Data Powers Modernization
The Energy
Innovation Project
America is losing its energy innovation edge. The Energy Innovation Project provides transparent data and unbiased analysis of U.S. energy innovation progress and performance.
Tracking Implementation
Examine the impact of energy innovation policy across three key categories.
Spending
Federal investments in innovation
Projects
Progress on technology deployment
People
Federal workforce capacity to deliver innovation
About The Project
Modernizing American Energy Innovation
What We’re Finding
In 2025 DOE Spent a Small Fraction of Its Available Funding
Over the past decade, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) budget has grown rapidly, hitting record levels after 2022. Despite having large amount of available capital, spending has failed to keep pace, leaving billions of dollars idle.
Note: The EFI Foundation’s analysis focuses exclusively on DOE’s science and energy innovation offices, unless noted otherwise. See our methodology for a full list of offices tracked
Note: The EFI Foundation’s analysis focuses exclusively on DOE’s science and energy innovation offices, unless noted otherwise. See our methodology for a full list of offices tracked
“Total budgetary resources” include DOE’s full obligational authority in a given fiscal year, unless noted otherwise, including appropriations, unobligated carryover balances, and authority from offsetting collections. Off-budget financing accounts are excluded. Data are from the yearly Office of Management and Budget’s Technical Supplement to the Presidential Budget Request (2017-2025) and USAspending.gov.
DOE Canceled Far More Projects Than It Supported in 2025
In 2025, DOE cancelled 345 awards totaling $11.08 billion and selected grantees for 30 awards totaling $3.58 billion in 2025. Of the projects awarded, nuclear emerged as a key priority with modest funding support for critical minerals, storage, geothermal, and grid infrastructure.
DOE’s year one funding activities (in billions of dollars)
Notes: Data are from USAspending.gov and DOE’s press releases.
Notes: Data are from USAspending.gov and DOE’s press releases.
Funding Opportunity Announcements issued before January 20, 2025 but amended after are included in the planned funding numbers, as are Notices of Intent. Solicitations without funding, such as Requests for Information and the Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program, were excluded from this figure. Cancellations are only included if publicly confirmed by DOE or award recipient. DOE alluded to a total of $30 billion in loan guarantee cancellations on January 22, 2026 without providing further details. Cancellations initiated by recipients are not included in this data. Data reflect DOE’s funding activities from January 20, 2025, to January 20, 2026.
The White House Proposed Significant Staff Cuts to DOE’s Science and Energy Innovation Offices for Fiscal Year 2026
If implemented, those cuts would further reduce DOE’s ability to utilize its budgetary resources effectively.
Proposed FY26 staff reductions compared to FY24 levels
Note: Data are from the Office of Management and Budget’s Presidential Budget Request Technical Supplement for fiscal year 2026
Note: Data are from the Office of Management and Budget’s Presidential Budget Request Technical Supplement for fiscal year 2026
“FTE” is used throughout to mean full-time equivalents for federal employees, as measured by OMB.
Congress Rejected Major Program Cuts and Project Terminations
DOE received $14.63 billion in the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Congressional appropriations bill passed in January, a 3% reduction from FY 2025 levels and a 43% increase from the White House proposal. The bill also includes a guardrail against future award terminations, directing that DOE “shall not terminate a federal award … on the basis that the federal award no longer effectuates program goals or agency priorities”
Difference between White House FY2026 budget request and Congress-passed FY26 Energy and Water Bill
Data are from the Office of Management and Budget’s Presidential Budget Request Technical Supplement for FY 2026 and…
Data are from the Office of Management and Budget’s Presidential Budget Request Technical Supplement for FY 2026 and…
H.R.6938 – Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026.
Federal Data to Drive Innovation
The Energy Innovation Project aggregates federal data into a centralized database designed to equip policymakers with credible, decision-useful information.
Partnership Drives Progress
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