Plans and Reports

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Sustainability Performance Office (SPO) plans and reports progress on sustainability metrics set by Executive Order (E.O.) 13514, E.O. 13423, related statutes, and the Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan (SSPP).

DOE employees and contractors are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the SSPP as well as specific DOE goals and requirements. The following plans and reports are currently available:

Scorecards and Evaluations

The Department of Energy is regularly evaluated on its progress toward meeting sustainability goals. In this second annual public posting of Federal agency scorecards, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 scorecard serves as an important benchmark to see where DOE has been successful in achieving its sustainability goals, reducing pollution, cutting costs, and identifying opportunities for improvement.

President Obama made clear that Federal agencies must lead by example in clean energy and directed each agency to set aggressive targets for saving energy and water, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, limiting pollution, and reducing waste. Based on benchmarks in the FY 2011 scorecard, DOE will update its Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan to continue building on accomplishments and find better ways to meet and exceed its clean energy goals.

In the last year, DOE achieved a number of important successes in its efforts to promote clean energy, reduce energy waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and lead by example across the Federal government. These successes include:

In 2011, new biomass-based boilers were constructed at the Savannah River Site (SRS), replacing fuel-oil-based boilers for steam generation at the site. Construction continued on a 20 MW biomass cogeneration plant. The cogeneration plant will replace a 1950s-era coal-fired power plant that currently provides half of the electricity required by SRS.
In December 2011, President Obama issued a memorandum for the Federal government to enter into at least $2 billion in performance-based contracts over the next two years to improve energy efficiency at Federal buildings. In support of this goal, DOE committed $100 million over the next two years. These alternative financing contracts allow DOE to improve efficiency at next to zero net cost to the taxpayer by paying for capital improvements with the energy savings realized through those improvements.
The Long Island Solar Farm was completed in November 2011 at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The 195-acre array produces 32 MW of power, making it the largest solar farm east of the Mississippi River. The project was completed through a unique partnership between Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), BP Solar, and BNL, and serves as a model for the development of renewable resources at Federal sites. Electricity produced by the project is purchased by LIPA for its users across Long Island.
In May 2011, the General Services Administration (GSA) implemented a pilot program to incorporate electric vehicles (including plug-in hybrids) into the Federal fleet. DOE is helping to lead the way on this initiative by increasing electric vehicle use while reducing its overall fleet. Additionally, DOE leads the newly formed National Clean Fleets Partnership, which seeks to leverage DOE vehicle expertise to help private industry reduce fuel use and achieve cost-savings.

The FY 2011 scorecard shows DOE is making great progress in many areas, but still has room to improve — such as promoting sustainable green buildings. While newer facilities use world-leading energy efficiency technologies, approximately 25% of DOE buildings are more than 50 years old. DOE continues to make significant progress in decommissioning and demolishing inefficient, excess facilities, but as this scorecard shows, the Department still has more work to do.

The scorecard shows that DOE reduced petroleum use overall by 5%, but this reduction is actually much more significant when put in context. Over the past three years, the Department dramatically accelerated the pace and scale of cleanup operations at Cold War nuclear sites, which necessarily rely on petroleum-intensive heavy machinery and construction equipment. Outside of these environmental cleanups, the Department reduced petroleum use by nearly 15% through aggressive deployment of more efficient and alternative fueled vehicles.

The FY 2010 scorecard for DOE is available.

Greenhouse Gas Inventories

In FY 2010, the Department of Energy and other Federal agencies conducted comprehensive agency greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventories. These first-ever agency GHG inventories fulfilled E.O. 13514 requirements.

Climate Change Adaptation

As required by the Federal Agency Climate Change Adaptation Planning Implementation Instructions, DOE released a statement that commits the agency to addressing the impacts climate change may have on operations and assets through adaptation planning.

In addition, DOE issued its first climate change adaptation plan as an appendix to its 2012 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan. Public comments on the DOE Climate Change Adaptation Plan will be accepted through April 7, 2013, addressed to:

Jennifer C. MacDonald
Director, DOE Sustainability Performance Office
1000 Independence Avenue SW, 6B-162
Washington, DC 20585
climatechange@hq.doe.gov

Fleet

Fulfilling a requirement of the Energy Policy Acts of 1992 and 2005 and E.O. 13423, DOE prepares an annual Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Acquisition Report. The report summarizes DOE's progress toward meeting the AFV acquisition, petroleum reduction, and alternative fuel use increase requirements set forth through the aforementioned executive order and statutes. View the FY 2008 AFV Acquisition Report.

Contacts and Resources

For additional information on SPO planning and reporting, contact the Sustainability Performance Office at sustainability@hq.doe.gov.