EERE Network News
July 08, 2009
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News and Events
United States Joins the International Renewable Energy Agency
The United States and 21 other countries joined the new International Renewable Energy Agency on June 29, bringing its total membership to 136 nations. The interim headquarters of the new agency will be in Masdar City, a clean energy district under development in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
DOE Delivers $288 Million in Recovery Act Funds for Weatherization
DOE has awarded $288 million in Recovery Act funds to the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and New Hampshire. The funds will help to upgrade the energy efficiency of 91,000 homes of low-income families.
DOE Awards $153 Million to Six States and Virgin Islands for Clean Energy
DOE's delivery of $153 million in Recovery Act funds to Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, New York, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will support a wide variety of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The funds were awarded under DOE's State Energy Program.
DOE Offers $59 Million in Loan Guarantees for Wind Power, Energy Storage
DOE has offered a conditional loan guarantee of $16 million to Nordic Windpower for the expansion of its assembly plant in Pocatello, Idaho, and a second conditional loan guarantee of $43 million to Beacon Power Corporation to support the construction of a 20-megawatt energy storage plant in New York State.
DOE Offers $3.9 Billion to Support Smart Grid Technologies
DOE is offering $3.9 billion in grants to support the development and demonstration of smart grid technologies, with the bulk of the money going toward awards of up to $200 million that will enable smart grid functions on the nation's power grid as soon as possible.
Energy Star Homes Achieved a 17% Market Share in 2008
While only 12% of new homes built in the United States in 2007 earned the Energy Star label, the market share increased to 17% in 2008, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Nearly 940,000 Energy Star-qualified homes have been built to date.
Energy Connections
Report: Shale Gas Boosts U.S. Natural Gas Resources by 35%
The successful extraction of large amounts of natural gas from shales under Fort Worth, Texas, has led to a 35% increase in the nation's estimated natural gas resources, according to the Potential Gas Committee. The increased resources could fuel a shift away from more carbon-intensive fuels.