Thank you very much for being here. I’m pleased to be before you for one last time as Energy Secretary, and I look forward to your questions. But first, a few comments.

It has been a true privilege to serve this nation and this President alongside the extraordinary men and women of the U.S. Energy Department. And, as I depart, I’m pleased that Steve Chu is poised to take the helm. Clearly, Steve is someone of impeccable scientific credentials who understands what the Department does and will lead it with great integrity and purpose.

As you know, the Department of Energy has tremendous responsibilities for national security and environmental remediation – accounting for nearly two-thirds of the Department’s overall budget, but I want to take this time today to focus on our nation’s current energy-related challenges – and our opportunities for the future. And the challenges are quite remarkable – growing global demand, volatile prices, and an urgent need to produce and use energy in ways that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and do not harm our shared environment – or our security.

It seems clear that we must continue to pursue a broad national energy agenda, which includes: dramatically improved energy efficiency in all sectors of our economy; a continued aggressive move to renewable energy and alternative fuels, especially advanced biofuels; more efficient and environmentally sustainable use of fossil fuels; and advanced nuclear power.

I’m proud of the work we’ve done under President Bush’s leadership, at the Energy Department and throughout the government, in all these areas. Let me just mention a few things.

First, we’ve worked to elevate the role of science in the Energy Department – through our National Laboratories and in conjunction with research universities across the country – to achieve the type of transformational discoveries our nation requires.

And, when it comes to scientific achievement, our National Labs have a record of success that is unmatched in the world. As a nation, we will continue to depend on the power and promise of science and engineering to push back the boundaries of what is possible. And therefore we will continue to depend on our National Labs and the remarkable men and women who work there. We’ve recently produced a book – called A Decade of Discovery – which chronicles some of Labs’ most impressive achievements of the last decade. The book is truly a recent history of discovery – and a fascinating look at what the next decade holds. For a copy of the book, please visit the Decade of Discovery page.

I would also point to a major scientific achievement with real world applications – the establishment of three Bioenergy Research Centers in Tennessee, Wisconsin, and California. These multidisciplinary Centers are already performing cutting-edge basic research to advance the optimization of biomass energy feed stocks and develop innovative approaches for converting them into renewable fuels to replace oil.

In my view, these next-generation biofuels are really the most significant component of an on-going national effort to break our reliance on fossil fuels.

In addition to biofuels, we’ve also aggressively funded research and advanced technology development in areas like solar photovoltaics, wind power, advanced batteries for plug-in electric hybrids, hydrogen fuel cells, and advanced nuclear technologies, to name just a few.

We’ve made available over $42 billion in loan guarantees aimed at getting large-scale clean-energy projects built as quickly and efficiently as possible.

We’re working to make clean-coal technologies, like carbon capture and storage, commercially available for coal-fired plants.

And we’re focused on getting new nuclear power plants built in this country in a way that responsibly manages spent fuel and reduces the threat of proliferation. On that front, we’re already seeing real results, with 17 applications for Combined Operating Licenses (for up to 26 new nuclear reactors) filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in about a year’s time. That is something that has gone largely unnoticed, but after 30 years without any such progress, it is quite significant.

In addition, it is very clear that civilian nuclear power expansion will occur around the world. Indeed, it is happening now. Recognizing this reality, we’ve worked through the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership – or GNEP – to shape the world’s nuclear energy future in a way that not only benefits our economies and our environment, but improves our security by reducing the risk of proliferation.

GNEP was conceived of and developed by the United States, and we now have 25 member nations – and nearly as many observer nations and organizations. This is an unprecedented initiative and is a testament to the urgency of our world’s challenges.

Finally, a word about management. When I arrived at the Energy Department, I made the establishment of sound management principles my first order of business. And my colleagues at DOE responded to that challenge. We now have a clean audit and have established a reputation as an agency that is serious about what we do and how we do it. And I believe that goes directly to our responsibilities to the American people.

In all the areas that will define our energy future – including renewable energy and alternative fuels, energy efficiency, clean-coal, and advanced nuclear power – I’m encouraged that Republicans and Democrats alike acknowledge the importance of this work and the urgency with which it must continue. As do most Americans, regardless of our political affiliations. And I, for one, couldn’t be more pleased about that.

Because the truth is, going forward, our energy and climate challenges are our shared responsibility, and our shared opportunity. I’m optimistic that we will embrace them, but doing so will continue to demand sustained action from us all.

Though some would argue that I can’t possibly be objective on this subject, and maybe they’re right, I truly believe that we’ve made strong progress against the formidable challenges we face. We have put this nation on a path to a better, cleaner, more sustainable, and more secure energy future, and we have not walked down that path, we have run.

But we are not there yet. The road to our new energy reality is long and littered with obstacles. But I believe it is within our sight. The solutions are coming into focus and, in some cases, are already moving from the lab to the commercial markets at rapid speed.

And so, to be quite frank, I will leave this job with an optimism that I would have found hard to imagine even a few short years ago.

The work before us as a nation is very real and substantial, but it is not overwhelming. It is difficult, but achievable. And the results will continue to benefit all Americans and all citizens of our world.

I thank you for your time, and I’m happy to take your questions.

Location:
National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Media contact(s):
Healy Baumgardner, (202) 586-5806