‍The U.S. Department of Energy is one of the most consequential, and least understood, institutions in the federal government. Its reach extends from nuclear weapons and the national laboratories to fundamental scientific research, emerging technologies, and the public investments that help move ideas from the lab into the marketplace. Forged in Crisis is a reporting project from Good Energy Collective and Second Favorite Productions that explores how this unusual institution came to be, what it does, and why the institution matters far beyond Washington.

The project comes at a moment of significant change inside DOE, as shifts in staffing, funding, and priorities raise questions about the department’s institutional capacity and the wider network of researchers, laboratories, companies, and communities that depends on it. Forged in Crisis looks to history to understand how war, energy shocks, political fights, and technological breakthroughs shaped DOE, and then looks forward to examine what changes at the department would mean for American innovation and competitiveness in the energy space.

Brought to you by Good Energy Collective and Second Favorite Productions.