The EFI Foundation’s (EFIF) Energy Innovation Project (EIP)provides a public, comprehensive database tracking spending, projects, and workforce at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It offers a transparent view of federal data on agency activities that impact American energy innovation.
Our team used the tool to identify DOE’s shifting priorities in the first half of 2026, finding that increases in funding activity and decisions to retain projects indicate the agency was accelerating its energy innovation efforts. However, our latest analysis shows that although DOE is ramping up its 2026 activity, ongoingstaffing shortageshinder its ability to deliver on this mission. This data has also been used by EFIF to track the specific awards that supported two clean firm power companies, Fervo and X-energy, on their paths to initial public offerings.
We’re excited to share a new data visualization tool for the EIP at EFIF’s inaugural Energy Innovation Leadership Forum on September 23 during Climate Week NYC. We hope to see you there!
Spotlight
Moniz in the Financial Times
Last month, EFIF Founder and CEO Ernest J. Moniz joined the Financial Times’ Jamie Smyth for the paper’s “Lunch with the FT” series at the Bombay Club in Washington, D.C. During the discussion, Moniz expressed his views on the state of America’s scientific leadership amid funding cuts in R&D and the importance of an “all of the above” approach to addressing energy and climate concerns. As the conversation turned toward Iran and Saudi Arabia, Moniz shared his vision for a regional nuclear fuel cycle where Gulf rivals would each control one step of the process to alleviate proliferation concerns.
Cement makes up less than 15% of most concrete mixtures by volume, but accounts for nearly 90% of concrete’s greenhouse gas emissions. Figure 2 in EFIF’s report Building Demand for Low-Carbon Concrete shows that replacing a portion of cement with supplementary cementitious materials can reduce emissions by 40% at no additional cost today.
The EFI Foundation is hosting a half-day forum that brings together leaders from government, industry, finance, and philanthropy to discuss how to build impactful, durable policy solutions by weaving climate, security, equity, and investability into one conversation.
How $600 Billion of Biden’s Clean Energy Funding Escaped Trump’s Cuts
EFIF Executive Vice President Alex Kizer was quoted in Politico on the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle Biden-era clean energy funding and their impact on the private sector. Kizer argued that uncertainty could dissuade businesses from working with the federal government in the future.
Leading Conversations
“Significant damage has been done, and I think there is a big issue with trust."
-Alex Kizer, speaking with Politico on the private sector's hesitance to work with the government after funding cuts.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Moniz was quoted in a New York Timesopinion piece by W.J. Hennigan, a national security writer for the paper’s opinion section, on the recent U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal.
Hennigan warns of the precedent that could be set if Saudi Arabia is allowed to enrich its own reactor fuel without abiding by stringent verification measures. It cites Moniz on Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium: “while true that it is not quite weapons-grade, it’s a fallacy to think that you need weapons-grade material to make a bomb.”
During July's Aspen Ideas: Climate event in Chicago, Moniz shared that while there has been tremendous progress in decarbonizing electricity, work remains to decarbonize fuels affordably and at scale. Despite the challenges, Moniz sees clean fuels as a ripe opportunity for innovation.
Stephen D. Comello, EFIF executive vice president and executive director of the Nuclear Scaling Initiative, presented at a Hudson Institute event about the role of nuclear energy in Europe’s energy future.
Moniz joined the Tavis Smiley Show to share his views on the politicization of scientific research and how grant cancellations are stifling U.S. energy innovation.
Comello spoke on a webinar about the economics of nuclear energy. With fellow panelist Laura Taylor, director of the Energy Policy and Innovation Center and economics professor at Georgia Tech, he provided an overview of federal and state policies affecting nuclear energy development in the United States.
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At the EFI Foundation, we advance innovative, evidence-based solutions to complex energy challenges—combining rigorous analysis with a pragmatic approach to bridge the gap toward a low-carbon future.
