DOE Announces Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship Program

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DOE Announces Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship Program to Help Build a Diverse U.S. Workforce to Decarbonize the Electricity Sector

Public Utility Commissions and Other Critical Energy Organizations Will Host Fellows Working to Advance Clean Energy Solutions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship, a $6 million program that sends recent graduates and energy professionals to work at critical energy organizations to advance clean energy solutions. This program will help increase access to clean energy career opportunities across the country and accelerate the national transition to a resilient and affordable clean energy economy.  

The Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship recruits talent from diverse backgrounds to spend up to two years supporting the work of eligible host organizations, which include public utility commissions, municipal and rural cooperative utilities, and grid operators, such as regional transmission organizations or independent system operators. Innovator Fellows will receive a stipend and an educational allowance to support host institution projects that will help decarbonize the U.S. power system, electrify transportation and industry, and make the power system more equitable and inclusive.  

“This is an exciting time to contribute to the clean energy transition,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kelly Speakes-Backman. “Achieving our goal of a 100% clean, reliable, and resilient electricity system will require a deep focus on expanding and maintaining the talented workforce at our critical energy institutions. With the Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship program, we are expanding job opportunities to support the institutions responsible for the grid, and ensuring a wide range of perspectives and backgrounds are working to address the most important challenges of our time.” 

Innovator Fellows will be selected to support projects identified by host organizations as critical to advancing decarbonization and that also ensure energy affordability and grid reliability during the clean energy transition. Projects may address a wide variety of topics, including but not limited to grid modernization, equitable access to clean energy and energy efficiency, integration of electric vehicles and building electrification, resilience planning, interconnection, and rate design. Host organizations and fellowship candidates must apply to the program by May 6. 

The fellowship is open to recent graduates with bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees, and mid-career professionals in fields relevant to electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. Fellowship candidates should submit an application describing their interest in the opportunity and their relevant skills and experience.

Prospective hosts should submit an application outlining a project scope and describing their institution’s needs.  

DOE will facilitate the process of matching host institutions and finalist candidates. Fellowships last one to two years and include peer-to-peer learning opportunities and professional development support.  

The Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship is administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE).  

Learn more about DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 

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