Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz told D.C. lawmakers recently that innovation would be a top priority for the rest of the current fiscal year, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) said this week.
“The need for a substantial investment in clean energy research and development is clear,” Moniz said. “Many studies have examined the contribution of technological innovation to U.S. economic growth.”
Moniz spoke of the department’s efforts relating to the Mission Innovation initiative before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power during a recent hearing. The international initiative aims to spur private and public development of clean-energy technology to help fight climate change, with 20 nations agreeing to double investments in such technology over the next five years.
The following day, Moniz discussed advanced nuclear reactor technologies and the proposed closure of a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication facility during a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Moniz said the DOE is proposing a shift in how it manages plutonium disposition.
