September 16, 2010

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!

NATIONAL UPDATE

ACEEE Announces 18 State-Led Energy Efficiency Programs Recognized As Best In U.S.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recently announced the first-ever awards initiative for exceptional state-led energy efficiency programs. A total of 18 top programs from 14 states are being recognized by ACEEE. The top five award winning programs are:

Colorado Governor's Energy Office: Colorado ENERGY STAR New Homes Program
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority: Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Demonstration Program
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority: Wastewater Efficiency Program
Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism: Lead by Example Program
Maryland Energy Administration: Maryland Statewide Farm Energy Audit Program

The panel also selected 10 programs for honorable mentions, and three "emerging" programs. For the "States Stepping Forward: Best Practices for State-Led Energy Efficiency Programs" awards, ACEEE accepted nominations from programs administered by state institutions and an expert panel then examined the field of nominations. David Terry, Executive Director, National Association of State Energy Offices, said: "Energy efficiency efforts are thriving at the state level in ways that most people may not be aware of today. The program winners demonstrate how state governments can implement successful, cost-effective energy efficiency programs aimed at a variety of customer types. Rather than creating unnecessary competition, these programs complement and expand upon the existing energy efficiency program landscape offered by utilities and third-party program administrators." Please click here for the full story.

ACORE Releases a State-by-State Report on Renewable Energy

The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) recently released a report that compiles data on renewable energy developments, resource potentials, and financial, market, and policy information on a state-by-state basis. The report is intended to be an executive summary of the renewable energy sector in each state. The report also notes the state policies that helped to accomplish that scale of deployment. ACORE will provide quarterly updates for the online, interactive report. Please click here for more information and a link to the report.

Center for American Progress Names Ten States that Excel in Energy Efficiency

Few industries have felt the economic downturn harder than the construction industry, which suffered the most from the consequences of a decade of gross mismanagement of our nation's mortgage markets and financial services industries. Using a state-by-state analysis of existing policies (including both regulations and investment incentives), as well as market conditions (including energy prices and building stock), the Center for American Progress and Energy Resource Management identified the leading states where smart policies are poised to set the stage for clean energy jobs and the homegrown businesses that will serve this new demand. To read more and see the list of successful states, please click here.

DOE Announces $30 Million in Competitive Awards for State Energy Efficiency Projects

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu recently announced the investment of $28.5 million to 12 states and territories to support energy efficiency projects that will lower energy bills for American families and businesses, boost job growth, and increase investment in companies that deliver energy-saving technologies. The competitively selected states will receive awards through DOE's State Energy Program to help create a sustainable transformation in the market for energy-saving, whole-building improvements in residential and commercial buildings. Please click here for the full story, including a list of projects selected for awards.

NASEO UPDATE

NASEO-ASERTTI Renewable Energy Committee Launches

The joint NASEO-ASERTTI renewable energy committee was launched last week with its inaugural call. Maurice Kaya, formerly of the Hawaii energy office will lead the committee for NASEO. Larry Shirley of North Carolina will co-chair the committee for NASEO and Frank Murray of New York will be the co-chair representing ASERTTI. The first conference call laid out the preliminary objective for the group. If you are interested in participating on the committee, please email cwoodworth@naseo.org to be added to the distribution list.

MEETINGS AND WEBINARS

DOE ARRA Technical Assistance Webinar – September 22, 2010

DOE is holding an ARRA Technical Assistance Webinar on Wednesday, September 22, 2010, titled Taking Advantage of Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds (QECBs). Topics will cover why QECBs are attractive, what are some eligible purposes, how ARRA funds can support and QECB issuance processes.

Speakers include:

Brandon Belford, Financial Specialist, DOE
David Hodgins, Commercial Sector Project Development Manager, Clinton Climate Initiative
Brett Johnson, Finance Manager, Colorado Governor's Office
Jeff Pitkin, Treasurer, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
Mark Zimring, Senior Research Associate at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)
Michael Karlosky, Wells Fargo Wayne Seaton, Wells Fargo

Chuck Guinn, NASEO's Northeast Regional Coordinator will moderate. Please register for the webinar to reserve your spot.

NASEO Annual Meeting, 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.

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

ASERTTI Fall 2010 Meeting: October 4-7, 2010

Please mark your calendars for the fall 2010 ASERTTI meeting, which will be held October 4-7 in Long Island, New York. Hosted by Brookhaven National Laboratory and Long Island Power Authority, this year's fall meeting will include presentations on the energy programs and research activities from around the nation. Agenda presenters and topics include:

Brookhaven National Laboratory's Energy R&D and Technology Commercialization
California Energy Commission's R&D priorities and community energy program
Long Island Power Authority's Solar and Off Shore Wind Projects
Energy-Efficient Building Systems Design Hub – an overview of the newly established Penn State-led "buildings hub"
Energy Innovation Models – this session examines several state, regional, and national technology innovation models, and covers the release of the newly published ASERTTI-NASEO Commercialization Models Report
New York's Smart Grid Consortium
University Energy RD&D Collaboration – representatives of four university energy centers offer their views on collaborative models and priorities
Superior Energy Performance – This industrial energy efficiency presentation examines the move toward ISO50001 and opportunities with the U.S. Council for Energy-Efficient Manufacturing and U.S. DOE

Attendees will also hear an overview of ASERTTI programs and the latest Washington, DC update. In addition to the full technical agenda there are some exciting networking and tour activities planned. Please visit the ASERTTI website today to access online registration and the most up-to-date agenda.

2010 Winter Fuels Conference, Washington, DC – 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 changes, expected demand for heating fuels, and price volatility all impact the outlook for heating fuels this winter. 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. Invited speakers include:

Richard G. Newell, Administrator, Energy Information Administration Michael Halpert, Deputy Director, Climate Prediction Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Katherine Spector, Commodities Strategist, CIBC World Markets Corp. David Lugar, Vice President, Supply and Logistics, AmeriGas Partners, L.P. Richard Smead, Director, Navigant Consulting, Inc. Jane Van Ryan, Senior Manager, Communications, American Petroleum Institute

Online registration is now available. Please continue to check the NASEO website for additional information.

NASEO Building Energy Efficiency Workshop, October 27 – October 30, 2010

NASEO will be hosting a comprehensive Building Energy Efficiency Workshop at the Westin Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina on Wednesday, October 27 – Saturday, October 30, 2010. The Workshop will be held concurrent with a portion of the International Code Council's (ICC) Final Action Hearings and will focus on building codes training and compliance, residential and commercial building energy code implementation strategies, green buildings and sustainability, existing building rehab and substantial renovation, equipment efficiency standards, "beyond-code" standards for public facilities, utility involvement in code activities, roadmapping code strategy discussions, model building retrofit programs, etc.

NASEO is offering travel assistance for state and local government energy and building codes officials to attend the Workshop as well as participate in the ICC Final Action Hearings. The travel support is available on a first-come first-served basis. Individuals interested in attending the Workshop must complete and submit the "NASEO Travel Reimbursement Application Form" by Friday, October 15, 2010, for review and approval by NASEO.

A preliminary agenda and workshop information and NASEO travel policy are now available. For more information on the Workshop visit the NASEO website at: http://www.naseo.org/codes/. For questions, please contact Shemika Spencer at 703.299.8800 x15 or sspencer@naseo.org.

STATE AND LOCAL NEWS

Colorado Moves to Support Energy Labeling in Real Estate Listings

The energy-efficiency and renewable energy features of Colorado homes will soon be factored into a home's valuation as part of a new initiative led by the Governor's Energy Office (GEO). The initiative, which includes leaders in the real estate, lending and appraising industries and energy efficient experts, will add energy and related "green" features to various multiple listing services (MLS) across the state. Other data fields to be added could include homes with solar photovoltaic and thermal systems, with the size of the system and the year installed. In addition, a check box to be labeled as "energy/green features addendum" could alert agents and appraisers that the listing has additional features or documentation of a home's energy benefits. To read more about the labeling system, please click here.

District of Columbia Announces Plan for Government to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions 30 Percent by 2020

District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty announced that the District Government is already taking action to slash its emissions of greenhouse gases responsible for climate change and is on target to reduce emissions 20 percent by 2012 and 30% by 2020. "Climate of Opportunity—A Draft Climate Action Plan for the District of Columbia"—released this week for public comment—identifies specific actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from government operations. The Climate of Opportunity plan identifies existing and proposed actions residents, businesses, and institutions can take to reduce pollution and energy consumption. Targets and strategic actions for reducing community-wide reductions in greenhouse gases will be developed during a public engagement process. To read more, please click here.

Ten Kansas Government Coalitions Awarded $1.7 million for Energy Managers

Ten local government coalitions were awarded a total of $1.7 million in federal grants to hire energy managers through a new program administered by the Kansas Energy Office (KEO). The program uses Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funding authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Energy managers will help coalition members—36 cities, counties, and school districts across Kansas—reduce energy use in their public buildings, vehicles, and equipment. The grant provides each coalition with an $85,000 annual stipend for up to two years to cover the energy manager's annual salary and benefits and additional expenditures related to energy efficiency projects. In addition to developing short- and long-term plans to reduce energy usage, energy managers will work with communities to raise awareness about energy conservation and efficiency. To read more, please click here.

Nevada Receives $5 Million for Energy Retrofitting Homes

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) notified the Nevada State Office of Energy ("NSOE") that it will receive $5 million for the Nevada Retrofit Initiative (NRI), which aims to retrofit at least five percent of all single family Nevada residences with energy efficiency upgrades by 2021. Nevada received the highest award of any state or territory as part of the DOE's $28.5 million competitive grant for state energy efficiency projects. The initial target includes 50,000 homes with 80 percent in Southern Nevada and 20 percent in Northern Nevada. More than 250 homes are targeted for 2011, 500 in 2012, and 1,000 in 2013. The target market will increase a minimum of 25 percent per year starting in 2014. To read more, please click here.