United States Department of Energy, Ministry of Energy in Washington DC, US

The United States Department of Energy is a federal ministry located in the James V. Forrestal Building in Washington DC that shapes national energy policy and oversees the country's nuclear weapons programs. The department also manages a network of 17 research laboratories that focus on nuclear power, renewable energy, and scientific development.

President Jimmy Carter signed the Department of Energy Organization Act in 1977 to guide the nation through the oil crisis and achieve energy independence. The new department took over programs from several existing agencies and brought control of nuclear weapons from the Defense Department under a civilian roof.

The department's name comes from its 1977 mandate to unite federal energy policy under one roof. Its National Laboratories, such as Los Alamos and Oak Ridge, are government-owned but run by universities and companies under contract, a model known as GOCO.

The department awards financial support through its Loan Guarantee Program for projects that reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases with modern technologies. The building sits near the National Mall and is accessible via the L'Enfant Plaza or Federal Center SW metro stations.

The department owns the national laboratories, including Los Alamos and the Nevada Test Site, but universities and companies operate them under contract, a model known as GOCO: Government Owned, Contractor Operated. The Forrestal Building's recessed window grid and open ground-floor colonnade face a wide avenue in southwestern Washington.