NASEO News

Do you have news you would like to share? Send us your stories and announcements. Email or call Garth Otto with the details: gotto@naseo.org , 703.299.8800, ext. 16.

Also, check out the State Success Stories!

FEDERAL UPDATE

Vice President Biden Releases Report on Recovery Act Impact on Innovation

Vice President Joe Biden recently unveiled a new report, "The Recovery Act: Transforming the American Economy through Innovation," which finds that the Recovery Act's $100 billion investment in innovation is not only transforming the economy and creating new jobs, but helping accelerate significant advances in science and technology that cut costs for consumers, save lives and help keep America competitive in the 21st century economy.  Overall, the Recovery Act is investing $100 billion in science, technology and innovation projects across the country ranging from building a nationwide smart energy grid and health information technology infrastructure to growing the emerging electric vehicle industry, expanding broadband access and laying the groundwork for a nationwide high speed rail system.  Please click here for the full story and a link to the report. 

Matt Rogers, Office of the Secretary of Energy, Responds to Washington Post ARRA Editorial

Matt Rogers, Senior Adviser to the Secretary for Recovery Act implementation at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), recently responded to an editorial in the Washington Post, Stimulus programs hobbled by regulations, that was spurred by the DOE Inspector General's report on slow spending in energy programs.  In his response, Rogers wrote, "More than 90 percent of the Energy Department's $32 billion from it has been allocated to clean-energy projects, creating tens of thousands of direct jobs and even more along the supply chain," and, "focusing on the amount that has been "paid out" or "reimbursed" misses the impact of creating jobs from the moment projects were selected for funding. When you hire a contractor to remodel your house, people are hired and materials purchased at the beginning of a project. The economic stimulus starts then, not when the work is done and the contractor has been paid for it." To read Matt Rogers' entire published response, please click here. To read the original editorial, please click here.

NASEO NEWS

NASEO General Counsel Jeff Genzer Named Energy Efficiency Champion by ACEEE

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) presented its Champion of Energy Efficiency Awards at the 16th Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. The awards recognize leadership and accomplishment in the energy efficiency field. NASEO General Counsel Jeff Genzer won the award for energy policy. The winners were nominated by their peers, and selected by a committee of ACEEE's Board of Directors from an impressive group of over 40 nominations. Selection criteria were based on each nominee's impact, innovation, and leadership in the energy efficiency field.  To learn more about the award, please click here to visit ACEEE.

MEETINGS AND WEBINARS

Register Today for the NASEO Annual Meeting in Boston, September 28-October 1, 2010

This year's NASEO Annual Meeting will be held Tuesday, September 28-Friday, October 1, 2010, at the Sheraton Boston in Boston, Massachusetts.  While the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) continues to deliver unprecedented opportunities and challenges for the State and Territory Energy Offices and their partners, what lies beyond ARRA?  Also, as the Administration evolves in Washington, D.C., keeping up with the pace of change at the U.S. Department of Energy and other agencies is critical.  This meeting offers an opportunity for state energy officials to hear from key policy and decision-makers, learn about new funding and partnership opportunities, and interact with peers.

To prepare and inform conference attendees, NASEO has planned a full week of informative events, with the core conference agenda being complemented by ARRA and committee sessions, as well as site tours and in-depth tracks on topical issues.  The 2010 NASEO Annual Meeting will serve as an essential opportunity for State Energy Office (SEO) directors, staff, and interested stakeholders to hear the latest on innovative financing and project implementation, clean energy technologies, and links between energy, environment, and transportation priorities.

Upcoming NASEO Annual Meeting Session Highlights

• State Energy Program Effectiveness and Impact Evaluation Update
• ARRA State Energy Program and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Implementation
• DOE ARRA Implementation: Overall Progress and Successes
• Technology Investments and Innovation: Discovering and Commercializing New Energy Technologies
• Appliance Rebate Program: Lessons Learned
• Evolving State and Federal Roles in Energy and Environmental Policy

Please click here to visit the event website to register online, view the preliminary agenda, and learn more about available sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities.

2010 Winter Fuels Conference – October 13, 2010

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), and the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) invite you to participate in the 2010 Winter Fuels Outlook Conference.

This important supply and demand forecast event will be held on Wednesday, October 13, 2010, at the National Press Club, Holeman Lounge, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20045.

Global oil supply uncertainty, demand for heating fuels, and price volatility may increase the potential for supply and distribution concerns this winter. Minor problems in the distribution system could cause price volatility with potential surges in localized regions. To help inform the energy community about the current situation, this conference will include EIA's Winter Fuels Outlook along with presentations by industry representatives and energy experts.  Online registration is now available.  Please continue to check the NASEO website for additional information. 

Asia-Pacific Clean Energy Summit – Honolulu, Hawaii

The Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo will be held Monday, August 30–Thursday, September 2, 2010, at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. Hawaii is one of the world's leading incubators for clean technology development through strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 corporations, U.S. military energy programs and the Hawaiian Electric Industries multiple renewable and microgrid pilot programs. To showcase the growing early clean technology success and opportunities in Hawaii, the Asia-Pacific Clean Energy Summit program focuses on topics such as electric vehicle transportation, grid integration of renewable energy, energy security, efficiency, regulatory frameworks, and financing of new renewable energy technologies. Please click here to visit the Summit website.

Energy Services Coalition (ESC) Beginnings Webinar: September 10, 2010

The Energy Services Coalition (ESC) will host a webinar bringing together its early founders to share how and why ESC got started and how it evolved while keeping its mission in focus.  The webinar will take place on Friday, September 10, 2010, from 1:00 – 1:40 PM ET.  ESC has been a public-private partnership from the start.  ESC's sole focus has always been on energy performance contracting—breaking down barriers and increasing awareness to increase energy efficiency through performance contracting.  Founding a chapter today is very similar to the founding of the organization—public and private participants working on a common mission.  Please click here for more information on the webinar as well as a link to online registration.

Energy Center of Wisconsin (ECW) Workshop: Fostering Sustainable Behavior: Community-Based Social Marketing, September 16, 2010, Milwaukee, WI

The Energy Center of Wisconsin is excited to announce internationally acclaimed social-marketing expert Doug McKenzie-Mohr, PhD will present, Fostering Sustainable Behavior: Community-based social marketing, Thursday, September 16, 2010, in Milwaukee, WI.  This full-day workshop will provide participants with a comprehensive, introductory understanding of community-based social marketing.  The workshop is designed for energy program designers and implementers, utility program managers, communications and marketing professionals, community planners, and professionals in the fields of energy and sustainable communities. For more information, including online registration, visit www.ecw.org/socialmarketing.   

STATE AND LOCAL NEWS

Colorado Stimulus Program to Help Residents Reduce Energy Costs

Colorado Governor Ritter recently applauded a $950,000 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant to use new technology to help low-income residents in Colorado save money on utility bills. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant will fund a Front Range pilot project that will use in-home energy monitoring technology to help residents track energy consumption and follow steps to reduce usage and costs.  The grant will go to three Front Range weatherization agencies, working in partnership with the Governor's Energy Office and Symbiotic Engineering and Tendril Inc. for a 1,600-home test project to determine if in-home energy monitors and other tools can help low-income residents make simple behavior changes to dramatically reduce utility costs. To read more about the program, please click here.

Energy Experts to Visit Hawaii and Okinawa to Advance Clean Energy Partnership

United States and Japanese energy experts from the national and local governments will visit Okinawa and Hawaii from Sunday, August 22-Saturday, September 4 to exchange views and offer recommendations on future cooperative activities that the United States and Japan can carry out to support the "Hawaii-Okinawa Partnership on Clean and Efficient Energy Development and Deployment," signed by officials from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, State of Hawaii, and Prefecture of Okinawa in Tokyo. The partnership is part of an agreement that the President of the United States and Prime Minister of Japan reached in November 2009, as the two largest funders of science and technology research, to join forces to develop transformative clean and efficient energy technologies needed to solve global energy security and climate change challenges. To read more about the agreement and the visit, please click here to visit the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative.

Nevada Seeks Proposals to Develop Solar Projects at 55 Agency Sites

The Nevada State Office of Energy ("NSOE"), in cooperation with the Nevada State Purchasing Division, recently released a Request for Proposal ("RFP") seeking participants who wish to build and maintain solar systems on multiple university, city and state agency sites. This RFP will solicit 100 percent private sector investor funding to design, build, own and operate the projects through a long-term power purchase agreement to all agencies participating.  Proposals are due on Thursday, September 23, 2010.  Please click here for more information and a link to the RFP.