Tag Archives: renewable energy

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $84.5 Million to Make Clean Energy Improvements and Lower Energy Costs for K-12 Schools

Department of Energy News Release

 New Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Grant Program and Prize Competition for Public School Energy Improvements Will Save Schools Money and Enhance Learning Environments  

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), today released a Notice of Intent (NOI) announcing $80 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to make K-12 schools more energy efficient and lower their energy costs, including some of the nation’s highest-need schools. The funding is the first tranche of the Renew America’s Schools grant program created by the infrastructure law to provide schools critical energy infrastructure upgrades.

Through the grant program, DOE will fund energy and health improvements in public K-12 schools across the country. Additionally, a new DOE prize program will help resource 25 high-need school districts with the training and tools needed to improve how their schools consume energy. Through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these investments will address the historic inequities of school facilities, reduce school energy costs, and improve health and learning outcomes for children and staff, while also supporting the promise of bringing good-paying jobs to the community.

To learn more about the grant and prize, visit DOE’s webpage on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Improvements at Public School Facilities. 

Stay up to date on the latest Energy funding opportunities, events, and news.

Read the entire news release here.

From The White House Briefing Room: FACT SHEET: Progress on Biden-⁠Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure

FACT SHEET: U.S.- Japan Climate Partnership

The White House Briefing Room

Recognizing that the path to energy security runs through clean energy, the United States and Japan intend to build on their cooperation to increase climate ambition, including through decarbonization and clean energy, and continue to lead on their respective domestic climate efforts and on accelerating international climate action. The two sides intend to reinforce bilateral cooperation in the priority areas below to achieve their 2050 net zero goals and their aligned 2030 nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, alongside promoting a global trajectory consistent with keeping global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach. The two sides intend to further cooperate and accelerate respective action by: Click here to learn more.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION NEWS

Renewable energy and storage advocate, Glick, nominated for another FERC term, PV Magazine

President Biden’s nomination of the chairman, popular among renewable energy advocates, comes as the commission looks to finalize major reforms to its electric regional transmission planning and cost allocation requirements.

FEATURED SOLAR ENERGY NEWS STORY

Former US Ambassador Andrew Young pushes for more solar energy in Georgia, 11Alive.com

He said Sunday at a press event, that this is all in an effort to have reliable power during storms, save money on his energy bill, and help reduce climate change.


SOLAR POWER WORLD RESOURCE

U.S. solar panel manufacturers – Updated May 2022
This is a current list of U.S. solar panel manufacturers/assemblers that produce solar panels for the traditional residential, commercial and utility-scale markets. This data was collected by Solar Power World editors and will be continually updated as facilities are started and/or expanded. If there is a facility update not included on this list, please contact editor Kelly Pickerel: kpickerel@wtwhmedia.com.

The Biden-Harris Administration Announces $500 Million Program for Better School Infrastructure

U.S. Department of Energy News Release, April 4, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, as part the new Biden-Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a Request for Information (RFI) for a $500 million grant program from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for K-12 public school energy upgrades. The program will help deliver cleaner and healthier classrooms, libraries, cafeterias, playgrounds, and gyms where over three million teachers teach and 50 million students learn, eat, and build friendships every day. Energy upgrades to America’s public schools, including leveraging renewable power sources and electric school buses, will bring the nation closer to President Biden’s goal to build a net-zero economy by 2050. 

The deadline to submit your response to this RFI is May 18, 2022, at 4 p.m. CT. Download the Request For Information (RFI)  to see the full list of questions and instructions on how to submit your response.

Read more here.

Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Energy

Concerns over CO₂

By Dean Olson, Illinois Times

Landowners, environmentalists and farmers voice concerns about
the proposed $3 billion Heartland Greenway pipeline.

The steel pipeline, ranging in diameter from six to 24 inches and five feet underground, would receive CO₂ emitted by ethanol and fertilizer plants in South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois. The CO₂ would be dehydrated, liquified and put under pressure before entering the pipeline.

It would be the first major project of its type in Illinois and would pass through 13 counties in the state – Sangamon, Hancock, Adams, McDonough, Henry, Knox, Fulton, Schuyler, Brown, Pike, Scott, Morgan and Christian. Read more here.

Solar power and batteries account for 60% of planned new U.S. electric generation capacity

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Power plant developers and operators expect to add 85 gigawatts (GW) of new generating capacity to the U.S. power grid from 2022 to 2023, 60% (51 GW) of which will be made up of solar power and battery storage projects, according to data reported in our Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory. In many cases, projects combine these technologies.

Battery storage capacity, as well as renewable capacity, significantly increased in the United States during 2021, partly because of tax credits and partly because of falling technology costs, especially for batteries. Depending on the configuration and charging sources, both solar power and battery storage units may be eligible for the solar investment tax credit (ITC), which is scheduled to phase down by 2024. Continue reading here.

Waverly middle schoolers design winning Future Cities

By Sam Crisler, The Waverly News, Wahoo Newspaper

WAVERLY – The year is 2121, and the world’s energy reserves are plentiful, public transportation is accessible at the touch of a button, and local economies are self-sustaining. This is the utopia imagined and designed by a group of Waverly Middle School eighth graders who took home first place at the Nebraska Regional Future City Competition in late January. It was the first time Waverly students had participated in the competition, and the team is in the middle of two weekends of virtual presentations as part of the national competition. Continue reading and see photos here.

USDA Rural Development Announces more than $3 Million for Nebraska

USDA News Release, December 7, 2021

LINCOLN, Neb. – Following a nationwide announcement by United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Friday that the Department is investing more the $633 million in rural America, Acting Nebraska State Director for USDA Rural Development Kim Martini announced today more than $3 million of those funds are coming to Nebraska.

“USDA Rural Development is incredibly proud to support Nebraskans with these investments and assist with Rural Nebraska to prosper. These funds will help local communities better prepare for extreme weather, combat climate change, and give back to their communities at large,” said Martini. Continue reading here.

Obscure state board seeks more authority over Nebraska public power districts

By Paul Hammel, Omaha World-Herald

LINCOLN — A proposal by an obscure state board to obtain more authority over public power districts has created a firestorm of concern and confusion among those utilities and some environmental groups.

The Nebraska Power Review Board, at its meeting Friday morning, will discuss whether the five-member board, appointed by the governor, should have the final say over contracts reached between power districts and energy suppliers, such as wind farms, and be able to weigh in on whether existing power plants should be decommissioned.
Continue reading here.

Nebraska Power Review Board Meeting 
Friday, October 15, 2021 beginning at 9:00 a.m.
First Floor Hearing Room
Nebraska State Office Building
301 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, Nebraska

Agenda Item 7:
Discussion regarding whether the Power Review Board should have authority to review and approve decisions by public power utilities to enter into power purchase agreements and to decommission commercial generation facilities: PRB PPA & Decommissioning Authority (DRAFT Language for 10-15-21 Meeting).docx

Although the meeting will be held in-person, any member of the public also has the option to join virtually via Webex. The full agenda and Instructions on how to join the meeting and provide comments are posted here: Nebraska Power Review Board Meeting.

The minutes of the board meeting will be posted here.

What to know about conservation compliance

By Erin Herbold-Swalwell, Farm Progress

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, in his address at the 2021 Commodity Classic, said that work on “climate-smart ag” should begin before the next farm bill. Proposed increases in funding of the Conservation Reserve Program and an increased emphasis on carbon credits and carbon banks, renewable energy, and other environmental matters bring different opportunities for farm families, but also remind us that we need to understand the rules of enrollment in USDA programs. Read more here.

USDA Conservation Programs

The USDA offers voluntary, incentive-based conservation opportunities to landowners through local field offices in nearly every county of the nation. USDA helped landowners develop conservation plans and enrolled a record number of acres of private working lands in conservation programs, working with more than 500,000 farmers and ranchers to implement conservation practices that clean the air we breathe, conserve and clean the water we drink, prevent soil erosion and create and protect wildlife habitat. USDA support – leveraged with historic outside investments – helped support producer incomes and reward them for their good work.

USDA Resources

Nebraska News

Farmers express interest in possible carbon reduction methods, by Jerry Guenther, Norfolk Daily News

More USDA Resources

Center for Agricultural Profitability

The interdisciplinary Center for Agricultural Profitability, which was approved March 11, 2021, facilitates faculty research, conducts outreach related to agricultural profitability and trains undergraduate and graduate students — all to support informed decision-making in agriculture through applied research and education.

Center for Agricultural Profitability Webinars – Archived & Upcoming

Senate advances bipartisan infrastructure bill in procedural vote

By Jacob Pramuk, CNBC

The Senate voted Friday to move forward with a bipartisan infrastructure bill, as Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pushes to pass it as soon as next week. The vote was delayed briefly as senators reportedly worked out an issue related to broadband. The final text of the legislation has yet to be released. The procedural measure needed only a simple majority to pass. The final tally was 66 votes in favor, and 28 against. Continue reading here.

Related Reading

AMERICAN CLEAN POWER ASSOCIATION REPORT

First Clean Power Annual report shows record U.S. renewables growth and investment
WASHINGTON DC, July 29, 2021 – The American Clean Power Association today released its first Clean Power Annual report, which showed wind, utility solar, and battery storage power capacity in the U.S. topped 170 gigawatts (GW), following a record 26 GW of clean energy projects coming online in 2020.

ALSO IN THE NEWS

USDA REAP FUNDING NOTICES

  • Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audit & Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grants (July 26, 2021) Federal Register Notice
  • Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants (July 26, 2021) Federal Register Notice

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Lower Battery Costs, High Value of Backup Power Drive Distributed Storage Deployment
Fourth Report in NREL’s Storage Futures Study Uses Distributed Generation Market Demand Model To Estimate Behind-the-Meter Storage Capacity, Identify Drivers of Customer Adoption. Several findings in the study demonstrate that PV and batteries make an economical pairing. Because an average PV-plus-battery storage system is larger than PV-only configurations, battery storage increases the PV capacity and the system’s economic value.

Read the Report: Distributed Solar and Storage Outlook: Methodology and Scenarios.

Upcoming Webinar: NREL’s Storage Futures Study team will host a free public webinar on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, from 10 to 11 am CT. Register here.

BATTERY MATERIALS RECYCLING

Former Tesla CTO’s battery materials recycling company announces US$700 million+ investment, Energy Storage News

Former Tesla battery guru JB Straubel’s materials recycling company Redwood Materials has attracted more than US$700 million in investment. Redwood, which is currently developing processes to produce battery materials that can be resold into the supply chain, has partnerships in place with the likes of Panasonic, Envision AESC and Amazon. The company pledges to recycle any device with a lithium-ion battery including phones, laptops and power tools, although a major focus is being placed on electric vehicle (EV) batteries.