program helps improve the reliability and resiliency of the U.S. transmission system through research and development (R&D) focused on measurement and control of the electricity system and risk assessment to address challenges across integrated energy systems.

Smart Grid.—The Smart Grid program strengthens distribution system modernization by accommodating greater numbers of distributed energy resources (solar photovoltaics, combined heat and power, energy storage, electric vehicles, etc.), enabling higher levels of demand-side management and control practices, and enhancing reliability and resiliency during both normal operations and extreme weather events.

Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery System (CEDS).—The CEDS program supports research on cutting edge cybersecurity solutions, information sharing to enhance situational awareness, implementing tools to aid industry to improve their cybersecurity posture, and building an effective, timely, and coordinated cyber incident management capability in the energy sector.

Energy Storage.—The Energy Storage program conducts research, development, and demonstrations to enhance the stability, reliability, and flexibility of the electric grid by accelerating the development and deployment of advanced grid-scale energy storage in the electric system.

Transformer Resilience and Advanced Components (TRAC).—The TRAC program addresses challenges facing transformers and other critical components, such as geomagnetic disturbances and electromagnetic pulses, in support of grid modernization. Activities will increase the resilience of aging grid assets, identify requirements for next-generation "grid hardware," and accelerate the development, demonstration, and deployment of advanced components.

Grid Institute.—The Grid Institute program supports funding for a competitively selected Institute as a part of the President's vision for a larger multi-agency National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI). This Institute will focus on technologies related to industrial metals for grid application, and advances will be broadly applicable in multiple industries and markets.

National Electricity Delivery (NED).—The NED program provides technical assistance to states, regional entities, and tribes to help them develop and improve their programs, policies, and laws that facilitate the development of reliable and affordable electricity infrastructure. The program implements the electricity grid modernization requirements contained in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, and authorizes the export of electric energy and processes permits for the construction of transmission infrastructure across international borders.

State Distribution-Level Reform Program.—The State Distribution-Level Reform Program is a new activity in FY 2017 that will competitively award cooperative agreements to states to utilize a grid architecture approach to address their system challenges. The states are well positioned to play important leadership roles, and could benefit from the assistance that the proposed program could provide.

Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration (ISER).—The ISER program leads efforts for securing the U.S. energy infrastructure against all hazards, reducing the impact of disruptive events, and responding to and facilitating recovery from energy disruptions, in collaboration with industry and State and local governments.

State Energy Assurance.—The State Energy Assurance program is a new activity in FY 2017 that will provide grants to states, localities, and tribal governments in support of energy assurance.

Program Direction.—Program Direction provides for the costs associated with the Federal workforce and contractor services that support OE's mission. These costs include salaries, benefits, travel, training, building occupancy, IT systems, and other related expenses.

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For Department of Energy expenses including the purchase, construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment, and other expenses necessary for energy efficiency and renewable energy activities in carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, or expansion, [$2,073,000,000] $2,898,400,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of such amount, [$155,000,000] $170,900,000 shall be available until September 30, [2017] 2018, for program direction[: Provided further, That of the amount provided under this heading, the Secretary may transfer up to $45,000,000 to the Defense Production Act Fund for activities of the Department of Energy pursuant to the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. App. 2061, et seq.)]. (Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.)

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The Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is the U.S. Government's primary clean energy technology organization. EERE works with many of America's best innovators and businesses to support high-impact applied research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) activities in sustainable transportation, renewable power, and end-use energy efficiency. EERE implements a range of strategies aimed at reducing our reliance on oil, saving families and businesses money, creating jobs, and reducing pollution. We work to ensure that the clean energy technologies of today and tomorrow are not only invented in America, but also manufactured in America.

Sustainable Transportation:

Vehicle Technologies.—This program conducts research and development (R&D) to achieve technology breakthroughs that enable the U.S. to greatly reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. The program focuses on advancing a suite of technologies including batteries and electric drivetrains, lightweight materials, advanced combustion engines, and non-petroleum fuels and lubricants. The program also supports early demonstration, field validation, and community-scale deployment of advanced vehicle technologies.

Bioenergy Technologies.—This program funds research, development and demonstration (RD&D) to advance biofuels technologies capable of producing biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower that will help enable a more sustainable transportation sector. The program focuses on biomass feedstock logistics, conversion technologies, and validation of commercial-scale integrated biorefineries. This work is closely coordinated with the Departments of Agriculture and Defense.

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies.—This program supports RD&D to achieve transformative advances in affordable, high efficiency and low emissions hydrogen and fuel cell technologies with the greatest potential to reduce petroleum consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and criteria air pollutants. The program focuses on automotive fuel cells and hydrogen fuel technologies with crosscutting activities to overcome economic and institutional barriers to their commercial deployment.

Renewable Power:

Solar Energy.—This program supports solar energy RD&D at universities and the National Laboratories in collaboration with industry to enable cost-competitive and reliable domestic solar energy options manufactured in the United States that enhance our economy, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and support a resilient electric grid. The program's main goal under the SunShot Initiative is to make solar energy cost-competitive with other sources of electricity, across the nation and without subsidies, by 2020. To achieve this goal the program focuses on photovoltaic and concentrated solar power technology development, systems integration, balance of system and soft cost reductions, and innovations in manufacturing competitiveness.

Wind Energy.—This program develops technology in partnership with industry, academia, and the National Laboratories to improve the reliability and affordability of land-based and offshore wind energy systems. The program supports advanced turbine component research and design, wind resource assessments and modeling, advanced turbine and wind plant system modeling and optimization, and improved approaches to systems interconnection and integration with the electric transmission grid. These efforts also help reduce barriers to technology acceptance, create domestic manufacturing opportunities, and enable increased market penetration of this variable resource.

Water Power.—This program conducts RD&D to enable improved, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible renewable power generation from innovative water power technologies. The program supports a diverse array of water power technologies and tools to significantly improve the energy and environmental performance of producing electricity from waves, tides, ocean currents and rivers. The program also supports resource assessments, cost assessments, environmental studies, and advanced modeling aimed at reducing the market barriers to deployment.

Geothermal Technologies.—This program conducts RD&D in partnership with industry, academia, and the National Laboratories to improve the discovery, access, and use of new geothermal resources for cost-effective base load renewable electricity generation. The program concentrates on innovative technologies for discovering and developing enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), with complementary work on hydrothermal systems and low-temperature/co-produced resources. The competitively selected Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) is a dedicated, DOE-managed, industry/stakeholder operated site for EGS field testing with laboratory accuracy, which will enable transformative, high-impact technologies and techniques to be rapidly demonstrated and improved by increasing technology sharing and leverage with the private sector.

Energy Efficiency:

Advanced Manufacturing.—This program supports RD&D focused on advanced manufacturing innovations applicable to clean energy products and industrial energy productivity as well as cross-cutting manufacturing process technologies and advanced industrial materials that could increase manufacturing productivity and reduce the costs. Program activities include R&D projects, industrial technical assistance, and managing Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, which are part of a larger inter-agency network aimed at bringing together universities, companies, and government to co-invest in solving industry-relevant manufacturing challenges. The program seeks to develop and assist in the demonstration of materials and processes that reduce energy intensity and the life-cycle energy consumption of manufactured products and promote continuous improvement in energy efficiency among existing facilities and manufacturers.

Building Technologies.—This program develops, demonstrates, and promotes the integration of energy efficient practices and technologies in residential and commercial buildings. The program accelerates the availability of technologies and practices through high impact R&D; promotes model building efficiency codes and the promulgation of national lighting and appliance standards; and addresses barriers through integration activities such as Better Buildings, Building America, and the ENERGY STAR partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Federal Energy Management Program.—This program provides technical expertise, training, resources, and contracting support to help Federal agencies meet relevant energy, water, greenhouse gas, transportation, and sustainable buildings goals as defined in statute and Executive Orders.

Weatherization and Intergovernmental.—This program supports the deployment of clean energy technologies and practices in partnership with State, local, and U.S. territory governments. The State Energy Program provides technical and financial resources to States to help them achieve their energy efficiency and renewable energy goals. Funding also supports local government energy program and project planning, development, and implementation through technical assistance and grants awarded on a competitive basis. The Weatherization Assistance Program lowers energy use and costs for low income families by supporting energy-efficient home retrofits through State-managed networks of local weatherization providers.

Crosscutting Innovation Initiatives:

Regional Energy Innovation Centers.—This program supports regionally-focused sustainable transportation, renewable power, and energy efficiency RD&D and innovation ecosystem development initiatives.

Next Generation Innovation.—This program funds initial private-sector commercialization of high-promise, emerging early-stage technology concepts across the sustainable transportation, renewable energy, and energy efficiency portfolios.

Small Business Partnerships.—This program will enable National Laboratories to partner with small businesses to address their critical clean energy RD&D challenges and opportunities in the sustainable transportation, renewable power, and energy efficiency space.

Energy Technology Innovation Accelerators.—This program will enable participating National Laboratories to provide clean energy entrepreneurs with seed funding, technical support, and access to Lab researchers and capabilities.

Corporate Programs:

Program Direction.—This activity enables EERE to maintain and support a world-class Federal workforce to accomplish its mission to create and sustain American leadership in the global transition to a clean energy economy through high-impact research, development, and demonstration, and deployment market barriers activities to make clean energy as affordable and convenient as traditional forms of energy and through breaking down barriers to market entry.

Strategic Programs.—The mission of the Office of Strategic Programs is to increase the effectiveness and impact of all EERE activities by funding and guiding EERE cross-cutting activities, analysis, and support functions. The office focuses on accelerating development, commercialization, and adoption of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies through strategic partnerships to support the transition of EERE technologies to market; communications and engagement with energy stakeholders; development and catalysis of international markets for U.S. clean energy companies; and analytic support for decision making and management of the EERE portfolio.

Facilities and Infrastructure.—This activity supports EERE's clean energy RD&D by providing funding for general plant projects, maintenance and repair, general purpose equipment, upgrades to accommodate new research requirements, and safeguards and security operations at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Facilities and Infrastructure also supports the operation of the NREL Energy Systems Integration Facility as a DOE Technology User Facility. This facility provides component and system testing and grid simulation capability to DOE programs and the private sector, helping to integrate clean energy technologies seamlessly into electrical grid infrastructure and utility operations at the speed and scale required to meet national goals.

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