By Ethan Howland, Senior Editor, Utility Dive
“We need to embrace all the tools and technologies that can help free us from our dependence on fossil fuels and move us toward more homegrown clean energy technologies made by American companies and American workers,” Biden said during a press briefing Thursday. “We need to end our long-term reliance on China and other countries for inputs that will power the future.” Read more here.
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING
- Accelerate the energy transition to protect national security, PV Magazine article contributed by Gregory Wetstone, President and CEO of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE)
- New Solutions Toolkit Guides Regulators, Utilities in Improving Energy Storage Interconnection, SEIA News Release. The Toolkit and Guidance for the Interconnection of Energy Storage and Solar-Plus-Storage provides vetted, consensus-based solutions to eight regulatory and technical barriers to the interconnection of energy storage and solar-plus-storage systems to the distribution grid.
- Reports Present Framework For Using Storage To Mitigate Solar Interconnections, American Public Power Association
- Manufacturers Urge Congress to Pass Clean Energy Tax Incentives to Boost U.S. Production, SEIA News Release
- This is why microgrids are becoming popular: Jigar Shah, Microgrid Knowledge
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NEWS
DOE Releases New Study Confirming Strong Performance of Energy Efficiency Loans
“Energy efficiency is the lowest cost clean energy resource we have,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. “The findings in this study are a compelling invitation to financial institutions to invest with homeowners, states, and local governments to maximize clean energy deployment under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and beyond.
- DOE unveils new efficiency standards for federal buildings, Utility Dive
The federal government is the single largest building owner and manager in the United States, with a portfolio of more than 350,000 buildings totaling more than 3 billion square feet of floor area across the country, according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. - DOE takes stock of offshore wind supply chain, calls for 2,100 turbines to meet 30 GW goal, Utility Dive
NEW GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION CARBON STANDARDS
GSA to impose first national carbon standard for concrete, E&E News, Climatewire
The procurement arm of the federal government is imposing new limitations on high carbon-emitting building materials for all its major projects, a move that will affect billions of dollars of federal infrastructure investments. The new General Services Administration standards — to be released this morning — will require that federal contractors use climate-friendly concrete and asphalt in all the agency’s major projects. GSA oversees $75 billion in annual contracts, and the agency’s real estate portfolio comprises more than 370 million square feet.
VALMONT INDUSTRIES NEWS RELEASE
OMAHA, Neb.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Valmont® Industries, Inc. (NYSE: VMI), a leading global provider of engineered products and services for infrastructure development and irrigation equipment and services for agriculture, today announced that Valmont® SM has entered into a supply agreement with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) to provide components for the next generation of rotor houses for the offshore wind market. The order is the largest single order in Valmont SM’s history.
“The data makes it clear that we need diversity in science, technology, engineering and math,” Secretary Granholm said at a roundtable discussion on racial disparities in STEM fields held at Howard University May 3. “We really want to see a diverse pipeline of our future workforce and our problem-solvers and scientists.” The Secretary’s remarks came with an announcement of a $17.3 million investment in research and internship opportunities, with a focus on increasing diversity in STEM. Read more about it 
GirlCon is an event for high school girls organized entirely by students for the fourth year running. At this virtual event June 27-30, panelists from the National Nuclear Security Association, DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, and DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory will share their role in government, and how they’re working to apply artificial intelligence to energy, climate, and nuclear weapons, as well as sustainable energy and national security. Tune in and register for this free event at