EERE Network News
February 06, 2008
News and Events
President Bush Requests $1.255 Billion for EERE in FY 2009
President Bush's proposed fiscal year 2009 budget for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) boosts funding for geothermal energy by 51% and provides a 13.5% increase for biomass and biorefinery systems and for energy efficient building technologies.
New Defense Authorization Act to Boost Clean Energy Use
The fiscal year 2007 authorization of funds for the Department of Defense (DoD) and related programs allows the DoD to enter long-term contracts for green power and requires the transition to energy efficient lighting at all DoD facilities.
DOE to Help Increase Energy Efficiency at Marine Sanctuaries
DOE and the National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) signed a Memorandum of Undersatnding to increase the energy efficiency of NMSP's national marine sanctuaries. DOE will initially conduct energy audits at the sanctuaries in Kihei, Hawaii; Key West, Flordia; and Scituate, Massachusetts.
California Regulators Reward Utilities for Pursuing Energy Efficiency
The California Public Utilities Commission has amended a program that rewards the state's utilities for implementing successful energy efficiency programs. The amendment removes potential penalties that were discouraging utilities from taking advantage of the program.
Global Wind Energy Capacity Increases 27% in 2007
With 5.2 gigawatts of new wind capacity installed in 2007, the United States is currently the largest market for wind power, but Spain and China are now nipping at its heels. The growing worldwide market for wind power increased 27% in 2007, boosting global installed wind capacity to 94 gigawatts.
Clean Energy Investment Exceeds $117 Billion in 2007
Worldwide investors provided $54.5 billion in 2007 to build wind farms, biorefineries, solar power plants, and other clean energy facilities, while the total global investment in clean energy grew to $117.2 billion. But to meet current targets, investments will have to triple over the next five years.
Energy Connections
Three Major Banks to Assess Climate Risks in Utility Financing
Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley aren't quite ready to stop providing financing for coal plants, but for utilities wishing to pursue such projects, the banks will now be taking a close look at the utilities' use of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and low-carbon distributed energy options.
