This summer, Rachel Woods-Robinson -- a researcher from Berkeley Lab -- and her friend Elizabeth Case set out on a cross-country bike ride, stopping along the way to teach a little science and encourage girls to study ‪#‎STEM‬.

They called their journey Cycle for Science, and we caught up with them at the end of their ride. Watch to see what they learned along the way! ‪#‎WomeninSTEM‬ ‪#‎WomensEqualityDay‬ ‪#‎LabLife‬ ‪#‎LabsRoadShow‬

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U.S. Department of Energy

Elizabeth Case & Rachel Woods-Robinson (aka Cycle for Science) took us for a bike ride around D.C. and talked about what they've learned so far on their journey teaching science at schools across the country. ‪#‎WomenInSTEM‬

Fuel cell technologies -- which generate electricity from hydrogen and emit only water to power vehicles and buildings -- have big potential for America's clean energy economy.

An Energy Department-supported project at the BMW manufacturing plant in Greer, South Carolina demonstrated a unique way to produce hydrogen for the largest fuel cell forklift fleet in the world: converting biomethane gas from a landfill. More → http://1.usa.gov/1NH7NfI

Garbage In, Power Out: South Carolina BMW Plant Converts Landfill Gas to Hydrogen Fuel
The largest fuel cell forklift fleet in the world is now being powered with hydrogen produced on-site from biomethane gas at a nearby landfill.
energy.gov

This man helped create the ‪#‎wind‬ industry as we know it.

Read his story to learn how wind energy has changed over the years, and see what he's up to today at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory ▶ http://1.usa.gov/1IPtUyB

‪#‎LabsRoadShow‬ ‪#‎LabLife‬

Meet a 91-Year-Old Wind Energy Pioneer
Meet a 91-Year-Old Wind Energy Pioneer
energy.gov

Deputy Secretary Sherwood-Randall visited Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - PNNL and cut the ribbon on their new Systems Engineering Building on August 19, 2015. Later in the week, she visited the B-Reactor, the first ever full-scale nuclear reactor, in Hanford, WA.

Want to meet some of the nation's top scientists?

Join us all week as we share the personal stories of the people who make the ‪#‎NationalLabs‬ so important. From a 91-year-old wind energy pioneer to a group of middle school students thinking about joining a lab someday, tune in on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the National Labs Road Show, Stop Three: People of the Labs. ‪#‎LabsRoadShow‬ ‪#‎LabLife‬

U.S. Department of Energy's photo.

Computers and electronics account for a big part of home energy consumption. Check out Energy Saver's tips on how to save power when using them.

Energy Saver's photo.
Energy Saver

‪#‎BacktoSchool‬ means more computer use at home. Check out our tips for using computers efficiently and when to shut them off: http://go.usa.gov/3Hw4W

The most carbon-free form of power is the power that isn't used.

That's why the Energy Department supports high-impact research and development on technologies that make manufacturing, homes, buildings and transportation more energy efficient than ever before.

Energy efficiency is a key part of the Obama Administration's ‪#‎CleanPowerPlan‬. Learn more about our efforts to accelerate development and facilitate deployment of energy efficient technologies → http://1.usa.gov/1h0HtA6.

'The U.S. Department of Energy funds the research, development, and demonstration of highly efficient and innovative manufacturing technologies. The Energy Department has supported the development of more than 250 energy-saving industrial technologies that have been commercialized since 1976. http://energy.gov/eere/efficiency/advanced-manufacturing'
'The U.S. Department of Energy improves home energy performance by developing and demonstrating advanced energy efficiency technologies and practices that make homes in the United States more efficient, affordable, and comfortable. http://energy.gov/eere/efficiency/homes'
'The U.S. Department of Energy advances building energy performance through the development and promotion of efficient, affordable, and high impact technologies, systems, and practices. The long-term goal of the Building Technologies Office is to reduce energy use by 50 percent, compared to a 2010 baseline. http://energy.gov/eere/efficiency/buildings'
'The U.S. Department of Energy supports the development and deployment of advanced vehicle technologies, including advances in electric vehicles, engine efficiency, and lightweight materials. Since 2008, the Department of Energy has reduced the costs of producing electric vehicle batteries by more than 35 percent. http://energy.gov/eere/transportation/vehicles'

50 years ago today, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched Gemini V, the first manned spacecraft to use fuel cell technology (pictured) to power onboard electronics. The mission lasted nearly eight days, breaking the world spaceflight endurance record set by the Soviet Union’s Vostok 5 in 1963. Fuel cells were then used on all subsequent American manned space missions throughout the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and space shuttle programs.

Now, fuel cells -- w...hich convert hydrogen and oxygen to create electricity and emit only water -- power forklifts, emergency telecom stations, and even cars and buses as a result of research and development by the Energy Department, National Laboratories and industry partners.

Learn more about our work on this important technology that is playing a big role in reducing carbon pollution and growing America’s clean energy economy. → http://1.usa.gov/1E76owx ‪#‎FlashbackFriday‬ ‪#‎ActonClimate‬

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U.S. Department of Energy's photo.

The electric grid is one of the most complex machines humans have ever created.

Teams of scientists will convene in this brand new facility at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - PNNL to figure out how to make such a complicated system more resilient and secure. See how:

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Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - PNNL

A special bonus for our friends on social media: Take a video tour of the new Systems Engineering Building and hear from PNNL thought leaders! Check it out now,... and be sure to join us online today at 3 p.m. Pacific (Twitter at @PNNLab, Periscope and http://systemsengineeringbuilding.pnnl.gov/) for the building dedication.

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Terrific story about Marissa Muller's cross-country, solar-powered bike trip from CA to DC. Check out the video!

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U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Marissa Muller rode a ‪#‎solar‬-powered electric ‪#‎bicycle‬ from ‪#‎California‬ to Washington, DC, finishing up her journey at the Energy Department where she ...met up with Minh Le, Director of our ‪#‎SunShot‬ Initiative, which strives to make solar ‪#‎energy‬ cost competitive with traditional forms of energy. Watch the video below to see how Marissa worked with a team to custom design the bike, and hear her big takeaway from the trip, or learn more here: http://go.usa.gov/3HtGP. ‪#‎SolarBike‬

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Computers are smart. So are humans.

Researchers at Sandia National Labs think that combining our natural intelligence with the number-crunching power of computers can result in the most effective X-ray scanning systems ever. See how they're working to improve this important process:

A joint cognitive system could be best at scanning for danger
Humans are great at picking up on important information in images – but can be swamped in data. Time to team up with computers
newscientist.com

Temperatures are expected to soar throughout much of the United States this week as the summer heat wave continues.

Check out our Energy Saver infographic to learn about the different types of air conditioning systems that can keep you cool during the hot days ahead. ➤ http://1.usa.gov/1b5gkJo

Planning a home energy upgrade soon? Good news! New guidelines by industry and the Energy Department will help ensure your investment will result in a more comfortable, energy efficient home. Check out the latest Energy Saver post for more details.

Energy Saver's photo.
Energy Saver

If you are aiming for ‪#‎sustainability‬ at home, you likely take steps daily to reduce waste and save energy, and you may also plan home improvement projects w...ith an eye toward greater sustainability. New guidelines are raising the bar on the weatherization and home performance industry, so you can feel confident in the quality of the work you have done. Read more ➔ http://go.usa.gov/3HgRR

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Think you know a lot about wind energy? Here's your chance to prove it!

QUIZ: Test Your Wind Energy IQ!
How tall is the average wind turbine? Which state generates the most power from wind? Test your knowledge and share your score in the comments!
energy.gov

Ever since she was a child, Dr. Amanda Barry has been fascinated with the natural world. Today, she's one of the leading molecular biologists at Los Alamos National Laboratory, discovering new ways to make algae-based biofuels more affordable and sustainable.

Read our latest Q&A to learn more about Dr. Barry's work and her advice for future scientists. Prepare to be inspired! ➤ http://1.usa.gov/1L8a9S6 ‪#‎WomeninSTEM‬

If you're curious about the ‪#‎IranDeal‬, join Ernest Moniz for a live Q&A with the Jewish Federations of North America and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs today at 2pm ET.

Sec. Ernest Moniz Webcast | The Jewish Federations of North America
Jewish Federations from across North America and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs are honored to host a LIVE webcast featuring Dr. Ernest Moniz, US Secretary of Energy, on Thursday, August 13 at 2 PM ET. Please register for this event here. This form is best viewed in these browsers: Firefox,…
jewishfederations.org

Millions of low-income households have saved money on their energy bills through the Weatherization Assistance Program. Find out why the program is an important investment for America's clean energy economy.

U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's photo.
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

The Energy Department has supported the ‪#‎weatherization‬ of low-income households since the late 1970s and helped millions of Americans reduce their ‪#‎energy...‬ costs through our Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). A working paper released recently by the E2e Project suggested that weatherization and other energy efficiency programs are not good investments. The numbers prove otherwise. Kathleen Hogan, the Energy Department’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, walks us through the issues and shares preliminary results from an Oak Ridge National Laboratory evaluation of WAP on the EERE Blog: http://go.usa.gov/3shax.

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Big news for clean energy: the cost of wind power is at an all-time low! America’s wind industry is booming, according to two reports we released today that show U.S. wind power grew rapidly to meet rising demand in 2014.

With total installed wind capacity now at nearly 66 gigawatts, wind supplies 4.9 percent of the nation’s electricity! This renewable energy source is a key component of President Obama’s ‪#‎CleanPowerPlan‬ to reduce climate-changing carbon pollution, diversify our energy economy, and boost America’s economic competitiveness.

Learn more about the future of American wind power at http://1.usa.gov/1TkKrvB

2014 Wind Market Reports
Two new Energy Department reports explore America's fast-growing wind industry. Find out why wind energy is cheaper than ever...
energy.gov

Find out how you can qualify for a big tax credit by installing a small wind system.

Energy Saver's photo.
Energy Saver

If you're thinking of installing a small ‪#‎wind‬ energy system for a tax credit, be sure the system meets the new requirements for certification. Learn how to qualify for the 30% tax credit >> http://go.usa.gov/3AvnJ

Imagine air conditioning systems that are ultra energy efficient and don't need refrigerants which are harmful to the environment?

That's exactly the kind of technology the Energy Department is working on such as this Desiccant-Enhanced Evaporative air conditioner that uses only water as a refrigerant and doesn't require a bulky and expensive compressor.

Check out our latest timeline to explore the history of air conditioning technology and learn how the Energy Department is making these systems more sustainable. → http://1.usa.gov/1gKmJNc

U.S. Department of Energy's photo.