Even as he maintains ties to oil and gas producers, a Perry-led Energy Department is likely to support renewable energy and the tax incentives that encourage its growth, experts said. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry says he regrets his famous statement about abolishing the Department of Energy and said it does not reflect his current thinking The White House left Obama's schedule mostly empty for his last day, while saying he'd use the time to pack up the home he and his family have lived in for most of a decade.