EERE Network News
February 08, 2006
News and Events
DOE Requests $1.2 Billion for Efficiency and Renewable Energy
President Bush's proposed budget for fiscal year 2007 includes $1.2 billion for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, essentially equal to the approved funding for the current fiscal year. The budget includes big increases for biomass and solar energy.
Proposed USDA Budget Includes $345 Million for Energy Projects
The President's proposed budget also provides direct support for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects on farms and in rural areas. The budget request for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) includes $85 million in core funding plus $250 million for USDA Rural Development.
DOE Releases Schedule for New Appliance Standards
DOE has committed to issuing new energy efficiency standards for all the appliances and commercial equipment in its backlog by June 2011. A five-year plan published by DOE on January 31st spells out the details. The new standards will save consumers billions of dollars in energy costs.
Shell Sells Silicon Solar Cell Business, Focuses on Thin Film
Shell Solar is selling its crystalline silicon solar business to SolarWorld AG. In a time of tight supplies of solar silicon, SolarWorld has been aggressively lining up future solar silicon supplies. Shell Solar is shifting its attention to solar devices made of thin films of materials applied to glass.
Three Companies Selected for U.K. Wave Hub Project
A development agency in southwest England has named three wave energy companies to help develop its proposed $26.2-million Wave Hub project. The agency plans to build an electrical "socket" on the seabed 10 miles from shore, to which the three companies will connect their wave projects.
State Funds Support Green Housing, Clean Energy, Bioproducts
The states of Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are currently offering funds for a wide variety of energy-related projects, including green housing, truck stop electrification, bioproducts, and a wide variety of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
Energy Connections
FERC: Alaska Gas Pipeline Planners Need Financial Certainty
If the contiguous United States wants to benefit from the natural gas supplies in Alaska, the project developers will need greater regulatory and financial certainty, according to a new biannual report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
