NATIONAL NEWS
House Approves Energy and Water Funding Bill for Fiscal Year 2012
The U.S. House approved
H.R. 2354 late last week, the fiscal year 2012 Energy, Water, and Related
Agencies Appropriations bill. The legislation provides the annual funding for
the various agencies and programs under the Department of Energy. The
legislation totals $30.6 billion – a cut of $5.9 billion below the President’s
request and $1 billion below last year – which brings the total cost of the bill
to nearly the 2006 funding level. H.R. 2354 provides for the following funding
levels:
- $1.3 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy
programs, a reduction of $491 million or 27 percent from FY 2011
and a reduction of $1.8 billion or 59 percent from the
president’s request.
- $139 million for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability
Research and Development programs, a reduction of $1.5 million
from FY 2011 and a reduction of $98 million or 41 percent from
the president’s request.
- $733 million for nuclear energy programs, an increase of
$7.8 million over FY 2011 and a reduction of $20 million or 3
percent below the president’s request.
- $477 million for Fossil Energy Research, an increase of $32
million or 7 percent over FY 2011 and $24 million or 5 percent
above the president’s request.
For more information on the bill and various funding levels, please also see
the
bill summary.
DOE Releases State Energy Program (SEP) 2011 Competitive
Funding Opportunity Announcement
The U.S. Department of Energy released the State Energy Program (SEP)
Competitive Awards Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for program year 2011
last week on FedConnect under
Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0000533. Applications are due on
Thursday, August 11, 2011, at 11:59 PM eastern. Approximately $5.0 million
is expected to be available for new awards under this announcement, subject to
annual appropriations and funding availability:
- 3.5 million for Area of Interest 1: Enhancing Commercial
Building Retrofits through Streamlined Standards and Policy
Incentives;
- $0.5 - $1.0 million for Area of Interest 2: Stimulating
Energy Efficiency Action; and
- $0.5 million for Area of Interest 3: State Energy Extension
Partnerships.
Please note that there is a quick turnaround for application submissions as
the FY'2011 appropriations process was delayed this year and rapid obligation of
these funds is important.
New Energy Star Initiative
Recognizes Cutting-Edge Products with Highest Energy Efficiency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) recently announced for the first time products recognized as the most
energy-efficient in their categories among those that have earned the Energy
Star label. This pilot program is part of Energy Star's overall commitment to
protect people's health and the environment by encouraging energy efficiency.
The "Most Efficient" initiative also continues Energy Star's work to provide
consumers with the best efficiency information so they can make investments that
will lower their energy bills and environmental impact. The new designation of
Most Efficient aims to provide all manufacturers with an incentive for greater
product energy efficiency while providing consumers new information about the
products that comprise the top tier in the categories.
U.S. Department of Energy
and Ad Council Launch Consumer Education Campaign: Save Money by Saving Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Ad Council launched a national
consumer education campaign this week to help consumers save money on utility
bills. Created pro bono by Texas-based advertising agency GSD&M, the public
service advertisements (PSAs), aim to help consumers save money on their energy
bills by doing things such as sealing leaks in their homes and using energy
efficient products. The PSAs direct homeowners to energysavers.gov, where
they can find tools and information to help them make their homes more
efficient. Energy-saving tips on the website include:
Saving more than $100 a year on heating and cooling bills by using a
programmable thermostat to make sure you are only conditioning your home when
you need to be; Upgrading 15 of the traditional light bulbs in your home, which
could save you about $50 per year; and Using Energy Star qualified appliances to
save even more.
Following the Ad Council's model, the announcements will be distributed to
media outlets nationwide and will run and air in advertising time and space that
is donated by the media. To see tips and the ads prepared as part of the
campaign, visit EnergySavers.gov.
25x'25 Alliance Releases Wood-to-Energy Policy Roadmap
The National 25x'25 Alliance released a new
National Wood-To-Energy Roadmap - A Guide for Developing Sustainable Woody
Biomass Solutions this week concluding that the focused use of woody biomass
to help meet America's energy needs could increase the nation's forest land base
and improve the environmental services that land provides. The Roadmap
offers a series of recommendations for policy makers and stakeholders that
increase the role of forestlands in the development of bioenergy in a way that
will also boost rural community economic development. This strategy also will
lower the carbon footprint of America's energy supply; restore the health and
vitality of many of the nation's public lands; insure the future of America's
private timberland, and provide the raw materials needed by America's forest
products industry, all while supplying a growing bio-economy. In addition to
showing how nation's forestlands can help meet U.S. energy needs, the roadmap
also provides for the success and growth of wood products industry, all while
sustaining "forests as forests." A link to a full copy of the Roadmap and
a link to the executive summary can be found on the 25x'25 Web site at
www.25x25.org. Other materials, including an FAQ and Talking Points, can be
found by clicking on the “Resources”
button on the left hand side of the 25x’25 home page.
STATE NEWS
Revolving Loan Funded Hydro Projects Help to Power Nevada
Nevada Controls LLC, a Nevada contracting firm, recently used low-interest
loans from the Nevada State Office of Energy’s (NSOE) Revolving Loan Program to
help construct two projects in Lander and Nye Counties that utilize existing
streams to produce hydro power and are working on a third in Elko County.
The loans that all three projects received from the NSOE funded construction of
the projects including permits, fees, design, construction, equipment, testing
and commissioning. All three will sell energy they don’t use back to NV Energy
through power purchase agreements and one of the projects will be net metered.
Wind Farms
Enable Wisconsin Electric Utilities to Meet 2010 Energy Standard
Journal Sentinel Online
New wind farms built in Wisconsin and neighboring states have enabled the
state's electric utilities to comply with the first phase of the state's
renewable energy standard, and most are well on their way to meeting the state's
2015 green energy target. Those are the findings of a Public Service
Commission report
that concluded the state's renewable energy sales increased 93% between 2006 and
2010. As a result, green power accounted for more than 7% of electricity sales
by utilities and cooperatives last year. A law that passed with
overwhelming bipartisan support spelled out the renewable requirements - that
Wisconsin move from having 4% of its power come from renewable power in 2005 to
6% in 2010 and 10% in 2015.
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