Sydney Lienemann is the deputy assistant secretary for renewable energy in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Sydney holds a Ph.D. in chemical physics from the University of Colorado Boulder and has over a decade of experience at the intersection of climate resiliency, renewable energy, and environmental policy.
In her role with EERE, Sydney oversees four key offices that provide funding for renewable energy research and development. These offices also support the siting of renewable energy projects, integrating renewable energy into the grid, and community-led energy initiatives:
- The Geothermal Technologies Office focuses on reducing the costs and risks of geothermal development by supporting innovative technologies that address critical exploration and operational challenges.
- The Solar Energy Technologies Office accelerates the advancement and deployment of solar technologies, enhancing grid reliability, resilience, and security while reducing soft costs to make solar energy more affordable and accessible.
- The Water Power Technologies Office promotes emerging technologies in marine energy and next-generation hydropower and pumped storage systems, contributing to a flexible and reliable grid.
- The Wind Energy Technologies Office invests in research and development to advance wind energy innovations, reduce the cost of wind systems, and facilitate the integration of wind energy into the electric grid.
Sydney’s diverse experience includes serving as a legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Mark Begich of Alaska, leading Arctic energy diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State, advising on climate policy for the City of Albuquerque, and heading programs at the startup Camus Energy. Most recently, Sydney served as the deputy cabinet secretary at the New Mexico Environment Department, where she oversaw programs focused on air and water quality, climate research, waste management, and national lab oversight.