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NASEO News

February 2003

SEP Special Project Solicitation Released

Posted: February 24, 2003

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is soliciting applications for a variety of special Projects under the State Energy Program (SEP). States may submit applications under the Program Category Sub-solicitations outlined in the Solicitation to implement specific DOE EERE deployment activities and initiatives. Funding of approximately $16,600,000 will be available under this solicitation in FY’03. The project applications are due to DOE from the State Energy Offices in early May 2003. The Program Categories for the Mid-Atlantic Region in 2003 are:

• Clean Cities (AFV fleets/niche markets; AFV refueling infrastructure; AFV school buses; and Coalition support)
• State Industries of the Future
• Building Energy Codes and Standards
• Rebuild America
• Building America
• Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)
• Solar Technology Program
• State Wind Energy Support (State outreach and technical assistance; and regional consortia on transmission)
• Distributed Energy and Electric Reliability—Transmission Reliability, Energy Storage, and Interconnection
• Distributed Energy and Electric Reliability—Regional Combined Cooling, Heating & Power (CHP) Applications Centers
• Distributed Energy and Electric Reliability—High Temperature Superconductivity, State Outreach Centers
• Biomass (outreach and information transfer; and incentives development) Residential Deployment
• Fuel Cell Demonstration and Coordinated Public Education Activities

Most Special Projects Program Categories require project partners to provide cost sharing (which could be a combination of cash, equipment, materials, personnel, or in-kind resources).

Please visit the Golden Field Office website at http://www.golden.doe.gov/businessopportunities.html or the Industry Interactive Procurement System (IIPS) website at http://e-center.doe.gov  to obtain a copy of the 2003 Special Projects Solicitation.

Oak Ridge Study Finds SEP and the State and Territory Energy Offices Deliver: $1 in SEP Produces $7.23 in Annual Energy Cost Savings

Posted: February 13, 2003

The newly released (February 7, 2003) Oak Ridge National laboratory (ORNL) Study of the State Energy Program (SEP) shows the tremendous value delivered by the program and the State and Territory Energy Offices. Most striking is the ORNL finding that each $1 of SEP funding results in $7.23 in annual cost savings for the citizens and businesses served by the states. To access a one-page summary of the ORNL study and benefits delivered by the States' operation of SEP click here.

This comprehensive National Laboratory analysis -- Estimating Energy and Cost Savings and Emission Reduction for the State Energy Program Based on Enumeration Indicators Data -- is the most in-depth metrics effort to date. Following are the key findings:

Return on Each SEP $1

• Each $1 of SEP funding resulted in annual energy savings of 1.17 million source BTUs and cost savings of $7.23.
• Each $1 of total funding (SEP and leverage from the states) resulted in annual energy savings of 0.25 million source BTUs and annual cost savings of $1.58-or-a payback period of 0.14 years for the SEP portion and 0.63 years for the total investment.
• Each $1 in SEP federal funding leverages $3.58. (This estimate is conservative and does not include substantial state system benefit charge leverage. The report indicates that this issue needs further study, which NASEO believes would result in a substantial increase in leverage.)

Total Annual Energy and Cost Savings for SEP 

• Annual energy savings of 41,358,478 BTUs 
• Annual cost savings of $256,422,600

Total Annual, Cost-Effective Emission Reductions

• Carbon-719,251.8 metric tons
• VOCs-127.2 metric tons 
• NOx-5,739.0 metric tons 
• PM10-144.8 metric tons 
• SO2-7,655.7 metric tons 
• CO-968.7 metric tons

Important Results Not Quantified by the ORNL Analysis As important as the above results are there are a number of vital activities funded by the states and SEP that are not quantified in the ORNL report. These include:

1. Essential Energy Emergency Planning and Preparedness functions conducted by all State and Territory Energy Offices; 
2. Assistance in developing balanced energy polices and programs; and 
3. Development of energy production activities such as alternative fuels programs that reduce the demand for fossil fuel imports and focus on domestic, renewable resources.

These vital activities are key to increasing national energy security and are above and beyond the impressive cost and energy savings metrics in the Lab's report. For a copy of the entire report, click here, or more information, please contact David Terry at Dterry@naseo.org.

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