The Office of Policy and International Affairs supports the Secretary of Energy and other departmental elements with a range of expertise on domestic and international energy matters. Among other areas, PI experts maintain extensive knowledge of the following issues:
International Affairs
- regional and country-specific energy policies and practices, technology developments, and market conditions encompassing Africa, Asia, Europe, Eurasia, Russia, the Middle East, and the Western Hemisphere
- bilateral and multilateral energy treaties and obligations
- international cooperation in science and technology
- regional and country-specific barriers to energy markets and services
- trade and investment trends in the global energy economy
- international energy partnerships, commitments, and agreements
Policy Analysis
- domestic and international policy regarding energy production, energy use, energy security, and associated environmental considerations
- energy and environmental regulations and guidelines
- transportation fuels, vehicle efficiency, and fuel standards
- building, equipment and industrial energy efficiency
- biofuels, biorefineries, and other alternative fuels
- environmental impact of energy production, use, and trade
Energy Markets and Climate Change
- energy and climate change modeling
- oil and natural gas market conditions
- energy market disruptions and energy emergencies
- upstream and downstream energy investment trends
- state of climate science
- greenhouse gas emission regulations and reporting requirements
- energy and climate change-related policy, technology, and legislation
Technology Development and Deployment
- research and development (R&D) strategies and policy
- technology research portfolios and budgets
- greenhouse gas emissions mitigationtechnologies
- energy infrastructure, including electricity grid and energy storage
- energy end-use technologies and standards, including buildings, transportation, and industry
- energy supply technologies and standards, including fossil fuels, nuclear power, and renewable energy
- carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and related technologies
- technical and non-technical barriers to technology commercialization and deployment