Turbines Off NYC East River

Post from the blog of the U.S. Dept. of Energy:

Turbines Off NYC East River Will Create Enough Energy to Power 9,500 Homes

February 6, 2012 

Free Flow System turbine being installed in East River, New York, NY (Dec 2006). | Image Credit: Kris Unger/Verdant Power, Inc.

Hoyt Battey

Water Power Market Acceleration and Deployment Team Lead, Wind and Water Power Program

What does this project do?

• The 30 turbines will generate 1,050 kilowatts of electricity -- enough to power 9,500 New York homes.

As part of the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy project, 30 turbines are being installed along the strait that connects the Long Island Sound with the Atlantic Ocean in the New York Harbor. The project, led by Verdant Power, Inc., is the first ever commercially licensed tidal energy project in the United States.

The turbines are scheduled to be fully installed by 2015 and will use the flow of the river and tides to generate 1,050 kilowatts of electricity -- enough to power 9,500 New York homes.

The turbines will also collect important data about environmental impacts on fish and river sediment and provide jobs to a team of technicians who will maintain and monitor the equipment.

The Energy Department helps advance water power technologies by funding research to determine the size of the water resource and by developing innovative technologies to unleash its energy potential. The Department began providing Verdant Power with funding in 2008 to improve the turbines’ blade design. Verdant had been successfully developing and testing turbine prototypes in the East River since 2002, but those turbine rotors were not durable enough to be scaled up for commercialization. With the Department’s assistance, Verdant designed and tested new blades, which are stronger and more reliable -- allowing them to capture more energy from faster currents at greater depths and at a lower cost.

This technological improvement represents progress for the entire tidal energy industry.

Department funding for innovative water power technologies is helping the United States to take advantage of its vast water power resources to generate clean energy and to bolster the renewable energy economy. As advanced marine and hydrokinetic technologies are responsibly deployed and new hydropower opportunities are seized, water resources could deliver 15 percent of our nation’s electricity supply by 2030. Visit the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Water Power Program to learn more about how marine and hydrokinetic technologies are generating renewable, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective electricity from water resources.

With USDA's Help, a Midwest Grocer Cuts his Energy Bill

From USDA blog:

Posted by Adam Czech USDA Public Affairs Specialist, on February 6, 2012 at 10:33 AM

Pat Longmire has owned a grocery store in Spring Grove, Minn., for 22 years. He knows customers want fresh produce, quality meats and weekly deals that save a buck here and there.

But he wasn’t sure how customers would react after he put glass doors on the coolers in the store. Longmire didn’t have to worry for long, however. “The response was overwhelmingly positive,” he said.

Longmire used a grant from USDA Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program(REAP) to purchase and install the doors. The doors resulted in a savings of about $500 per month on heating, cooling and electricity bills.

“It’s the smartest thing we could have done,” he said. “You get return on your investment back quickly.”

With energy costs rising and the grocery industry trying to become more energy efficient, Longmire knew the time was now to make the upgrade.

He originally considered replacing all the coolers in the store, but decided using the REAP program to install doors on the existing coolers was a better option. The entire project was completed for what it would have cost to replace just one cooler.

Using funding provided through USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program, a Minnesota grocer installed doors on coolers and cut his energy bill by $500 a month

Longmire set the thermostat inside the store to 72 degrees when he had open coolers. Since the doors have been added, he sets the temperature to 68 degrees and the store actually feels warmer than it did at 72.

“We were just wasting energy before,” Longmire said. “If every store across the country did what we did, the impact would be dramatic. It’s just one little thing, but it’s making everything more efficient.”

Without the REAP program, Longmire’s energy costs would have kept going up. Instead, he was able to do something about it and use the money he saves to improve his business and contribute to the local economy.

“This program really helps businesses like mine do projects like this and stay competitive,” Longmire said. “It’s great.”

USDA is currently accepting applications for funding through the REAP program.  For more information click here.

USDA Announces Funding for Two Renewable Energy Programs

News release from the USDA:


USDA Announces Funding for Two Renewable Energy Programs
 
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2012 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the availability of funds for Fiscal Year 2012 for two key programs to encourage the use of renewable biomass and production of advanced biofuels. About $25 million will be made available through each program.

"President Obama has laid out a new era for American energy—an economy fueled by homegrown and alternative energy sources that will be designed and produced by American workers," said Vilsack. "These programs support that vision by helping biorefineries use renewable biomass as a replacement fuel source for fossil fuels and supporting advanced biofuel producers as they expand production."

The Repowering Assistance Program provides approximately $25 million in funding to biorefineries that have been in existence on or before June 18, 2008. The purpose of the program is to provide a financial incentive to biorefineries to use renewable biomass in place of fossil fuels used to produce heat or power. By providing this assistance, USDA is helping these facilities install new systems that use renewable biomass.

The amount of the payment will be based on (1) the cost effectiveness of the renewable biomass system; and (2) the percentage reduction in fossil fuels used by that biorefinery. The maximum amount an individual biorefinery can receive under the Notice is 50 percent of total eligible project costs up to a maximum of $10 million.

Eligible costs must be related to construction or repowering improvements, such as engineering design, equipment installation and professional fees. The application deadline for this program to receive funds for Fiscal Year 2012 is June 1, 2012. For additional details, please see pages 5232 through 5234 of the February 2, 2012, Federal Register, or go to http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-02-02/pdf/2012-2244.pdf.

USDA also announced the availability of up to $25 million to make payments to advanced biofuels producers who expect to produce eligible advanced biofuels at any time during Fiscal Year 2012. To be eligible for these funds, an advanced biofuels producers must have enrolled in the program by October 31, 2011, even if the producer has an existing contract with the Agency.

Payments will be made to producers of advanced biofuels derived from renewable biomass, other than corn kernel starch. These include cellulose, sugar and starch, crop residue, vegetative waste material, animal waste, food and yard waste, vegetable oil, animal fat, and biogas.

Contract payments will be made quarterly. For additional details, please see pages 5229 through 5232 of the February 2, 2012, Federal Register, or go to http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-02-02/pdf/2012-2240.pdf.

Both of the programs referenced in the Federal Register are important parts of achieving the Obama Administration goal to increase biofuels production and use.

The Obama Administration is working to promote domestic production of renewable energy to create jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, reduce emissions, and build a stronger rural economy. Today, Americans import just over half of our transportation fuels – down from 60 percent when President Obama took office – but we can do more to meet the President's goal of reducing our net fuel imports by one-third by 2025. At Secretary Vilsack's direction, USDA is working to develop the national biofuels industry by producing energy from non-food sources in every region of the country. We are conducting and encouraging research into innovative new energy technologies and processes, helping companies build biorefineries – including the first ever commercial-scale cellulosic biofuel facilities – and supporting farmers, ranchers, and businesses taking risks to pursue new opportunities in biofuels. Along with Federal partners, we're establishing an aviation biofuels economy, and have expedited rules and efforts to promote production and commercialization of biofuels.

USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. Rural Development has an active portfolio of more than $165 billion in affordable loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.

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Meeting with USDA Officials to Discuss Renewable Energy Opportunities

From USDA blog:

Posted by Bill Menner, Iowa State Director, USDA Rural Development, on January 27, 2012 at 11:29 AM

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to facilitate a meeting with many rural energy stakeholders that USDA Rural Development works closely with here in Iowa.

Joining me in the discussion were representatives from the Environmental Law and Policy Center, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, MidAmerican Energy, USDA Farm Service Agency, Community Vitality Center at Iowa State University, the Iowa Economic Development Authority, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and many more.

Also in attendance were representatives from Senator Tom Harkin’s and Congressman Leonard Boswell’s offices.  Senator Harkin helped draft the original Energy Title in the 2002 Farm Bill.

During the conversation it was very clear that USDA Rural Development’s energy programs are making significant impacts on rural communities throughout Iowa.  The business owners and farmers benefitting from this assistance are decreasing their energy footprint, converting renewable resources into cleaner energy, and creating and saving jobs.

Since 2002, USDA Rural Development has awarded $130 million in guaranteed loans and grants to help more than 700 small businesses and producers in Iowa reduce energy costs by making energy-efficiency improvements, as well as installing renewable energy systems such as wind turbines, geothermal and solar.

I was excited to hear from LaVon Griffieon, owner of Griffieon Farms and a past recipient of the agency’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). LaVon had tremendous praise for the program, as well as how helpful Rural Development staff was throughout the entire application and awarding process. Griffieon Farms’ fresh meat direct-market business is now using 34 percent less energy thanks to three new commercial freezers purchased with assistance from REAP.

Iowa Rural Development State Director Bill Menner (Standing, Left) addresses participants in a renewable energy meeting in Des Moines.

Mark Edelman with Iowa State University’s Community Vitality Center, and Jennifer Reutzel with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), both talked about the importance of energy audits for small businesses in rural America.  This year REAP dollars are helping fund a pollution prevention program sponsored by the Iowa DNR that helps companies reduce water use and save energy, among other things.

Also during the meeting Andy Olsen with Environmental Law and Policy Center emphasized the important role solar technologies and small wind projects could play with producers and businesses looking to save energy costs.

USDA is currently accepting application for REAP funding.  For more information please visitwww.rurdev.usda.gov or click here.

Flying Planes with Biofuels

From USDA Blog:

Posted by Justin DeJong, Office of Communications, on January 16, 2012 at 3:50 PM

Today, in Chicago, I joined Secretary Vilsack as he met with leaders from Boeing, United Airlines and Honeywell, to talk about support for the development of biofuels to power our jets.

In the United States alone, passenger and cargo airlines spend about $50 billion on fuel each year. If just a fraction of those billions were used to purchase American-produced aviation biofuels, we provide the opportunity to create thousands of good-paying jobs in communities across the nation.

President Obama and Secretary Vilsack have been strong advocates for using biofuels to power our cars, trucks and planes.  This reliable source of energy has the potential to drive important economic growth, especially in rural America.  You can read some of his thoughts on why this is important here in the Secretary’s weekly column.

This past few months reminded us that the future of biofuels for aviation is bright.  We saw the first domestic passenger flights powered by biofuels and USDA issued a loan guarantee to a private firm that will build and operate a biorefinery in New Mexico to support the conversion of algae into a renewable jet fuel.  Secretary Vilsack visited the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels InitiativeBiannual Meeting and met with a host of partners to talk about promoting the use of renewable fuels for commercial aviation.

Projects like these that exemplify USDA’s support of aviation biofuels. As such, at the CAAFI meeting USDA and FAA released a ‘Feedstock Readiness Level Tool’ to help support future planning efforts to develop biofuels for aviation.  Also, USDA is releasing a draft report – authored in conjunction with the Airlines for America and Boeing – that outlines our work on aviation biofuels to-date, and contains our findings and our private partners’ recommendations for next steps.

Working together, we can build a future where renewable energy is a win-win:  creating jobs for the American people while increasing our domestic energy security.

Top Draft Picks to Engineer Solar Championships

Post from the blog of the U.S. Dept. of Energy:

Tapping Top University Draft Picks to Engineer Solar Championships

February 2, 2012 

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy offers a variety of internships, fellowships, and scholarships in addition to the postdoctoral research awards. Current SunShot fellows pose in front of the Apollo Lunar Module at the National Air and Space Museum. | Energy Department file photo.

Ramamoorthy Ramesh

Director, SunShot Initiative & Solar Energy Technologies Program

As football fans buzzed yesterday about national signing day for college football prospects, excitement also builds for picks from a different higher education talent pool.

On January 20th, the Energy Department announced two university research opportunities to advance the SunShot Initiative, a program which aims to dramatically decrease the total costs of U.S. solar energy.

Like football, research is a team sport, no matter how high-powered any individual player may be. In that spirit, the Energy Department is offering up to $10 million to partners in university-based projects to develop and demonstrate heat transfer fluids. The Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative: High Operating Temperature Fluids solicitation seeks applicants to develop innovative fluids that are more stable than current technologies at temperatures greater than 800 degrees Celsius. The goal is to improve the efficiency of concentrating solar power technologies and cut solar power costs.

The second opportunity is a second round for the SunShot Initiative postdoctoral research awards. The awards, administered by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, provide an annual stipend as well as other benefits. Scientists from the program’s first round are working on some impressive feats:

• Neil P. Dasgupta, a Stanford Ph.D., is researching nanowire photovoltaics based on abundant, low-cost materials;
• Brandon Q. Mercado, a University of California, Davis Ph.D., is investigating the design of high performance semiconductor materials; and
• Sarah R. Cowan, a University of California, Santa Barbara, Ph.D., is working on research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

So as others prepare for the pro ranks and shots at the Super Bowl, another crop of university stars can look forward to entering the big leagues of solar energy research. There, they'll be rubbing shoulders with top scientists at national laboratories and institutions. And across the country, university teams will line up to help tackle some of the biggest energy challenges facing the nation. That should give everyone something to cheer about. 

$45,000 in Sustainability Grants

News release from PSEG:

February 2, 2012

PSEG Foundation & ANJEE Offer $45,000 in Sustainability Grants

Partnership bolsters environmental education

(February 2, 2012 - Newark, NJ) – Do you have a creative idea for a partnership between non-formal environmental education providers and K-5 pre-service or practicing teachers?  The PSEG Foundation and the Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education (ANJEE) will be awarding a total of $45,000 in competitive grants to help increase the sustainability of New Jersey communities, through the “PSEG-ANJEE Learners in Sustainability (PALS)” grant program.

“We are pleased to be entering the second year of our grant partnership with PSEG,” said ANJEE President Dale Rosselet. “This is an excellent opportunity for educators to work collaboratively to enhance science instruction and environmental literacy in the Garden State.”

The goal of the PALS grant program is to create partnerships between non-formal environmental education providers and K-5 pre-service or practicing teachers. Successful partnerships will provide teachers with the knowledge, skills, and curricular materials to implement high-quality environmental education in their teaching year, using the 2009 NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJCCCS) in Science and authentic assessment methods.

Eligible applicants can include public, private and charter elementary schools; colleges and universities with teacher education programs; informal education facilities and institutions, such as museums, zoos, nature centers and parks; after-school and early childhood education programs; and consultants, businesses and corporations.

Examples of projects that could be funded are: teacher institutes sponsored by a nature center or museum; programs introducing pre-service teachers to sustainability and environmental education and high quality science education; or partnerships between non-formal institutions and after-school programs, environmental or science clubs, or other school-affiliated programs. Recipients of the 2011 PALS grants included Tenafly Public Schools, Princeton Regional Schools and the Educational Information & Resource Center in Gloucester County.

Grants of $5,000-$15,000 are available in each of three New Jersey regions. The request for proposals and application form are posted at www.anjee.net/PALS. Deadline for applications is March 15, 2012.