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NASEO Project
Highlights
NASEO-State Cooperative Projects
The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) project
activities include energy research, demonstration, deployment, data
collection, training, and analysis. NASEO staff and project partners work
on issues ranging from the efficient production of oil to promoting
cost-effective efficiency improvements in our nation's schools to
conducting applied research on new energy supply technologies to promoting
deployment of new wind energy technologies to advancing industrial
efficiency. The common link among these projects is that they respond to
specific needs identified by the nation's State and Territory Energy
Officials - our members. The projects are conducted with the States and
include support from the private-sector and federal and state governments.
Following are highlights and information on current and past NASEO
activities.
ONGOING DATA COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION PROJECTS
State Energy Program (SEP) Support
One of NASEO’s most critical functions, is assisting State and
Territory Energy Offices in exchanging best practices and ideas related to
the State Energy Program. Through structured meetings and communications,
NASEO informs states about program options and suggests opportunities for
continuous improvement in the delivery of services to all citizens. SEP is
the only federally funded, state-based program administered by the U.S.
Department of Energy which delivers resources directly to the states,
allowing them to determine how best to target these cost-shared resources.
Using these funds and their own resources, the State Energy Offices
deliver cost-effective energy efficiency solutions in such energy end-use
sectors as buildings, industrial, agriculture, transportation, and power
generation. In addition, NASEO works closely with Oak Ridge National
Laboratory on the SEP data collection metrics project. The results of this
project illustrate the effectiveness of the SEP program and provide
states, the Federal government and other decision makers with pertinent,
up-to-date facts and information on the program.
Heating and Cooling Fuel Supply Forecast
NASEO works closely with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy
Delivery and Electric Reliability (OEDER) and the Energy Information
Administration (EIA) on a variety of energy data issues to both collect
and communicate vital energy supply information. Each fall, NASEO and DOE
conduct the Winter Fuels Outlook Conference attracting private-sector and
government experts to present their views on the outlook for crude oil,
distillate, propane, electricity, and natural gas supplies and prices. The
audience for the meeting includes State Energy Offices, energy industry
representatives, government officials, and major media outlets. In the
spring, NASEO and DOE present the Summer Fuels Conference, focusing on the
upcoming cooling season.
Heating Oil and Propane Data Collection
Under the State Heating Oil and Propane Program (SHOPP), The U.S. Energy
Information Administration (EIA) works with a number of the State and
Territory Energy Offices to collect state-by-state data on heating oil and
propane stocks on a weekly basis throughout the heating season. The data
is an important component of the information analyzed and released by EIA
for use in forecasting supplies and monitoring the potential for
disruptions. NASEO conducts a workshop each year in August with EIA and
the participating states to review data collection methods and analyze
trends.
NASEO REPRESENTATION OF STATE ENERGY OFFICES
National Petroleum Committee Activities
As a member of the National Petroleum Committee (NPC), NASEO is
involved in a number of oil and refining product issues of concern to the
states. From assisting in the development of NPC reports on reformulated
gasoline and infrastructure to the review of natural gas reports, NASEO
works with such NPC members as Texaco and the American Petroleum Institute
to ensure that the priorities of the State Energy Offices are considered
in committee reports and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy.
National Biomass Partnership
As a member of the National Biomass Partnership, NASEO works with Regional
Organizations, represented by the Coalition of Northeastern Governors
(CONEG) Policy Research Center Inc., the Council of Great Lakes Governors
(CGLG), the
Southern States Energy Board (SSEB), the Western Governors’ Association (WGA)
and the DOE Western Regional Office. This group’s goal is to facilitate
the increased use of bioenergy and biobased products through coordinated
federal, regional, and state outreach education and technical assistance
programs. Participating alongside state representatives, the Partnership
is working to encourage greater coordination among federal, regional and
state biomass and bioenergy activities; maximizing programmatic resources
available for state implementation.
National Wind Coordinating Committee
Through a partnership with Resolve, NASEO is assisting State
Energy Offices participate in NWCC meetings and workshops. In addition to
NASEO State Energy Director representation on the Committee, NASEO works
with Resolve to provide travel assistance to state energy officials
attending these meetings.
DELIVERY OF STATE & REGIONALLY FOCUSED PROGRAMS
Development of Combined Energy and Environmental
Programs
NASEO is leading an effort to promote the adoption of state-based programs
that deliver both cost-effective energy savings and emissions
reductions-combined energy and environmental programs. For many years,
state energy and environmental officials have operated programs that are,
in part, isolated from one another. NASEO and other leading state-based
organizations saw an opportunity to promote programs that both meet
federal emissions reduction targets and deliver cost-effective energy
efficiency and renewable energy options. NASEO's efforts to date have
focused in two areas: 1) improving the communications and understanding of
these complex issues for both energy and air officials; and 2) assisting
in the implementation of pilot program efforts in select states. These
efforts are being implemented through the work of NASEO’s Energy,
Environment and Transportation Committee.
Energy Emergency and Assurance Coordination
With the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Delivery and
Electric Reliability and the National Energy Technology Laboratory, NASEO
assists the States and Territories with energy security training and
technical assistance to support coordinated State and Federal energy
security and energy emergency planning. The efforts within this project
are threefold: (1)Strengthen a communications protocol for the States,
Territories, and the Federal Government to use and share critical energy
supply, demand, and price information in the event of a local, regional,
or national energy emergency situation and/or to utilize in order to avoid
an emergency situation; (2)Support DOE in providing training on the use of
geographic information system-based software and/or similar tools,
provided by the Federal Government, which assists State and Territory
officials in identifying potentially vulnerable energy distribution points
and critical energy infrastructure; and, (3)Conduct the Winter Fuels
Outlook Conference held annually in Washington, DC. This project is
coordinated in conjunction with the National Association of Regulatory
Utility Commissioners (NARUC), National Conference of State Legislatures
(NCSL), and National Governors Association (NGA).
State Technology Advancement Collaborative (STAC)
NASEO, the Association of State Energy Research and Technology
Transfer Institutions (ASERTTI), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
signed an agreement on November 14, 2002, allowing States, Territories and
the Federal government to better collaborate on energy research,
development, demonstration and deployment projects. The signing ceremony
established a State Technologies Advancement Collaborative agreement that
allows the States and DOE to move energy research, development,
demonstration, and deployment forward using an innovative project
selection and funding process (pilot program through 2007). To implement
this effort, the U.S. Department of Energy provided a cooperative
agreement with funding for an initial cost-shared solicitation of
research, development, demonstration, and deployment projects.
Broadening ENERGY STAR Market Transformation Efforts
In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NASEO
is assisting State and Territory Energy Offices by leveraging existing
programs in the buildings and related products sectors with the ENERGY
STAR efforts, tools, and partners. As more State and Territory Energy
Offices operate an increasing number of market transformation programs
aimed at particular classes of products or buildings, new opportunities
for the integration and implementation of ENERGY STAR Programs are
emerging, and NASEO is working with States to explore new opportunities.
Case studies provide information and ideas on successful, ongoing ENERGY
STAR activities across the nation, and NASEO is encouraging cross-sector,
regional activities aimed at strengthening market transformation efforts.
In addition, NASEO and the EPA are leveraging and expanding both State and
ENERGY STAR resources and programs, and encouraging State-led and regional
ENERGY STAR programs that deliver energy and emissions savings. The
activities under this project are guided by NASEO’s ENERGY STAR Task
Force.
In addition to NASEO’s partnership with the EPA, NASEO has also worked
closely with the U.S. DOE on ENERGY STAR programming efforts. In the
coming fiscal year, NASEO expects to begin a funded project with the DOE
intended to facilitate regional coordination on ENERGY STAR projects.
Additionally, through the ENERGY STAR Task Force, states will be asked to
help define NASEO’s programming efforts under this grant for the coming
year.
Distributed Generation RD&D
This project is separated into distinct research areas
resulting in expediting implementation of clean distributed generation
(DG) technologies. First, NASEO, in conjunction with the City of Portland,
Bureau of Environmental Services, and in coordination with the Oregon
Energy Office and DOE, will test the reliability, maintenance, efficiency,
and environmental aspects of biogas-fueled distributed generation units in
use at a water treatment facility in Portland. A metrics and verification
process will be applied to model DG Guidelines developed in the Northeast.
The Regulatory Assistance Project, with the State Energy Offices, will
assist in this process. The final task involves development of a report to
address the public policy, incentives, and geographical questions relating
to DG technologies under this project.
State Research, outreach & Technical Assistance to
Improve the Nation’s Transmission and Distribution System
Working with DOE’s Office of Electricity, Transmission and Distribution (OETD),
NASEO has embarked on a project to identify ways DOE and the states can
work together to enhance electric system operations. In partnership with
the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, the National
Conference of State Legislatures, and the National Governor’s Association,
this project will evaluate the availably of energy technologies through
the development of a transmission and distribution technology toolkit.
Following preliminary research, partners in this project will work through
their respective memberships to promote regional electric system
coordination in order to strengthen electricity market operation.
Clean Energy and Environmental Partnerships
NASEO is working in cooperation with the US DOE and EPA to bring Clean
Energy – Environment Partners, and Clean Energy Pilot States technical
assistance and other pertinent resources as partner and pilot states work
towards integrated air quality and environmental programming efforts. In
addition to participating in a DOE-EPA-NASEO joint work group, NASEO is
committed to finding ways to disseminate project information to states and
facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges; showcasing member successes.
Industrial
Programming Efforts and Coordination with State Energy Offices
NASEO will be working with the
DOE's Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) on a new project to enhance the
design, align the priorities and promote the implementation of industrial
programs in state and territory energy offices and to assist in the
dissemination and replication of successful industrial energy efficiency
programs. To achieve these goals, as part of DOE’s Save Energy Now
Initiative, NASEO will collect and disseminate information on best practices
and offer peer-to-peer exchange opportunities for interested states and
territories. Additionally, NASEO and state energy offices will seek to
foster strong relationships with private sector partners working towards DOE
industrial goals, such as the Alliance for Materials Manufacturing
Excellence (AMMEX). States and territories can become involved in this work
through NASEO’s Industrial Committee and through other avenues still in
development. For more information on this program and how to further the ITP
and SEN efforts, please contact Benjamin Deitchman on the NASEO staff at
bdeitchman@naseo.org or
703-299-8800 ex 13.
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