January 21, 2010

NASEO News

FEDERAL UPDATE

Nearly $80 Million Investment for Advanced Biofuels Research and Fueling Infrastructure

The U.S. Department of Energy Secretary announced the investment of nearly $80 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for advanced biofuels research and fueling infrastructure that will help support the development of a clean sustainable transportation sector. The selections announced—two biofuels consortia for up to $78 million to research algae-based and advanced biofuels -- are part of the Department's continued effort to spur the creation of the domestic bio-industry while creating jobs.  Secretary Chu also announced today the selection of eight infrastructure projects to receive up to $1.6 million to support expanded fueling infrastructure for ethanol blends. The projects announced today will expand ethanol blends infrastructure at existing retail fueling locations in nine states: Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. The projects plan to install E85 pumps, retrofit existing pumps to dispense E85, and install blender pumps that offer ethanol blends up to 85% at over 60 stations. Collectively, the projects propose creating at least 45 E85 dispensers and 16 blender pumps along key driving corridors and areas with higher concentrations of flexible fuel vehicles.  Please click here to read the full press release. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REPORTS

ACEEE Now Accepting Nominations for the State Energy Efficiency Program Awards Project

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) is calling for nominations for the National Review and Recognition of Exemplary State Energy Efficiency Programs.  ACEEE seeks to recognize the best state programs in reducing energy use and energy costs through energy efficiency, and providing economic benefits to taxpayers. ACEEE will be considering programs of all types, including residential, public sector, commercial, and industrial programs, RD&D, workforce development, low-income weatherization, agriculture, transportation and planning, and cross-cutting/other. Programs will be considered if they present innovative models and achieve unparalleled results.

To be eligible for the ACEEE National Review of State Energy Efficiency Programs, programs must:

  • Be administered by a state government agency, university, or other state-level public institution, and
  • Be fully or partially (at least 20%) funded by state appropriations, state bond issues, federal funds, carbon allowance auction proceeds, or other non-utility funds.

If you administer or are aware of a program you believe should be recognized, please take the time to submit a nomination. Please click here for a copy of the nomination form and submit to nominations@aceee.org  by February 26, 2010. If you submit a nomination, please send a copy to Garth Otto of NASEO (gotto@naseo.org).  Award winners will be announced in summer 2010 at an ACEEE event. For more information, please contact Michael Sciortino at 202-507-4028 or at msciortino@aceee.org.

ASERTTI CHP Project Report

The Association of State Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions (ASERTTI) recently released the "Strategic Combined Heat & Power Deployment Assistance for Wastewater Treatment Facilities" project summary report.  The project was proposed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a means of expanding the use of combined heat & power (CHP) applications at wastewater treatment plants using anaerobic digestion and flaring off the resulting biogas. ASERTTI recognized the tremendous energy savings and environmental potential resident at the approximately 12,000 wastewater treatment plants that currently flare off biogas, and targeted this project as a way to collect actual operating data, energy savings, and environmental benefits to encourage wastewater treatment facility officials of the many benefits available in CHP applications.  The results of this project were disseminated to the energy community as a means of raising visibility of distributed generation as a successful primary and back-up source of power.  Please click here for the full report. 

EVENTS AND WEBINARS

Register Today for the NASEO/ASERTTI State Energy Policy and Technology Outlook Conference, February 1-5, 2010

The 2010 NASEO/ASERTTI State Energy Policy and Technology Outlook Conference will be held February 1–5, 2010, at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C. This year's State Energy Policy, Program, and Technology Outlook Conference comes as the States and the nation are in the midst of an historic energy efficiency and renewable energy transformation. New policies and investments are moving rapidly and at an unprecedented scale with additional programs being contemplated by Congress and the Administration in the coming weeks.

To better prepare and inform conference attendees, NASEO and ASERTTI have planned a full week of informative events, with the core conference agenda being complimented by pre-meeting ARRA and committee sessions starting at noon on February 1, 2010, followed by an important post-conference ARRA-related building codes workshop which concludes on February 5, 2010, at 3:00 pm.

The 2010 NASEO/ASERTTI State Energy Policy and Technology Outlook Conference will serve as an essential opportunity for State Energy Office (SEO) directors, staff, and interested stakeholders to hear the latest on ARRA and the implementation and reporting issues that SEOs are currently facing.

Session Highlights

  • ARRA State Energy Program and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Implementation
  • Road to Recovery – A Look at States' ARRA Funded Clean Energy Jobs Creation
  • DOE ARRA Implementation – Overall Progress and Expectations
  • Vehicle Electrification – Cars, Infrastructure Investments, and Consumer Demand
  • Net Zero Energy Commercial Buildings Consortium Update
  • NREL Update – Transferring Emerging Technologies
  • ARPA-E Update
  • Scaling up Renewable Energy Investment

Speakers include:

  • Energy Secretary Steven Chu
  • Congressman Steve Israel
  • Congressman Paul Tonko
  • White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Director Carol Browner
  • Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Cathy Zoi
  • Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency Kathleen Hogan
  • Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Energy Jacques Beaudry-Losique
  • DOE General Counsel Scott Blake Harris
  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory Director Dan E. Arvizu
  • ARPA-e Director, Arun Majumdar

Please click here to visit the event website for an updated agenda, information on available sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities and to register online.

EPA Webinar: Clean DG Policy and CHP, January 21, 2010

The CHP Partnership will host a webinar, "CHP: Opportunities at Wastewater Treatment Facilities," on January 21, 2010, from 3:00 - 4:30 PM EST.  CHP is a reliable, cost-effective option for municipal wastewater treatment facilities (WWTF) that have, or are planning to install, anaerobic digesters. Biogas flow from these digesters can be used in a CHP system as "free" fuel to generate reliable electricity and power for the wastewater facility.  This webinar will address opportunities and challenges of implementing CHP at WWTFs. The webinar will highlight EPA's CHP Partnership's efforts in WWTF and plans going forward to further expand this opportunity as well as two case studies of successful CHP systems at WWTFs.

To participate, please click here to fill out an online registration form. Once your registration is complete, you will receive a confirmation email with call-in information and a link to view the presentations online.

ECW Webinar:  Scouting for Residential Electricity Savings, January 27, 2010

The Energy Center of Wisconsin will host a free webinar, "Scouting for Residential Electricity Savings" on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, from 1:00 - 2:30 PM Central Time.  In this webinar, co-principal investigators Scott Pigg and Ingo Bensch present results from "Plugging into Savings," a field research project funded by the Minnesota Office of Energy Security and Minnesota Power Company. Viewers will gain insights to help residential energy consumers manage their plugged-in electronics and slay their energy vampires. For more information and to register for the webinar, please click here.

Compressed Air Challenge - Fundamentals of Compressed Air Systems WE (web-edition)

The Compressed Air Challenge (CAC) is pleased to announce the launch of Fundamentals of Compressed Air Systems WE (web-edition) on February 22, 2010. This web-based version of the popular Fundamentals of Compressed Air Systems training uses an interactive format that enables the instructor to diagram examples, give pop quizzes and answer students' questions in real time.  The course will launch on February 22, 2010, with subsequent classes on March 1, March 8, and March 15. The classes will begin at 11 AM eastern and will last approximately 2 hours each.  Please click here for additional information and to register online. 

STATE AND LOCAL NEWS

Virginia Governor Kaine Announces $10 Million Biomass Energy Grant Program

The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy will administer $10 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for 15 biomass and waste-to-energy projects across the state.  The grants will support $110 million in private investments statewide.  The use of waste materials from logging, manufacturing, agricultural, or municipal operations, as well as energy crops and other biomass fuels will provide a significant economic benefit to the Commonwealth. This can also help reduce the use of traditional fuels, reduce waste disposal costs and other environmental impacts, and provide additional revenue crops for farmers and loggers. Please click here to read the full press release.

California Cities Get $2.8 Million in Stimulus Loans for Energy Efficiency and $300,000 for Utilities Emergency Planning

Nearly $2.8 million in low-interest federal stimulus loans will go to three California cities for innovative projects to cut energy use. The bulk of the stimulus funds will go to the city of Chula Vista (San Diego County). A $2,051,600 loan will allow the county's second largest city to replace its 4,600 high pressure sodium streetlights with a more efficient induction system. The Commission also approved a $300,000 grant to the California Utilities Emergency Association (CUEA) for updating the state's Energy Assurance Plan. The update will incorporate recent advancements in technology such as smart grid and cybersecurity. The federal funds will assist in the planning two energy emergency exercises. Please click here to read more at the California Energy Commission website.

University of Kentucky to Receive Nearly $12 Million for Energy Research Center

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear announced that a new energy research facility will be built at the University of Kentucky with $11.8 million in federal stimulus funds. The university was one of 11 recipients of the grant funding, for which there were 167 applications. University of Kentucky received the fifth-largest amount from the $123 million in grant money. Construction of the 36,000-square-foot building, to be located at the Spindletop Research Park near the Kentucky Horse Park, is expected to begin in late summer and finished by fall 2011. Please click here to read more on the story at the Courier Journal.

Maryland Governor O'Malley Announces 2010 Clean Energy Legislative Agenda

Continuing the state's investments in clean energy, Governor O'Malley released his 2010 Energy Agenda focused on increasing renewable energy production and tax credits for Maryland families and workforce.  Key legislation include an acceleration of the state's solar renewable portfolio standard to put more clean energy on the grid faster, as well as off-shore wind legislation to create an effective regulatory framework for off-shore wind energy development. Additional proposed legislation calls for extending renewable energy tax credits for businesses interested in going green, as well as tax credits for families to purchase plug-in electric vehicles as they become commercially available over the coming year.  Please click here to read the full press release.