Image for illustrative purposes

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is eliminating two major clean-energy offices, marking another shift in the federal government’s approach to climate and energy policy under President Donald Trump. According to a new organizational chart released Thursday, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy will be dissolved as part of a broader restructuring.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the DOE is restructuring to “restore common sense to energy policy” and prioritize lower costs and responsible use of taxpayer funds. Under the new structure, functions from the former energy-efficiency office and several other units will be consolidated into a newly created Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation.

The move follows earlier announcements in October that more than $7 billion in awards tied to over 200 clean-energy and efficiency projects would be terminated. These cancellations affected initiatives across hydrogen, battery storage, grid modernization and electric vehicles, as well as studies such as a carbon-capture assessment linked to the Four Corners Power Plant on Navajo Nation land in New Mexico.

Days later, the DOE said it would cut nearly $24 billion in additional climate-related funding. Many early-stage projects in states from Louisiana to Washington faced uncertain futures, raising concerns about job losses in sectors including hydrogen and carbon capture.

In May, the DOE also revoked $3.7 billion in awards from the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, citing insufficient progress and accelerated approvals made late in the previous administration. The cuts have prompted warnings from analysts and international bodies about potential slowdowns in U.S. renewable-energy deployment, even in states with strong wind-energy industries.

Source: msn.com