EERE Network News
June 10, 2009
News and Events
DOE's Solar Decathlon to be Held October 9-18 on the National Mall
DOE will hold the 2009 Solar Decathlon from October 9-18 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Solar Decathlon is a biennial competition where 20 teams of university students develop fully-functional houses that draw all their energy from the sun.
DOE Awards $80.56 Million in Weatherization Funds to Four States
The first large awards of Weatherization Assistance Funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act were transferred to Arizona, Kansas, Mississippi, and Oregon on June 8. The four states have now received about half of the weatherization funding available to them under the Recovery Act.
Federal Regulators and Washington State to Collaborate on Water Power
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has signed an agreement with the State of Washington to coordinate their reviews of water power projects in Washington state waters. The agreement specifically applies to projects that produce energy from the movement of waves, tides, or currents.
Report: Worldwide Clean Energy Investments on the Upswing
Global investments in clean energy took a dive in the first quarter of 2009, falling 44% below the previous quarter, but they appear to be recovering in the second quarter. Although the quarter has weeks to go, clean energy investments are already more than 33% greater than the first-quarter investments.
AWEA: U.S. Market for Small Wind Turbines Grew 78% in 2008
New small wind turbines throughout the United States added 17.3 megawatts of generating capacity in 2008, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The numbers may be small compared to the utility-scale market, but the small wind power market is expected to dramatically expand in the coming years.
Mitsubishi and Subaru Launch Electric Cars in Japan
Two Japanese automakers are about to compete in the market for all-electric mini-cars, using lithium-ion battery packs to store energy. But the real question is how their customers will respond to the price of the vehicles, which exceed $47,000 prior to Japan's generous tax breaks and subsidies.
Energy Connections
Prices for Oil and Gasoline are Escalating, Says EIA
Crude oil prices rose for the third consecutive month in May, while gasoline prices have risen nearly 60 cents per gallon since the end of April. Those trends are causing DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA) to ratchet up its price forecasts for gasoline and diesel fuel.
