Obama Administration Announces More than $38 Million for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Projects in Alaska, Kansas, Utah and West Virginia
energy.gov:
Washington, DC – Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that more than $38 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is being awarded to 4 states to support energy efficiency and conservation activities. Under DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, these states – Alaska, Kansas, Utah and West Virginia – will implement programs that lower energy use, reduce carbon pollution, and create green jobs locally.
“This funding will allow states across the country to make major investments in energy solutions that will strengthen America’s economy and create jobs at the local level,” said Secretary Chu. “It will also promote some of the cheapest, cleanest and most reliable energy technologies we have – energy efficiency and conservation – which can be deployed immediately. Local communities can now make strategic investments to help meet the nation’s long term clean energy and climate goals.”
Today’s awards to the State Energy Offices will be used to support state-level energy efficiency priorities, along with funding local conservation projects in smaller cities and counties. At least 60 percent of each state’s award will be passed through to local cities and counties not eligible for direct EECBG awards from the Department of Energy. The EECBG Program was funded for the first time by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and provides formula grants to states, cities, counties, territories and federally-recognized Indian tribes nationwide to implement energy efficiency projects locally.
Projects eligible for support include the development of an energy efficiency and conservation strategy, energy efficiency audits and retrofits, transportation programs, the creation of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements, the development and implementation of advanced building codes and inspections, and installation of renewable energy technologies on municipal buildings.
Transparency and accountability are important priorities for the EECBG program and all Recovery Act projects. All grantees have specific measures they must take before spending the full amount of awarded funding, such as ensuring oversight and transparency, submitting a conservation strategy to the Department of Energy, and complying with environmental regulations.
Throughout the program’s implementation, DOE will provide strong oversight at the local, state, and tribal level, while emphasizing the need to quickly award funds to help create new jobs and stimulate local economies. Communities will be required to report regularly to DOE on the progress they have made toward successfully completing projects and reaching program goals.
For a full list of awards to date, visit the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants Program.
DOE announced today that the following states are receiving their state-level EECBG awards:
ALASKA – $9,593,500 awarded
Alaska will use its Recovery Act EECBG funding to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in local communities across the state, including energy audits and building retrofits, transportation efficiency programs, and installations of renewable energy technologies on government buildings. The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation will work in coordination with the Alaska Energy Authority to administer the funding, including competitively passing a majority of the state’s funding onto local cities and counties.
Promoting efficiency in local communities is particularly important in Alaska, which faces very high electricity and heating costs, and has more than 180 villages that are only accessible by water or air and have to operate independent, stand alone electric grids. Under the EECBG program, community-owned facilities, city offices, health clinics and other buildings will be able to access funding for building retrofits and other efficiency projects, which will reduce energy consumption and save money for rural Alaskans.
Alaska will put its remaining EECBG funds toward a variety of initiatives, including an energy efficiency public education program, energy data management, waste heat capture projects from power plants in rural communities, and the establishment of a Technical Energy Advisory Group. Overall, these Recovery Act-funded projects will lead to substantial energy and cost savings, and create or save more than 75 green jobs statewide.
KANSAS – $9,593,500 awarded
Kansas will use its Recovery Act EECBG funds to implement a range of energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives in both the public and private sector, including building retrofits, direct incentives for renewable energy projects, and support for local government energy managers. These projects will reduce energy consumption, limit carbon pollution, and create hundreds of jobs statewide.
Recovery Act funding will provide direct grants to cities and counties to encourage broader participation in the state’s existing Facility Conservation Improvement Program (FCIP), which helps local governments implement energy performance contracts with energy service companies. The state will also encourage local communities to install alternative energy generating systems (wind, solar, fuel cell or bio-based), by offering competitive grants for up to 25 percent of the cost. These grants will leverage private sector investments and are expected to support more than $11 million in new renewable energy projects. With the remaining Recovery Act funds, the state will allow local units of governments to compete for funding to hire energy managers.
UTAH – $9,593,500 awarded
Utah will use its Recovery Act EECBG funds to improve energy efficiency and reduce total energy use and fossil fuel emissions in communities throughout the state. Utah will direct all of its State Energy Program funding to local city and county governments that did not receive direct EECBG grants from the Department of Energy. Awards will be based upon a competitive process that will choose a wide variety of projects focused on meeting community needs for energy efficiency, conservation, and job creation.
The Utah State Energy Office will administer this program, awarding funds in two general areas. First, grants to local cities and counties to develop community and building energy efficiency strategies, monitoring and reporting mechanisms, and innovative policies that will promote energy efficiency and conservation. Second, funding will support the implementation of a range of efficiency initiatives, including energy efficiency retrofits, installing on-site renewable energy technologies for existing buildings, replacing traffic signals and street lights with energy efficient lighting, and other energy efficiency improvements. Utah’s Recovery Act-funded projects will lead to substantial energy and cost savings and will create nearly 100 jobs statewide.
WEST VIRGINIA – $9,593,500 awarded
West Virginia will use its Recovery Act EECBG funding to empower local governments and communities with the knowledge and resources they need to improve building energy efficiency. Through its Local Government Grant Program (LGGP), the West Virginia Department of Energy will work with the state’s eleven regional planning and development councils to coordinate and distribute nearly $9 million for local energy retrofit projects.
EECBG funding will also support local training and education initiatives. The West Virginia University Industrial Assessment Center, which has significant experience advising business and industry, will help local city and county governments in understanding energy efficiency measures, and their costs and benefits.
Additionally, the state’s Building Energy Collaborative will use EECBG funds to work with local stakeholders – including contractors, realtors, building inspectors, product suppliers, and city and county officials – to determine how to most effectively implement and enforce building codes.
Geothermal Heat Pumps
energy.gov:
Two 36-ton geothermal heat pumps used at the College of Southern Idaho.
The geothermal heat pump, also known as the ground source heat pump, is a highly efficient renewable energy technology that is gaining wide acceptance for both residential and commercial buildings. Geothermal heat pumps are used for space heating and cooling, as well as water heating. Its great advantage is that it works by concentrating naturally existing heat, rather than by producing heat through combustion of fossil fuels.
The technology relies on the fact that the Earth (beneath the surface) remains at a relatively constant temperature throughout the year, warmer than the air above it during the winter and cooler in the summer, very much like a cave. The geothermal heat pump takes advantage of this by transferring heat stored in the Earth or in ground water into a building during the winter, and transferring it out of the building and back into the ground during the summer. The ground, in other words, acts as a heat source in winter and a heat sink in summer.
The system includes three principal components:
•Geothermal earth connection subsystem
•Geothermal heat pump subsystem
•Geothermal heat distribution subsystem.
Earth Connection
Using the Earth as a heat source/sink, a series of pipes, commonly called a “loop,” is buried in the ground near the building to be conditioned. The loop can be buried either vertically or horizontally. It circulates a fluid (water, or a mixture of water and antifreeze) that absorbs heat from, or relinquishes heat to, the surrounding soil, depending on whether the ambient air is colder or warmer than the soil.
Heat Pump Subsystem
For heating, a geothermal heat pump removes the heat from the fluid in the Earth connection, concentrates it, and then transfers it to the building. For cooling, the process is reversed.
Heat Distribution Subsystem
Conventional ductwork is generally used to distribute heated or cooled air from the geothermal heat pump throughout the building.
Residential Hot Water
In addition to space conditioning, geothermal heat pumps can be used to provide domestic hot water when the system is operating. Many residential systems are now equipped with desuperheaters that transfer excess heat from the geothermal heat pump’s compressor to the house’s hot water tank. A desuperheater provides no hot water during the spring and fall when the geothermal heat pump system is not operating; however, because the geothermal heat pump is so much more efficient than other means of water heating, manufacturers are beginning to offer “full demand” systems that use a separate heat exchanger to meet all of a household’s hot water needs. These units cost-effectively provide hot water as quickly as any competing system.
Additional Information
For more specifics on geothermal heat pump systems, including types, benefits and selection and installation, visit these pages on the DOE Consumer’s Guide Web site:
•Types of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems
•Benefits of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems
•Selecting and Installing a Geothermal Heat Pump System
To lean more about geothermal heat pumps, visit the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association, where you can search for local IGSHPA Accredited Installers, Trainers, and Certified Designers using their Business Directory. Information is also available from the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium, which can help you can find a knowledgeable contractor in your area by using their GeoExchange Industry Directory.
While primarily intended for the energy managers of Federal facilities, DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program does have information on purchasing and installing geothermal heat pumps that would be of help to commercial building owners or contractors on their heat pump Web page.
Solar Heat Your Home
ases.org:
Radiant heating systems are almost always the best way to deliver solar heat into a building.
By Bob Ramlow
Published: November/December 2009 issue
When installing a solar-heating system into an existing building, the best choice is a water storage system with radiant heat delivery. For new construction, you have the water and high-mass sand-bed storage options. Photo by Don Pardonner
For its comfort and economy, radiant heating is growing in popularity. Pairing a radiant heat-delivery system with solar energy as the heat source is an excellent choice for several reasons. Above all, these systems can operate efficiently and effectively at the relatively low temperatures common with solar energy systems. They’re relatively easy to retrofit into an existing building and can be easily incorporated into new construction. Some systems can be accurately controlled, just like conventional heating systems. Radiant systems are virtually maintenance free, and because they use no fans, they don’t circulate dust and allergens around the home. They’re often the least expensive heating systems to operate.
Radiant system components are readily found at plumbing supply stores, and system cost will depend on the difficulty of the installation. Integrating solar heat into a radiant system is relatively easy for most good plumbers. Before we get started designing a solar radiant heating system, it is prudent to know how these systems work and to understand our options.
Wind Energy Costs:
awea.org:
How much does wind energy cost?
Over the last 20 years, the cost of electricity from utility-scale wind systems has dropped by more than 80%. In the early 1980s, when the first utility-scale turbines were installed, wind-generated electricity cost as much as 30 cents per kilowatt-hour. Now, state-of-the-art wind power plants can generate electricity for less than 5 cents/kWh with the Production Tax Credit in many parts of the U.S., a price that is competitive with new coal- or gas-fired power plants.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working with the wind industry to develop a next generation of wind turbine technology. The products from this program are expected to generate electricity at prices that will be lower still.
Wind Energy Basics
awea.org:
What is wind energy?
In reality, wind energy is a converted form of solar energy. The sun’s radiation heats different parts of the earth at different rates-most notably during the day and night, but also when different surfaces (for example, water and land) absorb or reflect at different rates. This in turn causes portions of the atmosphere to warm differently. Hot air rises, reducing the atmospheric pressure at the earth’s surface, and cooler air is drawn in to replace it. The result is wind.
Air has mass, and when it is in motion, it contains the energy of that motion(“kinetic energy”). Some portion of that energy can converted into other forms mechanical force or electricity that we can use to perform work.
More reading:
“Where Does Wind Energy Come From”
and its subsections contain a very extensive description of the various geographical and geophysical factors that drive the circulation of the winds around our planet.
AWEA SAYS MANUFACTURING TAX CREDIT WILL CREATE JOBS, BOOST WIND POWER
The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) today welcomed the release of details for the renewable energy manufacturing tax credit, which was enacted earlier this year as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The legislation allows a tax credit of 30% for investment in new renewable energy manufacturing facilities, as well as retooled or expanded facilities.
“Wind power is a bright source of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. today. With this incentive and with the right policies in place, it can become an even much larger source of jobs tomorrow,” said AWEA CEO Denise Bode.
Bode noted that the share of domestically manufactured wind turbine components has risen to 50% in the wind turbines installed in the U.S. in 2008, up from less than 30% in 2005. “The domestic share can increase further with the stimulus funding now beginning to flow, coupled with a strong, long-term policy commitment–if Congress passes a strong RES.”
In 2008 alone, 55 wind energy manufacturing facilities were announced, opened or expanded. While the current economic conditions have dampened demand, the tax credits are expected to boost the opening of new facilities.
Further information about the tax credits and how to apply for them can be found at the Energy Department’s website. Applications are now being accepted.
awea.org/
DOE Announces Battery and EV Grant Winners
The Department of Energy announced the winners yesterday of $2.4 billion in grants for the advancement of battery and electric vehicle technology. The money was broken down into three major areas: $1.5 billion for the manufacture of batteries and their components and battery recycling, $500 million for the manufacture of electric drive train components and $400 million for the purchase, deployment and evaluation of PHEVs and all-electric vehicles, electric charging infrastructure and EV-related education and training.
The highly-competitive grant program had 48 lucky winners spread across the country. Larger corporations took a bigger share than smaller ventures, with one notable exception…
ESolar Opens America’s First Solar Power Tower
Just a few hours ago, ESolar switched on America’s first utility-scale solar power tower. This new power plant has two towers and 24,000 mirrors and produces around 5 megawatts of power, enough to power about 4000 homes in areas near the Lancaster California power plant. ESolar has strong funding from the likes of Google and other large clean-tech focused venture capital firms…
Yahoo Data Center will be Powered by Niagara Falls
Companies like Google and IBM are trying to lead the world in cutting-edge, efficient data centers. Not to be outdone, on Tuesday Yahoo announced they’re hoping to change to future of data centers as well. The company unveiled plans to build one of the world’s most efficient data centers in Lockport, NY and the details do sound pretty exciting.
The data center will be powered mainly by hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls, with 90 percent of that energy going towards powering the servers. The center itself will be built to resemble a chicken coop, using 100 percent outside air to cool the servers, a task which typically gobbles up 50 percent of a data center’s energy supply. And the company expects the yearly PUE average to be 1.1 or better.
This is How Gorgeous Solar Power can be
There are some misguided souls who believe that clean roof-lines are more important than sustainable power generation. But we’d all be silly to think that someday we won’t have both. And, if you have enough money, that someday could be today.
SRS Energy has developed roofing tiles that mimic Tuscan terracotta roofing tiles but contain amorphous silicon solar cells produced by Uni-Solar. The solar tiles are extremely durable, work in a variety of temperature ranges, and link in specifically with tiles from US Tile. More.
