Brian Noyes is no stranger to service. With a career that began in the U.S. Marine Corps and later transitioned into high-level roles within the U.S. Department of the Navy, Brian spent years defending national security. Today, he’s channeling that same commitment and strategic expertise into an entirely new mission: the fight against climate change.
After more than a decade in defense, Brian felt a powerful pull to do something different—something urgent. “I felt a strong calling to change careers and to join this fight against the climate crisis,” he shared. “The science is clear that the time to act is now.”
Brian transitioned to the clean energy sector just one year ago, and he’s already making a powerful impact. As Operations Manager of the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) within the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, he’s helping to drive advancements in electric vehicles (EVs)—a critical sector in decarbonizing transportation.
Why the shift to clean energy? For Brian, it was about aligning personal values with professional work. “I felt called to put my skills to use in support of the clean energy transition in order to ramp up the fight against climate change.”
Among the many projects he’s worked on, one in particular stands out: managing a major funding opportunity that directed over $50 million toward clean energy R&D. “We invested in projects ranging from battery technologies, energy efficient mobility systems, sustainable materials, and cybersecurity for electric vehicle charging,” he said. That level of investment isn’t just a financial number—it’s a catalyst for long-term innovation.
Brian is also passionate about reshaping perceptions of the clean energy workforce and its benefits. “I want prospective clean energy employees to know just how energized the people in this industry are and how uplifting and collaborative the culture is compared to other sectors,” he said.
And when it comes to economic arguments, he’s clear-eyed about the value proposition. “Clean energy jobs boost our global competitiveness, boost the economy, improve energy security and resiliency, provide impressive returns over their initial investments, improve our air quality, and dramatically reduce or even eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.”
For Brian, the clean energy transition is not just a career move—it’s a calling. As he continues his work in the EV sector, his focus is on solutions that are both scalable and sustainable. The road ahead may be long, but Brian Noyes is all in—and his story serves as an inspiration for veterans and engineers alike who want to serve a new mission: securing a livable planet.
