What is STEAB?

The State Energy Advisory Board (STEAB) develops recommendations for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Congress regarding initiation, design, implementation, and evaluation of federal energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. In doing so, STEAB serves to integrate and provide consistency between federal, state and local activities.

STEAB subscribes to the concept of sustainable energy development, by which the nation seeks to meet current energy, economic, and environmental needs while preserving the means to meet the needs of future generations. Federal and state investments in deploying developed energy efficient technologies have helped to free American capital for more productive uses. Further, the ongoing manufacture of new efficient and renewable technologies has led us to capture additional markets worldwide and has created more high-quality jobs here at home.

STEAB Charter

About the State Energy Advisory Board

The State Energy Advisory Board was established by Public Law 101-440 (The State Energy Efficiency Programs Improvement Act of 1990) to advise the U.S. Department of Energy on the operation of its federal grant programs. The Board also advises on energy efficiency and renewable energy programs in general and on the efforts of the Department relating to research and market deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

The specific responsibilities of the Board, as mandated by statute, are:

  1. To make recommendations to the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy with respect to:
    1. the energy efficiency goals and objectives within the federal grant programs; and,
    2. programmatic and administrative policies designed to stimulate and improve federal grant program effectiveness;
  2. To serve as a liaison between federal and state governments on energy efficiency and renewable energy resource programs;
  3. To encourage the transfer of research and development results from activities carried out by the federal government with respect to energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies; and,
  4. To submit an annual report to the Secretary of Energy and the Congress concerning the Board's activities for the prior fiscal year.

Federal Advisory committee Act with Amendments of 1997

GSA Federal Advisory Committee Management; Final Rule – 41CFR Parts 101-6 and 102-3

DOE Advisory Committee Members’ Ethics and Conflict of Interest Guidance

Background

DOE and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) are steadfast in their goal toward helping America achieve a prosperous future where energy is clean, abundant, reliable, and affordable. Tireless research and development efforts are in place each year to search for new, dynamic, and groundbreaking technologies that will in essence, cure America’s dependence on foreign sources of energy.

In 2005, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) was introduced, and is the first effort of the United States government to address U.S. energy policy since the Energy Policy Act of 1992. The President’s national energy plan will encourage energy efficiency and conservation, reduce America’s dependence of foreign sources of energy, increase domestic energy production, and promote alternative and renewable energy sources.

EPAct 2005 highlights several areas that DOE will concentrate on in order to achieve some of the aforementioned goals. EERE will be responsible for the research, development, and implementation of the following four major focuses of this new energy policy: Energy Efficiency; Renewable Energy; Vehicles and Fuels; Hydrogen; and Ethanol and Motor Fuels.

STEAB’s Strategic Focus lies at the core of these efforts, as the Board’s legislative mandate is to advise DOE on the operation of its federal grant programs encompassing energy efficiency and renewable energy programs in general, and on the efforts of the Department relating to research and market deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

Related Links

Here are links to several EERE technology offices where you will learn more about the energy efficiency and renewable energy programs that are being developed at DOE. There are also links to the DOE’s National Laboratories where readers can learn more about the groundbreaking, alternative energy research that is currently underway.