National & International News

EVENTS

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NEWS

DOE Supports National Governors Association July 2008
The U.S. DOE announced that DOE will provide $850,000 this fiscal year to support the National Governors Association's (NGA) work to enact energy policies at the state level that will help develop and deploy cleaner sources of energy. See the NGA's Securing a Clean Energy Future website.

DOE Supports the Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative July 2008
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it will provide $850,000 to support the Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative, an effort of the National Governors Association (NGA) to establish state-level energy policies that will help develop and deploy cleaner sources of energy. This funding will be used to provide technical support for developing state energy policies; inform states about how to leverage their research and development investments in advanced energy technologies; advise states about how they can use public assets and procurement policies to foster the use of advanced energy technologies and practices in the private sector; increase states' resiliency to energy supply disruptions; and promote future state energy policy dialogues and education sessions.

Interior Department Moves Ahead on Offshore Renewable Energy July 2008
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the U.S. Department of the Interior has published a proposed rule for the regulation of "alternative" energy production on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). As defined by MMS, "alternative" energy means renewable energy, specifically including, but not limited to, wind, wave, solar, and ocean current energy projects, as well as projects to generate hydrogen. The proposed regulations will establish a program to grant leases, easements, and rights-of-way for renewable energy projects in federal waters on the OCS. The rule will also establish methods for sharing lease revenues with nearby coastal states. The MMS was authorized to establish an OCS Alternative Energy and Alternate Use Program by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The proposed rule is open to public comments through September 8, and the MMS expects to publish a final rule by December 2008.

DOE Headquarters Designated an Energy Star Building July 2008
DOE's James Forrestal Headquarters Building was certified as an Energy Star building by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on July 9, making it the second building in Washington, D.C., to have earned the Energy Star ranking, and the second DOE facility to be recognized. The Forrestal Building uses 40% less energy than the average office building, a difference of 28 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

World Energy Ministers Launch Energy Efficiency Effort June 2008
The energy ministers from the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries and from China, India, and South Korea agreed this weekend to establish the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC).The IPEEC will serve as a high-level forum for facilitating a broad range of actions that yield significant gains in energy efficiency. The partnership will support the on-going energy efficiency work of the participating countries and relevant international organizations by exchanging information on best practices, policies, and efforts to collect data. The IPEEC members will also develop public-private partnerships for improving energy efficiency, participate in joint research and development efforts, and facilitate the dissemination of energy-related products and services. See the IPEEC declaration .

DOE and Partners to Offer Prize for Efficient Lighting May 2008
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it plans to offer at least a $1 million prize for the development of energy efficient, solid-state lamps. The Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize competition, or L Prize for short, was authorized by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and challenges the lighting industry to develop LED (light-emitting diode) replacement technologies for today's most widely used and inefficient lighting products. Specifically, the L Prize aims to find replacements for the 60-watt incandescent light bulb and the 4.75-inch-diameter halogen reflector lamp, technically referred to as a "PAR 38" ("PAR" stands for parabolic aluminized reflector, and "38" is the lamp's diameter in eighths of an inch).

DOE and Portugal to Cooperate on Wave Energy May 2008
Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman and Portuguese Economy Minister Manuel Pinho have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that establishes a framework for collaboration on the policy, scientific, and technical aspects of wave energy generation. The MOU outlines specific areas of cooperation in wave energy technologies, including the exchange of technical personnel; evaluations of demonstration projects; and environmental testing and modeling. DOE also invited representatives of the Portuguese government to visit DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory to explore further opportunities for cooperation in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. Pelamis Wave Power, Ltd. (formerly known as Ocean Power Delivery) has built a 2.25-megawatt wave power plant off the northern coast of Portugal and is currently commissioning the facility, which will be the world's first commercial wave power plant.

EPA Launches "Save the World, Start with Energy Star" April 2008
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) marked Earth Day by launching a new campaign, called "Save the World, Start with Energy Star." The new campaign builds on the success of the Energy Star Change a Light campaign by providing a set of steps people can take to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to replacing at least one light in the home with an Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent lamp, the new Energy Star pledge also encourages consumers to make their home heating and cooling systems work more efficiently; make sure their homes are well sealed and insulated; enable the power management features on their home computers and monitors; and choose the Energy Star when replacing or purchasing new appliances. Energy Star is a joint program of DOE and the EPA.

Energy Star Low Carbon IT Campaign April 2008
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is asking organizations to join the new Energy Star Low Carbon Information Technology Campaign. To join the campaign, organizations take an online pledge to activate power management features on their monitors and computers to save energy and reduce their carbon footprint. Organizations can increase energy savings further by purchasing Energy Star-qualified computers and monitors. In turn, EPA provides free assistance to help implement power management, helps estimate the organization's energy and carbon savings, and offers official recognition for the organization.

New Energy Star Criteria for Water Heaters April 2008
The new Energy Star requirements will apply to a wide range of water heaters, including solar hot water heaters. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) projections, these new water heater criteria could, after five years of being implemented, save about $780 million in utility costs, avoid 4.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and achieve cumulative energy savings of more than 3.9 billion kilowatt-hours and 270 million therms of natural gas.

DOE and EPA Honor Energy Star Partners April 2008
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) honored 76 businesses, groups, and government entities last week for achieving major energy savings or helping customers save money and energy through their work with the Energy Star program.

New Energy Star Criteria for Washing Machines March 2008
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) has announced that more stringent requirements are being put in place for all washing machines under the Energy Star label. By July 1, 2009, all qualifying Energy Star washing machines will have to be at least 43% more efficient than the current federal energy efficiency standards and have a maximum water factor (WF) of 7.5; that is, each load will use 7.5 gallons of water per cubic foot of capacity. By January 1, 2011, all Energy Star washing machines will be 59% more efficient than mandated energy standards and will have a maximum WF of 6.0. The 2011 criteria are expected to save consumers $120 million on annual utility bills while saving 11.2 billion gallons of water and 659 million kilowatt hours of electricity. Energy Star is a joint program of DOE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. See this Energy Star Web page on the clothes washer revisions.

New Energy Star Criteria for CFLs March 2008
DOE has announced more stringent Energy Star requirements for compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs.) As of November 2008, CFLs must be tested by an independent third party, and as of December 2, 2008, all Energy Star CFLs will be required to contain less than 5 milligrams of mercury per bulb and to meet more stringent lamp color requirements. CFLs with reflectors, such as spotlights, will have to meet new high-heat testing requirements. The criteria will also be expanded to include CFLs with a smaller screw-in base, called a "candelabra" base. See this Energy Star Web page on the CFL revisions.

New Energy Star Requirements Cut Energy Use in Operating TVs February 2008
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized new Energy Star specifications for televisions last week, expanding the requirements to address the energy used while operating. The new specifications, which take effect on November 1, involve complicated formulas to set the maximum power allowed when operating, accounting for the size and resolution of the television. According to the EPA, the new standards should save about $1 billion annually in energy costs, while avoiding the greenhouse gas emissions equal to that of one million cars.

Home Builders Launch New National Green Building Program February 2008
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has launched the NAHB National Green Building Program, an education, verification, and certification program for building green homes. The new program, launched last week, allows green builders to accrue points in seven categories: water, energy, and resource efficiency; lot and site development; indoor environmental quality; global impact; and homeowner education. The program sets point requirements in each category for the bronze, silver and gold levels. Homes are inspected and verified by local green experts, who send their documentation to the NAHB Research Center for review. If the project qualifies, the home can receive national certification from the Research Center. See the NAHB National Green Building Program Web site, which features an online scoring tool.

DOE Calls for 220,000 Efficient New Homes by 2012 February 2008
DOE launched the Builders Challenge last week, calling on the U.S. homebuilding industry to build 220,000 high-performance, energy efficient homes by 2012. Thirty-eight homebuilders have already pledged to build 6,000 high-performance homes under the new voluntary national program. DOE aims for 1.3 million of these high-performance homes to be built by 2030, allowing the owners of those homes to collectively save as much as $1.7 billion in energy costs while avoiding the greenhouse gas emissions equal to the emissions of 606,000 cars. To support builders participating in the challenge, DOE has made available "builder option packages," which provide guidance for building high-performance homes in different climate zones. See the Builders Challenge Web site.

IRS Allocates $406 Million in Clean Renewable Energy Bonds February 2008
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced last week that it has allocated $406 million in Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) for a total of 312 renewable energy projects to be located throughout the United States. The new bond allocations range from $15,000 to $30 million and are set aside for 139 solar energy facilities, 102 wind power installations, 45 landfill gas facilities, 18 hydropower plants, 5 biomass power plants, and 3 trash combustion facilities.

New International Clean Energy Fund to Battle Climate Change January 2008
President Bush committed on Monday to provide $2 billion over the next three years for a new international clean energy technology fund. The President mentioned the fund during his final State of the Union Address, while an accompanying White House fact sheet includes the funding commitment and touts the fund as a tool to help confront climate change throughout the world. The new fund will increase and accelerate the deployment of all forms of cleaner, more efficient technologies in developing nations like India and China. It will also help leverage substantial private-sector capital by making clean energy projects more financially attractive.