Department of Energy

President Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have finalized the "Freedom Means Affordable Cars" initiative, which resets federal fuel economy standards and ends what the administration calls an illegal electric vehicle mandate. The Department of Transportation framed the move as lowering car prices for American consumers, while the rollback of efficiency rules is expected to draw criticism from environmental and clean-energy groups.

The U.S. Navy is moving forward with development of the W93, a new nuclear warhead intended for submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The programme, run with the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons complex, is part of efforts to modernise the sea-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad, replacing warheads carried on Trident II D5 missiles aboard ballistic missile submarines.

The Washington Examiner reports that the Trump administration's Energy Department is expanding its activities internationally. Beyond the headline, no further details are available about what specific global initiatives or policies the department is pursuing. The report lands amid ongoing debate over US energy and climate policy under the Trump administration.

The US Navy's W93/Mk7 nuclear warhead program has moved into a new development phase. The W93 is intended as a future replacement warhead for the Navy's submarine-launched ballistic missile arsenal. The milestone signals continued progress in the Pentagon and Department of Energy's long-term effort to modernize the US nuclear weapons stockpile, a costly and politically sensitive undertaking.

Renewable energy developer Q ENERGY has inaugurated an 11 MWp solar farm in the Marne department in northeastern France. The facility adds new photovoltaic capacity to the region's energy mix and marks another step in France's push to expand solar power. Industry outlets reported the opening as part of ongoing solar development activity across the country.

The Department of Energy has cleared a floating-solar test project on a small reservoir in Colorado, according to Circle of Blue's Federal Water Tap briefing dated September 28, 2026. The project will test placing solar panels on water, an approach that saves land and can reduce evaporation while generating renewable power for nearby users.

Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection has issued Chapter 105 permits for Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission's Piney-Seward and Erie South Piney transmission line project, a roughly 150-mile route crossing eight counties. The permits clear a key regulatory hurdle for the high-voltage line. Details on conditions, opposition, and the project's timeline have not yet been widely reported.

The US Department of Energy has extended the operating contract for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, which is managed by Princeton University. The extension comes as the lab pushes into AI-driven fusion research, but some raised concerns about how the facility is being managed under the current arrangement. The lab remains a key federal fusion energy research center.