NASEO News
A Landmark
Annual Meeting for NASEO
The National Association of State
Energy Officials (NASEO) hosted one of
their most successful annual meetings in
the history of the organization last
week in Annapolis, Maryland. With over
250 attendees, the meeting rooms were
packed and the discussions were robust.
Over the course of three days, attendees
heard the latest on state and federal
efforts to create green jobs, increase
the nation's energy efficiency and use
of renewable energy, and other issues
related to the American Reinvestment and
Recovery Act (ARRA). NASEO committees
and regions also met for some very
well-timed in-person dialogue.
Keynote speakers from the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) including the
Honorable Cathy Zoi, Assistant
Secretary, Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy and Matt Rogers,
Senior Advisor, Office of the Secretary,
provided an update on DOE activities and
discussed how State Energy Offices can
assist in meeting shared federal public
policy goals. John Jimison, Senior
Counsel, House Energy and Commerce
Committee presented a stimulating
discussion during his keynote luncheon
and representatives from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
including Kathleen Hogan, Director of
the Climate Protection Partnerships
Division, provided insight to attendees
about the latest ENERGY STAR activities,
innovative buildings efficiency efforts
and actions in support of states' ARRA
implementation efforts. For access to
the full agenda and online links to
speaker presentations, please
click here.
Platinum sponsors of the 2009 NASEO
Annual Meeting included Constellation
Energy and Johnson Controls. Gold
sponsors included Chevron Energy
Solutions, ConEdison Solutions, and
Eaton Corporation. Silver sponsors
included 4tell Solutions, LLC,
BITHEnergy, The Energy Services
Coalition, and the National Biodiesel
Board.
President
Obama Addresses Climate Change at the
United Nations
President Obama spoke at the United
Nations this week to address the urgent
need for international action to
mitigate climate change. The President
highlighted several national initiatives
including the recently announced
national greenhouse gas reporting
system, the largest ever investments in
renewable energy, renewable energy loan
guarantees and tax credits the help
create new jobs and new industries,
initiatives and legislation to improve
automotive and housing efficiency, and a
plan to phase out fossil fuel subsidies
as evidence that America is moving to
reduce its own global warming emissions,
and become a world leader against
climate change.
President Obama underscored that
climate is now at the top of the
political agenda for the United States
and described the importance of the
recent energy and climate bill passed by
the House of Representatives that would
finally make clean energy the profitable
kind of energy for American businesses
and dramatically reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. He underlined the need for
nations to work together and noted that
the United States has engaged more
allies and partners than ever before to
work together to combat the threat of
climate change.
Deriding difficulty as "no excuse for
complacency", the President emphasized
the need to act now – to "seize the
opportunity to make Copenhagen a
significant step forward in the global
fight against climate change." To view
President Obama's complete remarks to
the United Nations, please
click here.
EPA Finalizes the
Nation's First Greenhouse Gas Reporting
System Monitoring to begin in 2010
On January 1, 2010, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency will,
for the first time, require large
emitters of heat-trapping emissions to
begin collecting greenhouse gas (GHG)
data under a new reporting system. This
new program will cover approximately 85
percent of the nation's GHG emissions
and apply to roughly 10,000 facilities.
The first annual reports for the largest
emitting facilities, covering calendar
year 2010, will be submitted to EPA in
2011. Vehicle and engine manufacturers
outside of the light-duty sector will
begin phasing in GHG reporting with
model year 2011. Some source categories
included in the proposed rule are still
under review. To view the full news
release, please
click here. For more information on
the new reporting system and reporting
requirements, please
click here.
DOT, EPA Propose
to Improve Fuel Economy and Reduce
Greenhouse Gases
Building on a vision laid out in May
by President Obama, the U.S. Department
of Transportation (DOT) and U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
announced details of a proposed joint
rule establishing a national program for
greatly improved fuel economy and
reduced greenhouse gases. Their proposal
presents coordinated national fuel
efficiency and emissions standards for
passenger cars and light trucks, with
the goal of saving 1.8 billion barrels
of oil and reducing greenhouse gas
emissions by nearly 950 million metric
tons. For vehicles in model year 2016,
the proposed rules would save the
average car buyer more than $3,000 in
fuel costs over the life of the
vehicle. For additional information,
please
click here to view the excerpt from
EERE Network News.
House Passes
Bill to Encourage Hybrid Trucks
As reported in CQ Politics, the House
of Representatives passed a bill to
encourage research and production of
hybrid-powered commercial vehicles.
"Hopefully we can get some movement on
this measure this time around," said
Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., former NYSERDA
Chair. "By enhancing the Department of
Energy's research program in heavy duty
hybrid trucks, this bill draws
much-needed focus to a very critical
component of the transportation sector —
that being commercial trucks." The bill
would create two phases of the research
program for grant recipients, who would
be eligible to receive $3 million
annually for three years to complete
both phases. Republican Susan Collins
of Maine has introduced a companion
measure in the Senate. Please
click here for the full story.
Department
of Energy Delivers More than $36 Million
to Pennsylvania Communities for Energy
Efficiency Projects
The U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu
announced that DOE is awarding more than
$36 million in funding from the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support
energy efficiency and conservation
projects in communities across
Pennsylvania. Under DOE's Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
(EECBG) Program, these funds are being
awarded to Pennsylvania's State Energy
Office and local cities and counties to
help lower energy use, reduce carbon
pollution, and create green jobs across
the Keystone State. To read the full
release and additional detail on the
Pennsylvania EECBG awards, please
click here.
Department
of Energy Announces up to $40 Million in
Available Funding for Next Generation
Nuclear Plants
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu
announced up to $40 million in funding
will be available from the Department of
Energy to support design and planning
work for the Next Generation Nuclear
Plant (NGNP). Next Generation Nuclear
Plants will use new, high temperature,
gas-cooled reactor technologies to
integrate multiple industrial
applications in one plant or facility,
such as generating electricity while
refining petroleum. NGNP will extend the
application of nuclear energy into the
broader industrial and transportation
sectors, reducing fuel use and pollution
and improving on the inherent safety of
existing commercial light water reactor
technology. Applications for the FOA
are due November 16, 2009. Applications
must be submitted through
www.fedconnect.net to be considered
for award. DOE expects to make up to two
awards in February 2010 with each
supporting a unique reactor concept.
The full Funding Opportunity
Announcement is available at
www.Grants.gov and
www.FedConnect.net under
DE-NE0000149, CFDA No. 81.121. Please
click here for the full press
release.
Secretary
Chu Presents Smart Grid Vision and
Announces $144 Million in Recovery Act
Funding to Transition to the Smart Grid
In his keynote speech to the GridWeek
2009 Conference, U.S. Energy Secretary
Steven Chu detailed his vision for
implementing the smart grid and
modernizing America's electrical system:
a stronger, smarter, more efficient
electricity infrastructure that will
encourage growth in renewable energy
sources, empower consumers to reduce
their energy use, and lay the foundation
for sustained, long-term economic
expansion. During his remarks,
Secretary Chu also announced more than
$144 million in funding from the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
for the electric power sector, including
$44 million in awards to state public
utility commissions and $100 million in
available funding for smart grid
workforce training programs. Please
click here for the full press
release. |
