The White House is seeking to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from the budget of an Energy Department division that funds technological research in projects ranging from LED light bulbs to plug-in electric trucks. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, currently funded at $2.1 billion per year, would see its allocation slashed by at least $700 million under a proposal of the Office of Management and Budget. The proposed cuts come as President Trump, who did not support wind and solar power on the campaign trail, seeks to boost defense spending by $54 billion by offsetting the spending with budget cuts from the rest of the government.

The Energy Department program provides grants to companies trying to bring innovative technologies to the market and has been credited with funding research to help make the cost of wind power competitive with coal. It also backs more innovative technologies, such as one plant’s efforts to turn wastewater sludge into biogas, and another to help make fuel from algae.

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