Department of Energy Releases 2011 Strategic Plan

The Department of Energy today released its 2011Strategic Plan (pdf – 3.46MB), a comprehensive blueprint to guide the agency’s core mission of ensuring America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.

In the opening of the DOE Strategic Plan (pdf – 3.46MB), Secretary Chu writes: “The Department of Energy plays an important and unique role in the U.S. science and technology community. The Department’s missions and programs are designed to bring the best scientific minds and capabilities to bear on important problems. It is an integrator, bringing together diverse scientists and engineers from national laboratories, academia, and the private sector in multidisciplinary teams, striving to find solutions to the most complex and pressing challenges. This Strategic Plan lays out the Department’s leadership role in transforming the energy economy through investments in research, development of new technologies, and deployment of innovative approaches.”

The DOE Strategic Plan is organized into four distinct categories, representing the broad cross-cutting and collaborative efforts taking place across the Department’s headquarters, site offices and national laboratories. Those include:

• Catalyzing the timely, material, and efficient transformation of the nation’s energy system and securing U.S. leadership in clean energy technologies
• Maintaining a vibrant U.S. effort in science and engineering as a cornerstone of our economic prosperity with clear leadership in strategic areas
• Enhancing nuclear security through defense, nonproliferation, and environmental efforts
• Establishing an operational and adaptable framework that combines the best wisdom of all Department stakeholders to maximize mission success.