A key to the United States' continued prosperity will be the availability of clean, reliable, and reasonably priced energy. Trends suggest continued domestic growth in energy use for the foreseeable future and accelerated energy use in many developing countries. This seminar will overview the broad portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable technologies, technical, marketing, and other related challenges that must be overcome, and strategies for attaining clean energy goals.

At the federal level, the U.S. invests over $1 billion annually through the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Energy efficiency and renewable programs focus on research, development, and deployment of advanced energy technologies and practices, providing Americans with a stronger economy, healthier environment, and more secure future. These programs are aligned with the primary energy sectors of the economy: buildings, industry, transportation, power generation and delivery, and federal facilities.

The Department of Energy has six multi-state Regional Offices including Philadelphia that are the principal mechanism for delivering energy efficiency and renewable programs at the regional, state, and local levels. For most energy users the Regional Offices are the gateway into energy efficiency and renewable programs's portfolio of technical and financial resources. The presenter will explain how the Regional Offices manage grants and projects that accelerate the market penetration — and the resulting economic, environmental, and energy security benefits — of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.