U.S. Department of Energy’s Recovery Act Investments

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) appropriated an unprecedented $90 billion to “lay the foundation for a clean energy economy of the future,” of which the U.S. Department of Energy received $35.2 billion. U.S. DOE’s appropriations have gone towards a number of programs, including home weatherization and state energy efficiency programs, renewable deployment, smart grid investment, primary research for breakthrough technologies, and loan guarantees for innovative companies. Most of DOE’s funds have been outlaid as planned, although about 1.6% of the money spent in financing now-bankrupt companies. This brief reviews the status of DOE ARRA funds and key programs nearly four years after their authorization.