From EERE News – June 17, 2010
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced awards totaling more than $76 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support advanced energy-efficient building technology projects and the development of training programs for commercial building equipment technicians, building operators, and energy auditors.
The 58 projects selected today will help make the nation’s buildings more energy efficient and cost-effective. They will also support programs to train workers to service and operate new and existing buildings, to develop and deploy best practices resulting in fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and to establish a green workforce with technical expertise to reduce energy costs for consumers.
“These projects will help the United States lead the world in advancing energy-efficient technologies,” Secretary Chu said. “Energy-efficient commercial buildings will help our country cut its carbon emissions and energy costs while the training programs will upgrade the skills of the current workforce and attract the next generation to careers in the emerging clean-energy economy.”
The Department of Energy also released today a new video that showcases the story of Greensburg, Kansas, a town devastated by a tornado in 2007, which came back to be one of the nation’s most energy-efficient, sustainable communities. Many of the town’s government buildings use cutting-edge energy-saving technologies, such as high-efficiency windows, lighting, and heating and ventilation systems, saving local taxpayer money. Greensburg has shown that any city can reach its energy efficiency and renewable energy goals today using widely available technologies. View the video to see how Greensburg was able to “build green.”
The nation’s 114 million households and more than 74 million square feet of commercial floor space account for approximately 40% of U.S. primary energy consumption, as well as 39% of carbon dioxide, 18% of nitrogen oxides, and 55% of sulfur dioxide emissions. These projects will help lower the energy demands and emissions of commercial buildings and promote a specialized, energy-efficient buildings workforce.
Advanced Energy-Efficient Building Technology Projects
These 45 awards for advanced energy-efficient building technology projects will receive over $68.4 million and will be leveraged with more than $31.4 million in funding from private industry, for a total project value of nearly $100 million. Projects have been selected in the following five areas:
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=356
The article below is by Houston Neal of Software Advice and is a great, well written summary of the proposed program.
Cash for Caulkers – The Definitive Guide To The Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010
“Cash for Caulkers” is nearly here. Last month the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5019 – also known as the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010 or “Cash for Caulkers” – to kick-start construction, create jobs and cut back carbon emissions. While the bill still needs to clear the Senate, supporters predict it will pass this summer.
This is great news for homeowners and contractors alike. The bill provisions $6 billion for energy-efficient or “green” retrofits. It is expected to fund renovations for 3 million families, create 168,000 new jobs and save consumers $9.2 billion on energy bills over the next 10 years.
But in order to cash in on upcoming rebates, homeowners and contractors will need to do their homework. There are 13 types of retrofits eligible for funding. Each retrofit has unique eligibility requirements and set rebate amounts. You can read the full text here.
We made it really easy to wade through the legalese. Below is a table that breaks down the 13 retrofits of the bill, along with the requirements and rebate amount for each. In addition to the requirements we listed, each retrofit must comply with Building Performance Institute (BPI) standards or other procedures to be approved by the Secretary of Energy.
From EERE News – June 11, 2010
The U.S. Department of Energy announced today that 20 communities have been selected for more than $60 million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to implement local energy efficiency and renewable energy programs that will reduce energy use by American homes, vehicles, and businesses. Local governments, nonprofit organizations, and quasi-governmental organizations are among the recipients for the competitive grants, administered under the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program.
“These projects will stimulate the economy and create jobs on the main streets of local communities across the nation through innovative investments in energy conservation, efficiency, and renewable power generation,” said Under Secretary of Energy Kristina Johnson. “We already have proven technologies to reduce energy use at home and at work. These projects will provide access to those tools for more Americans, saving money for thousands of families and businesses.”
These awards were open to local communities that were not eligible to receive the initial, population-based formula grants under the EECBG program. The projects announced today will continue to build on the Recovery Act’s historic down-payment for a clean energy future, empowering local communities to address their clean energy priorities through projects such as residential, commercial, and municipal energy efficiency retrofits, efficiency improvements to transportation systems, and installations of renewable energy systems to reduce fossil fuel consumption.
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=352
EERE News Release – June 04, 2010
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that 34 projects in 27 states have been selected to receive $29 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to develop and expand weatherization training centers across the country. These projects will provide green job training for local workers in energy efficiency retrofitting and weatherization services. With this training, skilled workers can help expand the use of energy efficient practices in America’s homes and businesses.
“A well-trained workforce will be a crucial part of America’s clean energy economy in the years ahead,” said Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman. “These investments in efficiency training programs will help build a foundation for long-term growth in America. Energy efficiency improves the competitiveness of our economy, benefits the environment, and puts Americans back to work.”
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=350
From EERE News – June 02, 2010
The National Wind Coordinating Collaborative (NWCC), a partnership funded by DOE that builds stakeholder consensus on issues confronting wind power development, today released a paper examining bird and bat interactions with land-based wind turbines. The paper, “Wind Turbine Interactions with Birds, Bats, and their Habitats: A Summary of Research Results and Priority Questions,” provides a literature review of previous NWCC research and peer-reviewed studies on the subject.
Technical experts conducted the literature survey and wrote the paper in conjunction with a review panel including representatives from the wind industry, academia, conservation and environmental protection organizations, and federal agencies. The paper discusses the current state of information regarding bird and bat interactions with wind turbines by examining what studies show about these interactions, what aspects of these interactions are only partially understood or documented, and what opportunities exist for continued research.
The paper notes that impacts on birds and bats have been demonstrated at many wind power facilities but that these impacts vary among facilities and regions. Also, the paper reports that the impact of collisions with wind turbines is several orders of magnitude lower than impacts from other human-related causes of songbird mortality.
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=347
By John Sarver of the Michigan DELEG.
Two New Centers of Energy Excellence (COEE) for wind manufacturing have been announced by Governor Granholm. The Michigan Strategic Fund board approved a COEE designation and $3.5 million in funding for Energetx Composites, the Holland-based spin-off of S2 Yachts, which will collaborate with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Dow Chemical to manufacture wind turbine blades with advanced materials.
The project will receive $3.5 million in matching funds from DOE. The MSF also approved a COEE designation and $6 million in funding for Astraeus Wind Energy, a cooperative venture between MAG Industrial Automation Systems and Dowding Machining, also in collaboration with ORNL and Dow Chemical. The center will be focused on the automated manufacturing of wind turbine blade components using advanced materials. The project will receive $7 million in matching funds from DOE.
www.MichiganAdvantage.org/COEE.
Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association (GLREA) has announced that the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi will be the site for the 5th annual Michigan Energy Fair, taking place June 25th – 27th. The Fair will include 60 or more workshops and over 100 exhibits. If you want to learn about energy efficiency and renewable energy, come to the Fair. www.glrea.org
51st State of the State Survey conducted by the MSU Institute of Public Policy and Social Research shows that 95% of Michigan residents believe the development of renewable energy is “very important” or “somewhat important” to the state’s collective economic recovery. The MSU Land Policy Institute is translating the results of the survey conducted in early 2009 through a series of bulletins including “How Important is the Development of Renewable Energy to Michigan’s Economy Recovery?”
Merrill Tool & Machine is supplying components to Northern Power Systems for a new utility scale 2.2 MW direct drive, permanent magnet wind generator. In January the company secured $22 million in federal advanced energy manufacturing tax credits under ARRA which allowed the company to purchase equipment to make the components.
Michigan USDA Rural Development Agency will have approximately $11.4 million in total funding available through the Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP) for FY2010. $1 million will be available for grant requests greater than $20,000 and $830,000 will be available for grants less than $20,000. $9.6 million will be available for guaranteed loans. Grants provide 25% funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Applications are due June 30, 2010. Contact USDA Rural Development Business Programs at (517) 324-5157. Federal Register notice is at
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-9580.pdf
Michigan State University students majoring in packaging, business, anthropology, or a host of other disciplines will now be able to earn a specialization in sustainability. The program is the first in the country that will use a “competency-based curriculum,” which will demand more from its students than just the taking and passing of classes. The specialization will provide students with practical experience, e.g. service/learning projects, undergraduate research, leadership of a student organization, or producing an educational video. The specialization will require 18 credit hours of study that will appear on students’ official transcripts and complement their majors. www.reg.msu.edu/AcademicPrograms/ProgramDetail.asp?Program=5333.
Proposed LEED state tax incentives, Senate bills 1111-1114, would create two financial incentives for building green. The first would be a property tax abatement of up to 12 years for new or rehabilitated LEED buildings — 20% for basic LEED certification, 30% for silver, 40% for gold and 50% for platinum. The second incentive is a tax-increment financing program for LEED-certified buildings with eligible sustainability features on eligible brownfield sites.
Dow Chemical Co. has partnered with Cobblestone Homes, a mid-Michigan home builder, to create a home that it contends will eliminate utility bills. The 3,400-sq.ft. “Vision Zero” home in Bay City will produce as much energy as it consumes using Dow products, from Styrofoam to insulate the basement to Powerhouse Solar Shingles to generate power. The house will use 60-70% less energy than a conventional home.
Ventower Industries had qroundbreaking for a new wind tower manufacturing facility at the Port of Monroe. Manufacturing is expected to begin in March 2011 with a capacity of 250 towers per year. Shipments to customers are expected to be primarily by barge.
BuildUp Michigan Design Challenge has been won by the Lansing Community College Mac-Zero team who beat out six other teams. The winning design is a 3,075 sq.ft. Victorian-style house, lathered in solar panels according to team member Jeromy Clements. The team is working with competition organizers to get funding to build the “net-zero” home on Mackinac Island in the fall. http://www.wilx.com/local/headlines/93203849.html
Metro Detroit’s transformation to a smart grid got a big boost when DOE gave DTE Energy an $84 million grant to improve Metro Detroit’s electric grid. DTE will match the grant, bringing the SmartCurrent’s budget to $170 million. It will take 6-8 years to make the switch to a smart grid. Part of the smart grid switch will include installing 600,000 new smart meters in parts of Wayne, Oakland, Livingston, Lapeer, Ingham, and Tuscola counties. These meters allow for easier access to energy usage information through wireless communications. This and other technologies are expected to improve electrical service reliability and give better control of energy consumption and costs.
Wayne State University is adding a B.S. in Electric Transportation Technology, a M.S. in Electric-Drive Vehicle Engineering and a graduate certificate program in Electric-Drive Vehicle Engineering, a subset of the master’s degree. The program is funded by a $5 million grant from DOE through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
University of Michigan will receive a $760,550 grant from Bureau of Energy Systems, DELEG to establish the Michigan Industrial Energy Center (MIEC). The three year project for delivering energy savings to energy intensive industries in Michigan is funded by a DOE grant. The MIEC will offer an intensive energy education and certification program for current and future industrial energy managers, assist industries by conducting 25 Save Energy Now assessments, and help deploy energy-efficient furnace technology at two industrial demonstration sites. For more information contact Dr. Arvind Atreya at 734-647-4790 or aatreya@umich.edu.
Department of Natural Resources and Energy (DNRE) oil and gas lease auction held in May netted $178.3 million — a one-day sale that nearly matched the $190 million in total combined sales since the auctions began in 1929.
Michigan State University’s dairy barn at the Kellogg Biological Station has been silver-level LEED-certified—the first agriculture facility to earn the honor in the US. A few of the environmentally friendly features include a recycled concrete driveway and temperature sensors to take advantage of natural ventilation. The design includes installing showers (to encourage employees to bike or walk to work) and offering preferred parking to visitors with energy-efficient vehicles.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College will be offering for the third time a course where students design a 1-3 kW wind turbine, fabricate its components, assemble the generator, and make certain it produces electricity. Planning is underway to locate and commission the two turbines that were the products of the first classes. The sites will be in the vicinity of the 145-foot turbine in operation on the west end of the KVCC campus.
www.kvcc.edu/schedule.
University of Michigan will receive $4.3 million from DOE to pursue new nuclear energy technologies. The university’s funding is split into $1,181,379, $996,581 and $406,712 for separate research projects designed to develop next-generation nuclear reactors, $931,603 to research better ways to store, recycle and dispose of radioactive waste materials, and $798,943 for “blue sky” projects focusing on futuristic nuclear energy technologies.
Energy Tidbits is free and is prepared by John Sarver, Michigan Dept. of Energy, Labor, & Economic Growth. To subscribe, contact sarverj@michigan.gov. Previous copies can be found at www.michigan.gov/energyoffice under Publications.
From EERE News – May 28, 2010
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced up to $11 million in funding over three years for research and development in the area of thermochemical conversion of biomass into advanced biofuels that are compatible with existing fueling infrastructure. The objective of this funding is to improve the conversion of non-food biomass to liquid transportation hydrocarbon fuels via pyrolysis, a process that decomposes biomass using heat in the absence of oxygen to produce a bio-oil that can be upgraded to renewable diesel, gasoline, or jet fuel. This funding opportunity is part of the Department’s effort to accelerate development and deployment of sustainable, renewable biofuels that significantly reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Previous research has shown the potential of upgrading biomass pyrolysis oil to a form that is stable for six months under ambient conditions. DOE is seeking projects that will further upgrade stabilized bio-oil into a refinery-ready intermediate, and demonstrate production of a final hydrocarbon fuel. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is requesting applications for projects that will:
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=344
