In announcing the Bureau of Energy Resources, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "You can't talk about our economy or foreign policy without talking about energy. With a growing global population and a finite supply of fossil fuels, the need to diversify our supply is urgent."

The move shows how important energy has become for U.S. foreign policy and national security. Its main goal is manage the "geopolitics of the energy world" by working with producers and consumers, says Carlos Pascual, who is heading the Bureau.

In addition to working towards stable supply and demand in conventional energy markets and avoiding unaffordable supply and price shocks, the Bureau is charged with promoting clean energy, stimulating transformational policies that create demand for green technologies, and increasing US exports. It will also promote renewable energy in developing countries to increase access to energy for the world's poor and help them find pathways out of poverty using environmentally sustainable means. Read more.