EERE Network News
March 10, 2004
News and Events
Fifty-Seven Energy Efficiency Leaders Win Energy Star Awards
DOE and EPA recognized 57 businesses and organizations with Energy Star Partner of the Year Awards on March 2nd. DOE and EPA sponsor these awards each year to recognize energy efficiency investments made by Energy Star partners.
New Mexico Passes Laws to Promote Clean Energy and Hybrid Cars
Three energy bills signed into law on March 4th by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson will set minimum requirements for renewable energy use by public utlities, provide "clean energy grants" to a variety of entities, and exempt certain purchases of hybrid electric cars from excise taxes.
Massachusetts to Build a 500-Kilowatt Solar Power Plant
Brockton, Massachusetts, is the future site of the largest solar power plant in the Northeast. Funding from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and the City of Brockton will allow the construction of a 500-kilowatt solar power installation to begin this fall.
Large Wind Power Plants Planned for Maine and Pennsylvania
Plans are underway to build the first commercial utility-scale wind power plant in Maine, a 40- to 50-megawatt facility in Mars Hill near the state's northeast border. Efforts are also moving ahead to build a 30-megawatt and a 45-megawatt wind power plant, both in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
Indian Tribes and Cities Teaming Up to Deploy Renewable Energy
More than 150 U.S. cities have pledged to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions, and renewable energy projects on tribal lands could help those cities meet their pledges. The new "Energy Independence Day Campaign" brings these groups together to pursue utility-scale renewable energy.
Texas and Iowa Utilities Top NREL's List of Green Power Programs
DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released its top-ten lists of utility green power programs on March 4th, and Texas' Austin Energy and Iowa's Lenox Municipal Utilities lead three lists. Xcel Energy, which runs a program spanning multiple states, has the most customers in its program.
Site News
DOE's Distributed Energy Program Generates a New Web Site
The Distributed Energy Program, one of 11 energy programs in the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), has generated a new Web site that provides simple, intuitive access to information about the program.
Energy Connections
EIA Expects Record-High Gasoline Prices in Spring and Summer
DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports there is a "high likelihood" that gas prices could increase in spring, peaking at a new record of $1.83 per gallon for regular gasoline. The EIA released its latest Short Term Energy Outlook on March 9th.
