NATIONAL NEWS
REGISTER NOW:
Industrial Energy Efficiency and Competitiveness Workshop –
Preliminary Agenda Now Available!
Register today for the Industrial Energy Efficiency and Competitiveness
Workshop from October 4-6, 2011 at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel in Cleveland,
Ohio. A
preliminary agenda and
online registration are now available. Please
contact the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, 216-696-5600, or Marriott reservations,
800-228-9280, to make your sleeping room reservations. Reservations must be
made by Monday, September 19, 2011. Be sure to mention the Association of State
Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions (ASERTTI) to receive the
group rate.
DOE Announces up to $12 Million in Investments to Support Development
and Production of Drop-In Biofuels
The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced up to $12 million to fund
three small-scale projects in Illinois, Wisconsin, and North Carolina that aim
to commercialize novel conversion technologies to accelerate the development of
advanced, drop-in biofuels and other valuable bio-based chemicals. Drop-in
biofuels are fuels that can serve as direct replacements or supplements to
existing gasoline, diesel and jet fuels, without any changes to existing fuel
distribution networks or engines – and have the potential to significantly
reduce U.S. reliance on oil imports. The projects, funded through DOE’s Office
of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, seek to accelerate research and
development that will lead the way toward affordable, clean alternatives to
fossil fuels and diversify our nation's energy portfolio.
USDA, DOE and Navy Seek Input from Industry to Advance Biofuels for
Military and Commercial Transportation
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, and
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced this week the next step in the
creation of a public-private partnership to develop drop-in advanced biofuels.
The Secretaries issued a Request for Information (RFI) laying out the
Administration's goals, assumptions, and tools and requesting from industry
specific ideas for how to leverage private capital markets to establish a
commercially viable drop-in biofuels industry. The critical information gathered
through this process will help accelerate the development and use of these
biofuels, reduce the Nation's demand for foreign oil, and strengthen rural
America. The RFI can be viewed
here.
ARPA-E Grant Recipients Attract $100 Million in Private Funding
Vice President Biden announced this week that five companies receiving a
total of $15.5 million from DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
(ARPA-E) have now attracted more than $100 million in private capital
investment. ARPA-E allocated between $1.5 million and $6 million to each of the
firms to support their work on advanced grid scale batteries, innovative new
approaches to biofuels, or waste heat recovery. In February, DOE Secretary Chu
reported that six other ARPA-E firms had collectively crossed the $100 million
investment threshold after garnering $23.6 million in ARPA-E seed funding. The
financing reflects the progress the companies have made over the past two years
toward developing new technologies that could transform U.S. energy production
and use.
DOE Announces New Efficiency Standards for Home Refrigerators
The U.S. Department of Energy recently issued final energy efficiency
standards for home refrigerators and freezers that will improve their efficiency
by about 25 percent by 2014. These new standards, developed through a
consensus process with manufacturers, consumer groups and environmentalists, are
expected to deliver more than $200 in electricity bill savings for the typical
consumer over the lifetime of the refrigerator. Nationally, consumers are
expected to save more than $21 billion on their energy bills through 2043 as a
result of the standards announced.
STATE NEWS
Solar Power Coming to 90+ California Schools
Reuters
More than ninety schools in California are taking advantage of the California
Solar Initiative and installing solar projects. The California Solar Initiative
is an incentive program to get companies, schools, and homes to switch to solar
power. It is estimated that California schools will be saving up to $1.5 billion
over 30 years with the installation of solar power systems. The schools
participating in the program hope to maximize savings, especially in immediate
costs such as energy. The schools will be saving money in their general funds
and be able to preserve financial resources which will allow school capital to
stay within the school system. The solar power systems are scheduled to be
completed by the fall of this year.
Honeywell Breaks Ground on $25M Integrated Biorefinery in Hawaii
BiofuelsDigest
In Hawaii, Honeywell has begun construction of a biofuels demonstration unit
that will convert forest residuals, algae and other cellulosic biomass into
green transportation fuels. Backed by a $25 million U.S. Department of
Energy award, the Honeywell UOP Integrated Biorefinery will upgrade biomass into
high-quality renewable gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. The project is part of the
DOE’s efforts to help spur the creation of the domestic biofuel industry, drive
domestic job creation and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. The project
will also support the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative goal to achieve 70 percent
clean energy by the year 2030.
Minnesota Weatherization Assistance Program Reaches Goal
Echo Press
Minnesota’s Weatherization Assistance Program has exceeded its goal of
weatherizing 16,858 homes using $132 million in stimulus funding from the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE). The program, administered by the Minnesota
Department of Commerce, not only surpassed its goal set by DOE, but achieved its
milestone well before the March 2012 deadline and did it by spending less than
its grant total. From April 2009 to June 30, the weatherization program
served 17,153 Minnesota households using funds from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Roughly $16 million in ARRA funds remain and
will be used to weatherize about 2,000 to 2,500 additional homes by March 31,
2012. Nationally, as of June 30, 2011, more than 484,000 homes have been
weatherized using nearly $3.3 billion in ARRA funds, according to DOE.
Energy Office “Lights Up” Nevada Street Lights and Traffic Signals
With the help of two grants, the Nevada State Office of Energy (NSOE) is in
the process of installing new light emitting diode (LED) lights in 4535 street
lights and 1226 traffic signals in cities and counties all over Nevada for an
expected savings of more than $300,000. The city of Fallon took advantage
of the NSOE’s programs by installing LEDs in all of the town’s 640 street
lights. The new LED fixtures have an approximate lifespan of 15-20 years,
compared to only 3-5 years for the old high pressure sodium (HPS) bulbs, saving
the city in maintenance costs and approximately $60,000 per year in energy
costs. Funding came from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act
(ARRA), as well as the Energy Efficiency and Community Block Grant (EECBG).
NYSERDA Announces New $3 Million Residential Appliance Rebate
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
recently announced a new $3 million rebate program specifically for the purchase
of high-efficiency ENERGY STAR® refrigerators and clothes washers. The program
begins Sept. 2, 2011. Rebates of $350 will be available for
high-efficiency refrigerators and $250 for high-efficiency clothes washers that
meet Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) super-efficiency levels.
Super-efficient appliances use significantly less electricity than the federal
standard and are at the upper end of ENERGY STAR efficiency levels.
Super-efficient clothes washers also use less water than standard washing
machines.
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