Department of Energy

President Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have finalized the "Freedom Means Affordable Cars" initiative, which resets federal fuel economy standards and ends what the administration calls an illegal electric vehicle mandate. The Department of Transportation framed the move as lowering car prices for American consumers, while the rollback of efficiency rules is expected to draw criticism from environmental and clean-energy groups.

The U.S. Navy is moving forward with development of the W93, a new nuclear warhead intended for submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The programme, run with the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons complex, is part of efforts to modernise the sea-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad, replacing warheads carried on Trident II D5 missiles aboard ballistic missile submarines.

The US Department of Energy has extended the operating contract for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, which is managed by Princeton University. The extension comes as the lab pushes into AI-driven fusion research, but some raised concerns about how the facility is being managed under the current arrangement. The lab remains a key federal fusion energy research center.

The Department of Energy has cleared a floating-solar test project on a small reservoir in Colorado, according to Circle of Blue's Federal Water Tap briefing dated September 28, 2026. The project will test placing solar panels on water, an approach that saves land and can reduce evaporation while generating renewable power for nearby users.