Energy Feeds

An Austin, Texas, utility once again led the annual
rankings of green power programs conducted by DOE's
National Renewable Energy Laboratory. And, the Big Ten
conference took top honors in the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's annual college Green Power
Challenge.

In two years, DOE's Loan Programs Office has issued
loans, loan guarantees, and conditional commitments
for loan guarantees to 28 clean energy projects.

The SCI-Arc/Caltech team in the U.S.
Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 has a
truly "out of the box" approach to the design of the
home. The team wrapped its polygonal home in a skin
that acts as what the team refers to as "outsulation."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has begun
signups for the first Biomass Crop Assistance Program
project area, which will promote feedstocks for
bioenergy. This initiative, in Missouri and Kansas, will
help spur the development of next-generation biofuels.

A team led by a SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
researcher has made a key step toward advancing a
clean energy economy. The scientists have engineered a
cheap, abundant way to make hydrogen fuel from
sunlight and water.

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) has moved to simplify right-of-way
applications for lands with wind and solar energy
development potential by publishing new rules to allow
the applications to segregate renewable lands.

One of the newest teams to the U.S. Department of
Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 this year is Purdue
University's team, which started with just four students
in 2009 but has grown to a group of 200 people.

The U.S. wind power industry installed 1,100 megawatts
(MW) of new capacity in the first quarter of 2011, and it
has another 5,600 MW under construction. Overall, a
range of renewables grew in the 12 months since
January 2010, according to the U.S. Energy Information
Administration.

Representatives from 25 cities around the nation
gathered for the 4th annual Solar America Cities
meeting to share findings on emerging trends in urban
energy use and to discuss solutions to local solar
barriers.

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011's
Team New Jersey is incorporating the age-old
technology of concrete into their beach house design
and hopes to show others how a material often seen as
cold or industrial can be used for residential applications.

DOE and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) have selected lenders to participate in a
pilot program to help homeowners pay for home energy
efficiency improvements.

Residents of St. Peters, Missouri, are seeing improvements in
their community thanks to a $512,800 DOE Energy Efficiency
and Conservation Block Grant.

The American Institute of Architects named the new
Research
Support Facility at DOE's National Renewable Energy
Laboratory one of its Top Ten Green Projects for
excellence
in sustainable design and reduced energy consumption.

Using a DOE Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant,
King County, Washington, has been able to make an array of
public and commercial energy efficiency upgrades, including
the installation of electric vehicle charging stations.

DOE and Qatar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) to strengthen their collaboration on research and
deployment of clean energy technologies.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has approved a
construction and operations plan for the Cape Wind offshore
wind power project in Nantucket Sound. Construction could
begin by fall.

Two of DOE's national laboratories will join with The Dow
Chemical Company to research ways to improve cool roof
efficiency by more than 50% over existing technologies.

A California concentrating solar power (CSP) project that will
create an estimated 1,000 jobs and avoid more than 710,000
tons of carbon dioxide annually has received a $2.1 billion
conditional loan guarantee from DOE.

At the second Clean Energy Ministerial on April 6 and 7, DOE
and energy ministers from more than 20 governments
pledged renewed support for 11 clean energy initiatives
designed to accelerate a global transition to clean energy.

DOE is offering nearly $170 million in funding to support a
range of solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies as part of the
SunShot Initiative. The investments will help achieve cost-
competitive solar energy by 2020.

The developer of one of the world's largest
concentrating solar power (CSP) projects has received final
approval from DOE for its $1.6 billion loan guarantee. Also,
DOE offered a $1.1 billion loan guarantee to the backer of a
utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) project.

DOE and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) are
offering $26.6 million to fund innovative hydropower projects
in four different project areas, including small hydro and
pumped storage hydropower.

California increased its current 20% renewables portfolio
standard (RPS) to 33% by 2020 as Governor Edmund Brown,
Jr. signed the legislation into law.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has released the
results of a report that shows it could generate up to one
million megawatt hours of electricity annually and create jobs
by adding hydropower capacity at 70 of its existing facilities.

President Obama has announced a new National Clean Fleets
Partnership designed to help large companies reduce diesel
and gasoline use in their fleets. The effort is part of the Clean
Cities initiative under the DOE Vehicle Technologies Program.

Ahead of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon
2011, we are profiling each of the 20 teams participating in
the competition. For our second profile, we spoke with
Appalachian State University's faculty advisors Jamie Russell
and Chad Everhart about The Solar Homestead, their team's
entry into the competition.

What was your New Year's resolution this year? Maybe you
resolved to get back into the gym and finally lose those last
pesky pounds. Maybe you resolved to finally break down and
buy that new furnace. Or maybe you resolved do whatever
you could to save energy and money this year.

For the last few weeks, we've told you about the launch of
an "Entrepreneurial Mentor Corps," a one-year pilot program
to connect clean energy startups with mentors who can help
support these companies through early-stage challenges and
increase their chance for success. The program is a
partnership of DOE and the U.S. Small Business
Administration.

In the third annual tally of cities with the most Energy
Star-certified buildings, Los Angeles remained
atop
the
list with 510 buildings. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) also cited Washington, D.C. and San Francisco
as leaders.

Geothermal power holds enormous opportunities to provide
affordable, clean energy that avoids greenhouse gases like
carbon dioxide. One Utah-based startup is working on
an innovative project that could make geothermal power
even more beneficial.

On March 16, the Kansas City, Kansas School District
welcomed some newcomers to their community—47
natural gas school buses deployed as part of DOE's Clean
Cities Alternative Fuel Vehicle Pilot Program, supported by
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Take the Energy Savers Website Customer survey.

Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner,
Massachusetts, with support from DOE, made a huge
investment in renewable energy by installing two utility-scale
wind turbines on their campus in 2011. The turbines are
expected to provide an annual savings of approximately
$700,000 based on the area's current utility rates.

"Most Wanted" posters identifying bandits and desperadoes
are familiar images to anyone who has ever seen a Western
movie. If they still made those posters, and if they offered
rewards for turning in energy inefficient buildings, the Cedar
Park City Hall would have been one of the meanest outlaws
this side of West Texas.

Ames Laboratory researcher and Iowa State University
professor L. Keith Woo is on the search for catalysts that lead
to more efficient, safer, and cleaner chemical reactions that
work at lower pressures and temperatures and create less
waste.

Wind Tower Systems was founded in 2002 to find new ways
to make land-based wind turbines easier to assemble. The
company received early funding through a DOE Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant, which catalyzed
investment from the California Energy Commission and
private sources.

Researchers at DOE's BioEnergy Science Center have
achieved a significant advance in next-generation biofuels by
using bacteria to convert plant matter directly into isobutanol,
a potential replacement for gasoline.

DOE has launched two new fellowship programs designed to
attract the best and brightest scientific minds in the United
States to work on advanced renewable energy and energy
efficiency technologies.

Increasing global investment in geothermal power could
result in a 134% increase in total geothermal capacity
between 2010 and 2020, according to a new report by Pike
Research.

The 81st Geneva International Motor Show, running through
March 13, is spotlighting electric vehicles (EV) and alternative
vehicles with more than 40 manufacturers scheduled to
present their EVs and hybrids in the annual event in
Switzerland.

DOE announced that it has finalized a $96.8 million Recovery
Act supported loan guarantee to a 23-megawatt geothermal
power project in southeastern Oregon, which will use a new
technology that could expand geothermal
development.

DOE and Masdar, Abu Dhabi's renewable energy initiative,
will collaborate to test the performance of specially coated
solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. The modules were
developed by DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

The number of solar panels, wind turbines, and methane
digesters on U.S. farms and ranches has increased
significantly over the past decade, according to a U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) survey.

DOE has announced up to $5 million in funding to support
Graduate Automotive Technology Education Centers of
Excellence, to educate a future workforce of engineering
professionals developing and commercializing advanced
automotive technologies.

President Obama has unveiled a $12.2 billion fiscal year (FY)
2012 budget request for the Department of the Interior (DOI)
that includes $72.9 million for renewable energy programs,
an increase of $13.9 million above the 2010 budget.

Honda's natural gas-powered Civic GX has won top honors in
the 14th annual environmental ratings from the American
Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Hybrids,
electric vehicles, and "gas sippers" were also honored.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has selected
Basin Electric Power Cooperative to receive a $204 million
loan guarantee funded by USDA Rural Development's Rural
Utilities Service in support of a wind farm in central South
Dakota.

Manufacturers of new cars and light trucks around the world
can boost their average fuel economy from the 30 miles per
gallon recorded in 2005 to 60 miles per gallon by 2030,
cutting their carbon emissions in half, according to the
International Energy Agency (IEA).

BMI Corporation is using a supercomputer at DOE's Oak
Ridge National Laboratory to develop an energy efficiency
technology for semi trucks. And, DOE's Argonne National
Laboratory will use an IBM supercomputer to design
ultra-efficient electric car batteries.

DOE and the U.S. Department of the Interior have unveiled
a coordinated strategic plan to accelerate the development of
offshore wind energy, including new funding opportunities for
up to $50.5 million.

DOE has announced additional details of its new "SunShot
Initiative," which aims to reduce the total costs of
photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems by about 75% before
the end of the decade so that PV systems are cost
competitive with other forms of energy.

DOE has joined with the private sector to support
market-based efforts to develop and deploy next-generation
high-efficiency air conditioners for commercial buildings.

A concerted world effort to use energy efficiently and to shift
to electric energy technologies powered primarily by
renewable energy could wean the world off its use of most
fossil and nuclear fuels by 2050, according to a new report
from WWF.

Vice President Biden has outlined a series of new
initiatives to support advanced technology vehicles and the
President's goal of putting one million advanced technology
vehicles on the road by 2015.

The 2011 Washington Auto Show in Washington, D.C. is
spotlighting new technology with its "Advanced Technology
SuperHighway" exhibit. The Ford Focus Electric vehicle
earned top green honors at the show.

World oil markets are growing tighter and are expected to
continue to do so for two years, driving up prices for crude
oil and motor fuels, according to DOE's Energy Information
Administration (EIA). Crude oil is expected to average $93 per
barrel in 2011 and $98 per barrel in 2012.

A 290-megawatt thin-film solar project expected to be the
world's largest photovoltaic (PV) project has received a $967
million DOE loan guarantee. The project will create an
estimated 400
construction jobs.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has waived
a limitation on selling fuel that is more than 10% ethanol,
allowing up to 15% ethanol for model year 2001 through 2006
cars, SUVs, and light trucks.

In an unexpected twist for what was thought to be a failed
space mission, NASA engineers have confirmed that the
NanoSail-D "nanosatellite" had deployed its 100-square-foot
polymer solar sail in low-Earth orbit and is operating as
planned.

The National Council of the Housing Industry and have revealed the 2011 edition of "The New
American Home," which aims to use 42% less energy than a
similar house built to the 2009 International Energy
Conservation Code.

From the sunny climes of Pasadena and Atlanta to the chill of
Chicago winters, fuel-cell buses will be getting a real-time
test because of the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA)
National Fuel Cell Bus Program.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) agree that 2010 tied with 2005 as the warmest year
on record. In fact, all of the warmest years are recent,
including 1998, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2009.

The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) has approved the
Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project in Nevada, a
concentrating solar power plant that will produce 110
megawatts.

Based in part on a new quarterly record for world oil demand
set in the third quarter of 2010, analysts at Wood Mackenzie
forecasted in December that 2010 as a whole will set a new
record high for world oil demand. Growth in Asia is boosting
the global demand for oil, according to the analysts.

DOE's Argonne National Laboratory has announced a licensing
agreements with LG Chem, Ltd, and General Motors Company
for use of Argonne's
patented cathode material technology in lithium-ion battery
cells.

President Obama has signed a bill that temporarily
extends for one year various energy efficiency and renewable
energy incentives. A key portion is Section 1603 of the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which provides
cash assistance to energy producers in place of tax credits.

To develop cost-competitive solar technologies, DOE intends
to fund up to $50 million in testing and demonstrations.

DOE has finalized partial loan guarantees for two major
renewable projects: the $1.3 billion, 845-megawatt Caithness
Shepherds Flat wind farm in eastern Oregon and Abengoa
Solar Inc.'s $1.45
billion, 250-megawatt Solana solar
project in Arizona.

The California Air Resources Board has endorsed a
cap-and-trade regulation, marking a
significant milestone toward reducing California's
greenhouse gas emissions under its Assembly Bill 32,
Global Warming Solutions law.

DOE has announced that it has finalized a $400 million loan
guarantee for Abound Solar Manufacturing, LLC to
manufacture state-of-the-art thin-film solar panels.

Nissan has made its first delivery of its new electric vehicle
(EV), the Leaf, to a San Francisco Bay area resident.
Meanwhile, the Chevy Volt was shipped to customers in
launch areas.

The Philadelphia Eagles have detailed plans to power
Lincoln Financial Field with a combination of onsite wind,
solar,
and dual-fuel generated electricity.

DOE has joined seven other federal agencies in launching the
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Export Initiative, a
coordinated effort to promote exports of renewable energy
and energy efficiency technologies.

Ten European Union (EU) nations have signed a
memorandum of understanding to develop an offshore
energy grid linking renewable energy sources in the North
Sea.

Chevrolet has committed to investing $40 million in clean
energy projects throughout the United States during the next
three to five years.

The United States should prepare a federal energy policy and
update it regularly, according to a new report from the
President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

DOE has announced that 20 Mercedes-Benz advanced
technology vehicles will be deployed on California roadways
as part of the agency's Technology Validation project.

A team from London's Imperial College has finished a trip of
16,155 miles, driving their all-electric car from Alaska to the
tip of
South America. The journey took 140 days and passed
through 14 countries.

Chevrolet has committed to investing $40 million in clean
energy projects throughout the United States during the next
three to five years.

The Department of the Interior has launched a "Smart from
the Start" wind energy initiative to speed offshore wind
development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf.

DOE is investing more than $19 million for five projects
aimed at optimizing the nation's electric grid. Total public-
private investment in the projects of more than $30 million
aims to increase grid reliability, efficiency, and security.

DOE has offered a nearly $50 million conditional loan
commitment to The Vehicle Production Group LLC to support
the development of the six-passenger, wheelchair-accessible
MV-1 that will run on compressed natural gas (CNG).

The U.S. Department of the Interior has approved the second
large-scale solar energy project on U.S. public lands in
Nevada, a 500-megawatt concentrating solar power facility.

The Electrification Coalition, a year-old nonprofit group of
business leaders, has released an analysis of the business
case for U.S. fleets to adopt electric-drive technology. As
many as 200,000 of the vehicles could be on the road by
2015.

DOE has launched its Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy Advisory Committee to provide advice on issues
under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Voters nationwide have approved more than $1 billion in
transportation investment in 2010, with nearly half of that
coming during the November 2 elections.

Local and state building code officials have approved a
package of revisions to the commercial section of the 2012
International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) that
represent the largest single-step efficiency increase in the
history of the national, model energy code.

Current government commitments to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, increase the use of renewable energy, and
eliminate fossil-fuel subsidies will not be enough to avoid
significant increases in global temperatures, according to a
new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

DOE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
have released the 2011 Fuel Economy Guide, providing
information about estimated mileage and fuel costs for model
year 2011 vehicles.

The U.S. Army has issued two new policy memorandums to
improve its building efficiency and require more light bulbs
that are energy efficient as part of an effort to increase
sustainability.

The California Energy Commission has approved the seventh
solar power plant it has licensed in the past two months, a
663-megawatt solar dish project in San Bernardino County.

DOE is partnering with an industrial alliance to build the first
commercial-scale coal-fired power plant with carbon capture
and storage, called FutureGen 2.0. The alliance's call for a
carbon dioxide storage site hints how this technology might
function on a commercial scale.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a
series of measures to promote production of advanced
biofuels from renewable sources. Also, USDA and the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) will develop aviation fuel from
forest and crop residues.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has approved the
largest solar energy project ever to be built on U.S. public
lands, an 8,000 acre concentrating solar power project that
will be the world's largest such facility.

DOE, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and
the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) recognized a variety
of organizations and one individual for promoting green
power, or power generated from renewable energy sources.

DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
(EERE) is offering a brief survey about the EERE Web site.

Google Inc. and others have announced backing for a major
offshore wind energy transmission project designed to
increase the reliability of the Mid-Atlantic's grid and
encourage offshore wind growth.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has waived
a limitation on fuel sales to allow the sale of fuel containing
up to 15% ethanol, known as E15, for model year 2007 and
newer cars. EPA is proposing a new pump label for E15 to
help ensure consumers use the correct fuel.

Eleven U.S. mayors will share their urban sustainability
practices with European peers at the European Green Capital
Conference on October 20-22 in Stockholm, Sweden.

DOE is awarding more than $37 million to 27 projects that will
investigate marine and hydrokinetic technologies, which
generate renewable electricity from oceans, rivers, and
streams. The projects range from concept studies to in-water
device testing.

DOE has selected five wind energy projects to receive more
than $5.2 million over two years. Two projects are focused on
short-term wind forecasting, while three will aim to develop
wind turbines ranging from 200 to 500 kilowatts in generating
capacity.

DOE has selected six new projects to receive Recovery Act
funding as part of its Advanced Research Projects
Agency-Energy. The projects aim to develop innovative
advances in
dehumidifiers, permanent magnets, wind turbines, solar
tracking, solar thermal energy storage, and carbon capture.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced $57
million, including nearly $11 million under the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to support clean energy
technology commercialization projects for 33 small
businesses across the country.

DOE today announced 27 new proposed penalties against
companies selling products in the United States without
certifying that they comply with energy efficiency or water
conservation standards.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced the
selection of six transformational energy research and
development projects that could revolutionize how the
country uses, stores, and produces energy.

DOE Secretary Steven Chu today announced selections for more
than $37 million in funding to accelerate the technological
and commercial readiness of emerging marine and hydrokinetic
(MHK) technologies, which seek to generate renewable
electricity from the nation's oceans and free-flowing rivers
and streams.

DOE has announced two consortia, one led by the University
of Michigan and the other led by West Virginia University, to
study clean energy under the U.S.-China Clean Energy
Research Center.

DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are
funding a joint research and a genetic breeding program
aimed at creating plants better suited for bioenergy
production.

Hawaii and Nissan have announced a partnership making the
state an early recipient of the Leaf EV in January 2011. CODA
Automotive said it would start its EV sales in the state by Q3
of 2011.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced a partial
guarantee for a $98.5 million loan to the 49.5 megawatt Blue
Mountain geothermal project in Humboldt County in
northwestern Nevada. The loan guarantee is being issued to
John Hancock Financial Services to support a loan to a
subsidiary of the Nevada Geothermal Power Company.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that two
consortia will receive a total of $25 million over the next five
years under the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center
(CERC).

Vice President Biden has announced that 200,000 low-income
homes have been weatherized under the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act, saving families money, conserving
energy, and helping put thousands to work.

The U.S. State Department has provided the Peace Corps
with $1 million to tackle energy and climate issues by
incorporating renewable energy and energy efficiency
technologies in Central and South America.

The California Energy Commission has approved construction
of the Beacon Solar Energy Project, the first solar thermal
project in the state to win approval in 20 years. It was part of
the state's 2,800 megawatts of solar approved in August.

At an event with homeowners and workers who benefited from
the program, today in Manchester, New Hampshire, Vice
President Joe Biden announced a major Recovery Act
milestone—the weatherizing of 200,000 homes under the
Recovery Act.

DOE has awarded $120 million, including $90 million under
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to support
weatherization projects across the country under DOE's
Weatherization Program, which completed a record number
of homes in June.

DOE has announced a $15 million funding opportunity to
research and develop innovative methods of producing clean,
renewable heat energy from geothermal resources.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) has awarded more than $100 million in Recovery Act
funds for energy efficiency upgrades in 100 affordable
housing developments across the United States.

A team led by The Pennsylvania State University will
receive up to $122 million over the next five years from the
U.S. Department of Energy to establish an Energy
Innovation Hub focused on developing technologies to make
buildings more energy efficient.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today award
selections for approximately 120 organizations across the
country that will receive nearly $120 million to drive
innovation under the Department of Energy's Weatherization
Assistance Program.

DOE has designated Florida Atlantic University as the site of a
new national center for ocean energy research. Also, Ocean
Power Technologies has signed a settlement agreement with
stakeholders for a utility-scale wave energy project in
Oregon.

The California Public Utilities Commission has
approved a power purchase agreement between a California
utility and BrightSource Energy, marking a step forward in
BrightSource's utility-scale concentrating solar power project
in the Mojave Desert.

Carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are
projected to increase by 3.4% in 2010, according to a new
report by DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The U.S. wind power industry grew in 2009, adding 10
gigawatts of new capacity and gaining $21 billion in
investments, a new analysis from DOE's Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory shows. Still, the report noted some
market challenges on the horizon.

Xcel Energy has released a report showing the success of its
preliminary tests of a one-megawatt battery-storage
technology
system that helps make wind energy available to the grid.

California college has announced plans to become the
first "grid-positive" school, using solar arrays to supply more
than 100% of the college's electricity needs.

The Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize organizers
have announced that nine vehicles from seven teams
advanced in the competition among super fuel-efficient cars
for $10 million in prizes.

DOE will award $188 million to small businesses in 34 states
to develop clean energy technologies that can be brought to
the marketplace.

DOE has finalized a $117 million loan guarantee for the 30-
MW Kahuku Wind Power project in Hawaii. The wind farm will
use a dozen 2.5-MW Liberty wind turbines and a battery
storage system to modulate the renewable power.

The American Wind Energy Association has reported that the
capacity of new wind power installations fell to 2007 levels in
the second quarter of 2010.

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu, U.S.
Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, and Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada announced today the
site of the new Solar Demonstration Zone to demonstrate
cutting-edge solar energy technologies.

President Obama has announced a $400 million Recovery Act
conditional loan guarantee to Abound Solar Manufacturing for
thin-film solar panel assembly facilities in Colorado and
Indiana. When fully operational in 2013, the facilities will
produce millions of panels annually.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded
more than $4.2 million in grants to small businesses and
community groups for renewable energy projects. The
projects, which will use biomass from hazardous fuel
reduction activities on national forest land, are aimed at
reducing wildfire risk.

That developed countries have accelerated their energy
efficiency gains, renewable power investment is rising, and
electrified vehicles are hitting the road are all signs of an
ongoing energy technology revolution, according to a new
report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

In his weekly video address, President Obama announced the
offer of a conditional commitment to Abengoa Solar Inc. for a
$1.45 billion loan guarantee to finance the construction and
start-up of a concentrating solar power generating facility.

With lower carbon emissions than coal, natural gas has often
been called the "bridge to a low-carbon future," a moniker
validated by a new analysis from the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (MIT). The study anticipates new natural gas
plants replacing old, inefficient coal plants by 2050.

The University of Michigan continued its dominance in solar
car racing by winning the 1,200-mile American Solar
Challenge, a race through four Midwestern states which
concluded on June 26. Michigan, which won 5 of the event's
predecessors,
finished more than two hours ahead of second-place
University of Minnesota.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced today the
investment of up to $24 million for three research groups to
tackle key hurdles in the commercialization of algae-based
biofuels.

The DOE-backed EV Project, providing free charging stations
for Nissan Leaf electric vehicles, is expanding to Los
Angeles, California, and Washington, D.C. And both the EV
Project and the DOE-backed ChargePoint America project will
now also install free chargers for owners of the Chevrolet Volt.

A new study by IHS CERA finds that Canadian oil sands will
likely be the largest source of U.S. oil imports in 2010,
beating such countries as Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and
Venezuela. However, the use of Canadian oil sands is at
issue due to its environmental impacts.

Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Utah have
weatherized a total of more than 9,000 homes with Recovery
Act funding so far, hitting targets that entitle them to
access all of their Recovery Act funding for DOE's
Weatherization Assistance Program. Seven other states
already crossed that threshold.

DOE announced awards totaling more than $76 million in
funding from the Recovery 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.

DOE and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation
(NERC) have examined rare events that could have a high
impact on the U.S. power grid, including attacks, pandemics,
and electromagnetic disturbances. The study is meant to help
prepare for these potential risks.

Two geothermal companies have announced plans to
conduct a demonstration of Enhanced Geothermal Systems
technology in Oregon in a project co-funded by DOE. The
companies will seek to extract energy from the Newberry
Volcano, a 500-square-mile dormant volcano.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced a conditional
commitment to provide a partial guarantee for a $98.5 million
loan by John Hancock Financial Services to the Nevada
Geothermal Power Company for a 49.5 megawatt geothermal
project in Humboldt County in northwestern Nevada.

DOE has ordered Aspen Manufacturing, Inc.; Summit
Manufacturing; and Advanced Distributor Products to halt the
distribution of 61 models of heat pumps and one air
conditioner model that do not comply with federal energy
conservation standards.

The U.S. market for wind turbines grew by 15% in 2009,
according to a new report from the American Wind Energy
Association (AWEA). That's a far slower growth than the U.S.
market experienced in 2008, but given the economic
situation, it's not bad, and AWEA is thanking the Recovery Act.

Both government and university researchers are predicting
a very active hurricane season in the Atlantic this year,
including 3-7 major hurricanes. The storms are very likely to
disrupt oil and natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico
and could complicate efforts to respond to the BP oil leak.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has delivered nearly
$80 million in grants to five states for high-speed rail
projects. The grants will go toward projects in California,
Florida, New Mexico, New York, and Wisconsin, with the bulk
of the funding going to Florida's Tampa-to-Orlando rail line.

In December, Nissan will start shipping its all-electric Leaf
from its factory in Japan to buyers in the United States, but
by 2012, both the car and its batteries will be produced in
Tennessee. Nissan recently broke ground for the factory that
will produce lithium-ion batteries for the Leaf.

The Gainesville Regional Utilities and American
Renewables have received regulatory approval for a
100-megawatt biomass power plant. The companies intend to
start generating power from urban wood waste, wood
processing wastes, and logging residues by late 2013.

Today, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman
participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for Nissan North
America's advanced battery manufacturing facility in Smyrna,
Tennessee.

Tesla Motors, Inc. has purchased a shuttered auto plant in
Fremont, California, and will start building its Model S electric
vehicle (EV) there in 2012. In addition, Toyota Motor
Corporation is investing $50 million in Tesla and will partner
with the California automaker to develop EVs.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank)
has launched a new "Solar Express" initiative to streamline
financing for U.S. exports to small solar-energy projects.
Projects of $3 million to $10 million could be approved in only
60 days.

Renewable energy is expected to be the fastest-growing
energy source through 2035, according to projections from
DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA). But coal
power and natural gas consumption will also continue to rise,
causing a 43% increase in energy-related carbon dioxide
emissions.

Citing support from state and federal policies, the U.S. solar
industry reported strong growth in 2009, with a 36% increase
in revenues. Globally, First Solar topped the list of solar
module suppliers in 2009, shipping more than a gigawatt of
modules, according to an industry analyst.

Scientists have long sought to mimic the mechanism of
photosynthesis, allowing them to convert sunlight directly into
fuels and chemicals. But new research at DOE's Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory suggests such mimicry may
delve into an obscure physical phenomenon called quantum
entanglement.

A 2.4% decline in U.S. gross domestic product in
2009, with bigger impacts on energy-intensive industries,
contributed to a 7% drop in energy-related carbon dioxide
emissions, according to DOE's Energy Information
Administration (EIA). A shift to less
carbon-intensive energy sources also helped.

What impact will future economic trends and policies have on
the amount and type of energy use in 2035? That's a
question addressed by 38 alternative cases included in the
full Annual Energy Outlook 2010, released on May 11 by
DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA).

DOE will award up to $62 million for research and
development of concentrating solar power systems, with the
investment meant to speed the commercialization and
deployment of cutting-edge solar technologies that could
extend operations to an average of 18 hours per day.

DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are
offering up to $30 million in funding for research and
development of technologies to produce biofuels, bioenergy,
and high-value biobased products. DOE has also produced a
video on cellulosic biofuel technologies.

At a White House Energy Innovation meeting today, Under
Secretary of Energy Kristina Johnson announced that $60
million in funding from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act is available to continue supporting
innovative small business research and development leading
to deployment of clean energy technologies.

Vice President Joe Biden has announced that 37 projects in
17 states were awarded Recovery Act funding as part of
DOE's second round of grants for the Advanced Research
Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). Twenty-three of the
awards focus on developing advanced "electrofuels" and
batteries.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) have agreed to promote
renewable energy generation and cut greenhouse gas
emissions from livestock operations. The new agreement
expands the AgStar program, which is aimed at reducing
methane emissions.

The number of U.S. utility customers now participating in
voluntary green power programs continues to grow, reaching
more than 650,000 in 2009, according to a new study by
DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

DOE will invest more than $200 million over the
next five years to expand and accelerate the use of solar and
water power through four funding opportunities aimed at
breaking technological barriers, demonstrating new
technologies, and boosting clean energy jobs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has invited public
comment on its proposed rule changes designed to increase
the production of advanced biofuels and boost development
of biorefineries. The USDA also has launched an initiative to
increase energy efficiency by funding farm energy audits in
27 participating states.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released
its official tally of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions for
2008, which shows a 2.9% drop from the previous year. The
agency has also issued new fact sheets on climate change,
plus a report on the major indicators of climate change.

DOE has closed on a $529 million loan to Fisker Automotive,
which will use the proceeds to develop and build two lines of
plug-in hybrids. Part of the loan will go to retool a recently
shuttered General Motors Corporation plant in Delaware.

On the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, U.S. Department of
Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that the
department will invest more than $200 million over five years
to expand and accelerate the development,
commercialization, and use of solar and water power
technologies throughout the United States.

DOE has selected the 20 collegiate teams to compete in the
2011 Solar Decathlon, which will be held on the National Mall
in Washington, D.C. The teams, representing five countries
and four continents, will compete to design and build the
most affordable energy-efficient and solar-powered houses.

DOE has released its Federal Fleet Management Guidance,
the first comprehensive directive that aims to help federal
agencies achieve a 30% reduction in federal petroleum
consumption by 2020.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has sent final
recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior about how
to minimize the impacts of wind power facilities on wildlife
and habitats. The recommendations propose a tiered
approach to assess the potential impact of wind turbines.

DOE is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with
special Web pages featuring information on how to save
energy and use renewable energy. Among the features are
animations about U.S. energy sources and ways to use clean
energy in your home and your community.

Manufacturing for the U.S. wind energy industry has
continued to expand, although the rate of growth slowed in
2009 compared to 2008, according to a recent report from
the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

In 2008, the United States led the world in clean energy
investments and financing, but that changed in 2009, when
China invested nearly double the U.S. total. The United
States still leads the world in venture capital and private
equity investments, but has fallen behind in asset financing.

The U.S. Navy has set five energy targets to cut its reliance
on fossil fuels, and biofuels are a major component of
meeting four of those five goals. The Navy has formed a
partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
to develop the advanced biofuels needed by the fleet.

President Obama has announced that the federal
government will double its hybrid vehicle fleet this year,
replacing 5,603 of its least-efficient cars and trucks with fuel-
efficient hybrids and plug-in hybrids. DOE will lead by adding
753 hybrids in place of inefficient vehicles.

May and June are filled with a variety of clean energy
conferences across the renewable energy and energy
efficiency spectrum. The conference topics will include
hydrogen, energy efficiency, the Smart Grid, alternative fuels
and biofuels, biomass energy, solar energy, and wind power.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu
announced today that the Department has finalized higher
energy efficiency standards for a key group of heating
appliances that will together save consumers up to $10 billion
and prevent up to 164 million metric tons of carbon dioxide
emissions over 30 years.

DOE is committing $37.5 million in funding over the next five
years to support the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research
Center. The joint initiative will focus initially on building
energy efficiency and clean vehicles, as well as carbon
capture and storage.

DOE has ordered AeroSys, Inc. to stop distributing its heat
pump and one of its air conditioners after laboratory tests
showed that they failed to meet required federal energy
efficiency standards. DOE is also investigating the products
manufactured by two other companies.

Nissan has announced that its new electric vehicle, the Leaf,
will sell for slightly less than $33,000, and will be available in
some markets by the end of this year. The automaker will
also offer a deal on personal charging docks for customers.

On March 26, Secretary Chu highlighted the tax credits
available to American families as a result of the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu and US
Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced
today that the two agencies, along with the Army Corps of
Engineers, will cooperate more closely and align priorities to
support the development of environmentally sustainable
hydropower.

Leading U.S. building industry groups have launched the
International Green Construction Code, a model regulatory
framework for the construction of high-performance
commercial buildings. The code could be adopted by states
and local governments in the United States and by
governments throughout the world.

Ahead of the expected U.S. rollout of a number of electric
vehicles this year, companies are offering innovative
technologies designed to charge the vehicles, including a
system linking vehicles to the Smart Grid, a plug-free
charging system, and an iPhone App to find linked stations.

China has enacted a number of policies that have made it one
of the largest consumers of wind turbines in the world and the
largest producer of solar cells. But the country has also
moved to exclude foreign competition in its domestic
renewable energy market, according to a new report.

First Solar, Inc. is developing a 550-megawatt (MW)
photovoltaic power plant in Southern California, slated for
completion in 2013. The project is one of a number of large
solar photovoltaic projects unfolding in California.

The U.S. Department of Interior has awarded $3.7 million to
13 tribes to support their development of geothermal,
biomass, and hydroelectric power resources. The tribes are
located in the states of California, Minnesota, Montana,
Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Washington, and
Wisconsin.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is proposing that
EnergyGuide labels be required on televisions sold in the
United States to help consumers know more about the
products' energy consumption. The proposed change is open
for public comment until May 14.

A new poll of 9,000 people in 22 countries found that roughly
two-thirds of respondent favored low-carbon sources of
energy as a solution to energy and climate change issues.
About 85% believed that more government control and
intervention is needed to address these energy challenges.

Vice President Joe Biden has announced more than $600
million in Recovery Act funding for 191 new transit projects in
42 states and Puerto Rico. Recipients are spending the funds
on improvements such as hybrid electric buses and
conversions of vehicles to hybrids.

The Geneva International Motor Show in Switzerland is
highlighting electrified vehicles, including plug-in hybrid
electric vehicles, electric vehicles, and a range of new
hybrids. The debuts include entries from such sports car
leaders as Porsche, Ferrari, and Lotus.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the
Department of Energy has offered a conditional commitment
for a $72 million loan guarantee to SAGE Electrochromics,
based in Faribault, Minnesota.

DOE is offering $100 million in Recovery Act funding for the
third round of projects under the Advanced Research Projects
Agency - Energy. The latest funding round focuses on grid
storage, power converters, and cooling systems for buildings.

A new study by DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory
(NREL) finds that U.S. wind resources could generate nearly
37 million gigawatt-hours annually. The study represents the
maximum amount of wind power that could be reasonably
developed in the contiguous United States.

PlanetSolar, the world's largest solar-powered boat, was
unveiled recently in Germany. The 102-foot catamaran is
scheduled to soon begin testing ahead of its planned
round-the-globe journey, which starts in early 2011. Planned
U.S. stops include New York City and San Francisco,
California.

U.S. utilities increased their spending on energy efficiency
programs by 43% in 2009, reaching $5.3 billion, according to
a new report from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency.
Spending increased the most in the Southeast and South
Central states, most notably in Kentucky, Maryland, and
Tennessee.

If the world is going to avoid catastrophic levels of climate
change, world leaders will need to commit to more aggressive
cuts in greenhouse gas emissions than currently pledged
under the Copenhagen Accord, according to a new study by
the United Nations Environment Programme.

A project to deploy 42,000 solar dishes in the Southern
California desert has passed a key hurdle with the issuance
of a draft environmental impact statement. Stirling Energy
Systems and Tessera Solar recently deployed a much
smaller system, featuring 60 solar dishes, in Arizona.

DOE has awarded a conditional loan guarantee for nearly
$1.4 billion to BrightSource Energy for three utility-scale
concentrated solar power plants in southeastern California.
Pending regulatory approval, the Ivanpah Solar Complex will
generate about 400 megawatts of energy.

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), a California
utility, has experienced an overwhelming response to its
feed-in tariff program, which pays for customer-generated
renewable energy under a long-term contract.

Despite a global economic downturn in 2009, market analysts
found that investments in clean energy, including renewable
energy sources, declined less than expected. Asian
investments topped North American investments and helped
to cushion the downturn.

January 2010 was a cold month for many people in the United
States, particularly in the Southeast. The need for extra
power and natural gas for heating caused natural gas spot
prices to soar in early January, but prices are expected to be
lower for the majority of the coming year.

Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the
U.S. wind industry had a record year in 2009, installing 9,921
megawatts (MW) of new wind turbines. But U.S. wind power
growth is being rivaled by even faster growth in China.

General Motors Corporation (GM) is investing $246 million to
build electric motors and hybrid components at its Baltimore
Transmission plant in Maryland, making it the first
high-volume electric motor manufacturing site in the United
States to be run by a major automaker.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued
new "interpretive guidance" to companies to indicate how
they should handle the impacts of climate change in their
financial disclosures. The move may cause businesses to
focus more on the issue of climate change.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing new
regulations for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, which
is designed to spur production of non-food biomass crops for
renewable energy.

The President's proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2010
includes $2.36 billion for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy, a 5% increase over last year's
funding. The budget also includes $3-5 billion in loan
guarantees for renewable energy and energy efficiency
projects.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding $8 billion
to lay the foundation for a nationwide high-speed rail system.
California will get funds to begin a corridor
connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco, while Florida will
start a Tampa-Orlando link.

President Obama has announced three actions to boost U.S.
biofuel production, including the final rule implementing the Renewable Fuel Standard,
which calls for 36 billion
gallons of biofuel by 2022; a proposed rule for biomass crop
assistance; and a report that establishes a roadmap for biofuel growth.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today detailed President
Barack Obama's $28.4 billion Fiscal Year 2011 budget request
for DOE.

As much as 20% of the power connected to the grid in 2024
could be supplied by wind, according to a new study by DOE's
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The analysis
of the Eastern Interconnection concludes that 20% wind
power is feasible, but it would require transmission upgrades.

California has adopted the first-in-the-nation Green Building
Standards Code, which will take effect on January 1, 2011.
The code includes mandatory inspections of energy systems
for nonresidential buildings, as well as a variety of water
conservation measures.

DOE has closed on its $465 million loan to Tesla Motors, Inc.,
which the automaker will use to build two factories. One will
be in southern California, producing the Model S electric
sedan. The other is in Palo Alto, California, where workers will
assemble electric powertrains and vehicle components.