Energy.gov

With so many options, it can be hard to decipher what car is right for you, or if there’s a clear economic benefit in trading up to a new vehicle. Fortunately, the Energy Department offers a number of tools that can help consumers save money and fuel, whether you’re in the market for a new vehicle or trying to make the most of your current one.

The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy works in partnership with industry to develop, build, operate and validate integrated biorefineries across the country at various scales (pilot, demonstration, and commercial). One such project, led by ClearFuels-Rentech, recently celebrated the completion of a pilot-scale, biorefinery in Commerce City, Colorado.

From transporting the oil necessary to fuel jets and vehicles to supplying battery packs to infantry, energy plays a central role in almost everything the U.S. military does. Because of this reliance, it’s imperative that the military cultivate energy sources that are not subject to the whims of outside nations. While renewables like solar are playing a large role in this effort, advanced biofuels produced domestically are rapidly becoming another choice for transportation fuel.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu Sept. 23 announced the Department finalized a $105 million loan guarantee to support the development of one of the nation's first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plants.

The Green Racing program, a motorsports competition geared toward raising awareness of fuel efficiency, alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies, recently hit a major milestone as the state of Wisconsin played host to the 25th race in the Michelin Green X Challenge.

Biofuels hold great potential not only for reducing our dependence on foreign oil, but also for creating new jobs and economic opportunities for America’s rural communities (a billion tons-worth of opportunities, to be exact).

Biofuel jobs could be coming to a community near you, according to a collaborative report released yesterday by the Energy Department that details the huge potential of U.S.-produced biomass.

How Flexible Fuel Vehicles are empowering consumers and reducing our reliance on foreign oil.

A look at the rapidly expanding applications of biodiesel from the 2011 Natonal Biodiesel Board's Conference and Expo.

The Indian River Bioenergy Center is turning waste into fuel -- and adding hundreds of jobs along the way.

Instead of tossing your grease and used cooking oil, let a clean cities coordinator in your area help recycle it into biodiesel.

Energy crops and agricultural residue, like corncobs and stover, are becoming part of rural America’s energy future. Unlike the more common biofuel derived from corn, these are non-food/feed based cellulosic feedstocks, and the energy content of the biomass makes it ideal for converting to sustainable fuel.