DOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Discusses Affordability, Integration, Storage with NASEO Members

The opening morning of NASEO’s Energy Policy Outlook Conference featured Daniel Simmons, newly-appointed Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for the U.S. Department of Energy. 

“We have more resources today than ever that are affordable, that are clean, and that are duking it out,” noted Simmons. “When we have so many [energy technologies] that are falling in cost, which is the best?” 

The answer lies in three key priorities: affordability, integration, and storage. As Simmons’s office develops energy policies and programs, such imperatives will drive DOE’s ability to invest in strategies to reduce energy costs, integrate diverse energy sources on the grid, and bolster disaster resilience and recovery through energy storage. 

Simmons particularly emphasized the need to advance building infrastructure and technologies. Seventy-four percent of national energy consumption occurs in buildings, offering significant opportunities for cost savings and innovation. 

To keep up with the conversation surrounding NASEO’s Policy Outlook, tune in to #NASEOOutlook19 on Twitter.

Photo Credit: Randy Martin