NASEO News
FEDERAL UPDATE
Obama
Administration Launches $130 Million
Building Energy Efficiency Effort
The Obama Administration announced a
multi-agency initiative to spur regional
economic growth while making buildings
more energy efficient. Seven federal
agencies today issued a combined Funding
Opportunity Announcement (FOA) of up to
$129.7 million over five years to create
a regional research center that will
develop new building efficiency
technologies and work with local
partners to implement the technologies
in area buildings. Buildings account
for nearly 40 percent of U.S. energy
consumption and carbon emissions.
Improvements in building efficiency will
provide significant benefits – reducing
energy use, lowering utility bills and
decreasing carbon emissions.
The agencies are working together to
leverage funding and resources to
promote regional growth through an
Energy Regional Innovation Cluster (E-RIC)
that is centered around an Energy
Innovation Hub focused on developing new
technologies to improve the design of
energy-efficient building systems. This
Energy Innovation Hub, one of three
proposed by the Administration and
funded by Congress in the FY10 budget,
will bring together a multidisciplinary
team of researchers, ideally working
under one roof, to conduct research and
work to solve priority technology
challenges that span work from basic
research to engineering development to
commercialization readiness. Please
click here for the full press
release and a link to the FOA.
EPA Announces New
Web Site to Help State and Local
Government Partners Tackle Climate
Change
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) launched a new Web site
today to help state and local
governments understand, plan, and
implement strategies to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions within their
jurisdictions. The State and Local
Climate and Energy Program Web site,
www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate,
brings together EPA resources to serve
as a one-stop shop for government
officials seeking information and
resources related to climate change and
clean energy. The site targets
information to state and local
government officials by providing:
- Resources on energy efficiency,
renewable energy, waste management,
workforce development, health,
adaptation, and more.
- "How to" information for
developing a climate change action
plan or greenhouse gas inventory,
along with maps showing which states
and localities have them in place.
- Guidance on evaluating policy
and program options and measuring
results.
- A calendar of upcoming climate
change and clean energy webcasts and
conferences.
- Podcasts and video recordings of
State and Local Climate and Energy
Program webcasts.
Featured
Resource: Assessing the Multiple
Benefits of Clean Energy: A Resource for
States
This resource will help state energy,
environmental, and economic policy
makers identify and quantify the many
benefits of clean energy. This
groundbreaking document is the first to
organize and present a comprehensive
review of the multiple benefits of clean
energy, together with an analytical
framework that states can use to assess
those benefits during the development
and implementation of clean energy
policies and programs. Access the
resource at:
http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/resources/benefits.html.
EVENTS AND WEBINARS
SAVE THE DATE -
DOE Summer Energy Outlook Conference and
Energy Data and Assurance Planning
Workshop
The Department of Energy's (DOE)
Office of Electricity Delivery and
Energy Reliability (OE) in conjunction
with the National Conference of State
Legislatures (NCSL) and the National
Association of State Energy Officials
(NASEO) will host the Summer Energy
Outlook Conference and a special,
interactive Workshop on Energy Data and
Assurance Planning.
The Summer Energy Outlook Conference
will feature the Energy Information
Administration's (EIA) Short-Term Energy
Outlook and presentations by industry
representatives and energy experts. The
purpose of the event is to provide
attendees with information on what to
expect for the upcoming summer season by
featuring national and global
perspectives on energy supplies, demand,
and prices.
Following the Outlook conference,
DOE/EIA and NASEO will conduct the
Energy Data and Assurance Planning
Workshop -- to be held on Tuesday
afternoon and Wednesday morning. The
Workshop, designed for the recipients of
the State and Local Energy Assurance
grants, will help attendees identify and
understand how to use EIA energy data
through a series of energy-based
scenarios. EIA staff will be on hand to
provide expertise and instruction. The
afternoon session will be useful in
helping State and local officials
prepare energy assurance plans and
respond to energy emergencies.
On Wednesday morning, presenters will
provide information on grant guidelines
and templates for tracking energy supply
disruptions and preparing energy
assurance plans. This will allow
grantees to be part of an interactive
discussion and receive the latest
information on grant requirements and
deliverables.
The two important and informative
events will be held on April 20-21 in
Denver, CO. Please mark your
calendars. We look forward to your
participation and contribution. Details
on registration, hotel logistics and
program agenda will be forthcoming.
The National Association of Regulatory
Utility Commissioners (NARUC) is a
co-sponsor of Energy Data and Assurance
Planning Workshop.
DOE Announces
Inaugural ARPA-E Energy Innovation
Summit
U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu
announced that the inaugural "ARPA-E
Energy Innovation Summit" will take
place March 1-3, 2010, at the Gaylord
National Hotel and Convention Center in
Washington, D.C. The event, hosted by
the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced
Research Projects Agency - Energy
(ARPA-E) and organized by the Clean
Technology and Sustainable Industries
Organization (CTSI), with key support
from the National Venture Capital
Association (NVCA) and the Kauffman
Foundation, will serve as a forum for
the nation's energy leaders to share
ideas, collaborate, and identify key
technology opportunities and
challenges. Summit participants will
include members of the scientific and
research communities, investors,
technology entrepreneurs, corporations
with an interest in clean energy
technologies, policymakers, and
government officials. For more
information and a link to the Summit
website, please
click here.
ECW Webinar: SSL
Technology and LED Lighting: New Tools
in Your Toolbox – March 10, 2010
The Energy Center of Wisconsin (ECW)
will host "SSL Technology and LED
Lighting: New Tools in Your Toolbox," a
live webinar presented by Presenter:
Avraham Mor, IALD, LEED AP, IESNA,
Lightswitch Architectural. The webinar
will take place on March 10, 2010 from
1:00 - 2:30 PM central time. SSL/LED
lighting can significantly reduce energy
consumption and costs. Technology
advancements have increased the
versatility and durability of the lamps
and improved the fixtures contributing
to their expanding applicability. SSL is
a vital lighting design tool. As LED
lighting becomes more mainstream, it is
important for those who specify lighting
products and users to understand the
technology, its uses and pitfalls.
Attend this webinar and learn the latest
strategies to use these tools
effectively. Please
click here for more information and
to register for the event.
STATE AND LOCAL NEWS
Minnesota Awards $5
Million Contract Awarded to St. Paul
Port Authority for Commercial and
Industrial Energy Efficiency Program
The Minnesota Department of
Commerce's Office of Energy Security (OES)
announced that it has signed a contract
to provide $5 million in seed money to
the St. Paul Port Authority to create a
revolving loan fund for energy
efficiency improvements in commercial
and industrial buildings. Funded by the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
of 2009 (ARRA), the St. Paul Port
Authority grant represents the largest
single stimulus-funded contract awarded
by OES with State Energy Program funds
to date. It's also the first
ARRA-funded contract issued by OES to
target the commercial and industrial
sector. Please
click here to read more at the
Minnesota Department of Commerce.
State of Hawaii to
Provide Energy Star Technical Assistance
to Hotels
In support of the Hawaii Clean Energy
Initiative's (HCEI) energy efficiency
goals, the State of Hawaii is providing
technical assistance to hotels statewide
to enhance energy efficiency in the
state's tourism industry by attaining or
renewing an ENERGY STAR building label.
The ENERGY STAR program offers a proven
energy management strategy that assists
in measuring current energy performance,
setting energy-savings goals, tracking
savings and offering incentives for
improvements. The EPA reports that in
2008 the energy saved through the ENERGY
STAR program nationwide avoided
greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to
those from 29 million cars, while saving
Americans $19 billion on their utility
bills. Please
click here to read more about the
assistance program.
Maryland Governor
O’Malley Touts New $8 Million Stimulus
Investment and Legislation to Create
Clean Energy Jobs
Governor Martin O'Malley announced
that more clean energy jobs are on the
horizon for Maryland workers. At a clean
energy event on February 16th,
legislators, green businesses, and
environmental groups joined together in
support of the Governor’s solar
legislation being considered in the
General Assembly this year. The bill
would accelerate the state’s solar
targets to stimulate greater job
creation in this growing sector. In
addition, through the American
Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA),
Governor O’Malley announced that $8
million in the form of grants are
available to promote clean, affordable,
and reliable energy for public buildings
throughout Maryland. Please
click here to read the news release
from the Maryland Energy Administration.
Kentucky to Use
Stimulus Funds to Expand Already
Successful School Energy Conservation
Program
Kentucky will invest $4.75 million in
federal stimulus money to help expand an
energy conservation program to the
state’s 174 school districts. Governor
Steve Beshear announced the expansion of
the Kentucky Energy Efficiency Program
for Schools, called KEEPS, during a
press conference at Roby Elementary
School in Shepherdsville. KEEPS began in
2004 as a pilot program that helped a
handful of schools reduce energy usage
and lower operating costs by creating
and following energy plans. Key
components to those plans included
everything from hiring energy managers
and updating heating and cooling
systems, to making sure teachers turned
off classroom lights and computer
monitors. Please
click here for the story. |
