EERE Network News
October 29, 2008
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
News and Events
White House and DOE Present Awards for Federal Energy Savings
Both DOE and the White House honored federal energy saving teams this past week.
Interior Department to Open 190 Million Acres to Geothermal Power
The U.S. Department of the Interior has released its Final Geothermal Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, which proposed to open more than 190 million acres of federal lands to geothermal power development, a move that could triple U.S. geothermal power capacity by 2015.
Dell and City of Chicago Join Ranks of Top Green Power Buyers
Thanks to their recent purchase of electricity from renewable power sources, Dell, Inc. and the City of Chicago, Illinois, are now in high positions on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's list of green power purchasers. DOE, the EPA, and the Center for Resource Solutions also presented the 2008 Green Power Leadership Awards on October 27.
U.S. Solar Power Manufacturing Growing Dramatically
With the U.S. market for solar power on the rise, new manufacturing plants are planned, under construction, or recently opened in Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, and Texas. Within the next few years, the new plants could provide the capacity to produce thousands of megawatts of solar cells and modules per year.
Ausra Opens its First Concentrating Solar Power Plant in California
Ausra, Inc. has launched a 5-megawatt concentrating solar power plant in Bakersfield, California, marking the first commercial power plant for the nascent company. The plant will provide a proof of Ausra's technologies prior to its pursuit of a 177-megawatt facility in central California.
California Releases Plans to Cut its Greenhouse Emissions
The California Air Resources Board released its plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions in mid-October, and the California Energy Commission and California Public Utilities Commission also provided their recommendations. Not surprisingly, the plans focus primarily on energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Energy Connections
U.N. Environment Programme Launches Green Economy Initiative
The United Nations Environment Programme is calling for a radical global shift to a new "green" economy, and of the five sectors that it identifies as having the most potential impact, three of them touch on energy efficiency and renewable energy. The Green Economy Initiative is also being referred to as the "Global Green New Deal."