The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced up to $10 million over five years for two organizations to help accelerate the adoption of solar energy among local governments. The selected organizations, the International City-County Management Association (ICMA), and International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives-Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) will conduct outreach to thousands of local governments across the nation, sharing best practices for increasing solar energy use in their communities.

ICMA and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability will receive approximately $5 million each and will help provide responsive and proactive outreach to local governments to accelerate the implementation of solar technology deployment. They will reach local governments nationwide by providing a mix of educational workshops, peer-to-peer sharing opportunities, and national Web-based resources. Additionally, these two organizations will help local governments overcome technical barriers to solar energy adoption by sharing resources that have been developed through other DOE-sponsored activities, such as the Solar America Cities program.

Through the Solar America Cities program, a partnership effort with 25 U.S. cities, the Department of Energy has developed solar energy outreach materials including case studies with lessons learned, a compilation of best practices titled “Solar Powering Your Community: A Guide for Local Governments,” and other resources that cities across the nation can utilize. A key tenet of the Solar America Cities program is the ability to replicate successes by sharing best practices among cities.

This effort highlights DOE’s commitment to help local governments accelerate widespread adoption of solar energy, which will reduce global climate change, strengthen America’s energy independence, and support the transition to a clean energy economy. Through collaborative outreach strategies, DOE aims to empower cities across the nation to broadly integrate solar energy into their communities.

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=315

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today issued an order approving $1,686,370 in Michigan energy efficiency grants for all customer classes to two organizations.

“My fellow Commissioners and I are extremely pleased to announce these grants,” said MPSC Chairman Orjiakor Isiogu.  “The grants awarded today will move Michigan forward in garnering the research and tools needed to establish the feasibility of the deployment of offshore wind technologies in Michigan.”

The Commission on November 20, 2009 issued a request for proposals for Michigan energy efficiency grants for all customer classes.  Based on its review, the MPSC awarded the following grants:

Grand Valley State University, Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center, in partnership with the University of Michigan Memorial Phoenix

Energy Institute – $1,336,370 to conduct and/or perform studies to explore the feasibility of deployment of offshore wind technologies in Michigan.

Superior Watershed Partnership – $350,000 to conduct and/or perform studies to explore the feasibility of deployment of offshore wind technologies in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The grants are part of the Low Income and Energy Efficiency Fund, which provides energy bill assistance for low income customers and promotes the efficient use of energy by all customer classes.

The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Energy, Labor &  Economic Growth.

Case No. U-13129

The rest of this article can be read here http://www.michigangreen.org/article619.html

The president and four members of his cabinet fanned out across the nation’s industrial heartland, hit hard by the recession, to announce the grants, meant to help companies bolster large-scale manufacturing lines for modern batteries of the sort now mostly made in Asia.

The rest of this article can be read here http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/business/06battery.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss