EERE Network News
July 16, 2008
News and Events
G8 Leaders Commit to 50% Cut in Greenhouse Gases by 2050
The leaders of the world's top eight industrialized nations have agreed to pursue an international climate agreement that includes a 50% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But the Group of Eight, or G8, still needs to convince other economic powerhouses to agree to the goal.
DOE to Provide $40 Million to Two Small-Scale Biorefineries
DOE announced on July 14 that it has selected two small-scale cellulosic biorefinery projects—located in Park Falls, Wisconsin, and Jennings, Louisiana—to receive up to $40 million over the next 5 years.
DOE Headquarters Designated an Energy Star Building
DOE's James Forrestal Headquarters Building was certified as an Energy Star building by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, making it the second building in Washington, D.C., to have earned the Energy Star ranking, and the second DOE facility to be recognized.
DOE Supports the Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative
DOE announced on July 14 that it will provide $850,000 to support the Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative, an effort of the National Governors Association to establish state- level energy policies that will help develop and deploy cleaner sources of energy.
Interior Department Moves Ahead on Offshore Renewable Energy
The Minerals Management Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior has published a proposed rule for the regulation of renewable energy projects on the Outer Continental Shelf, including wind, wave, solar, and ocean current projects, as well as projects to generate hydrogen.
Toyota to Build the Prius Hybrid in Mississippi
Autoworkers may have thought they'd soon be building the Toyota Highlander SUV in Mississippi, but it turns out that they'll be building the Toyota Prius hybrid sedan instead. The shift reflects the rapidly changing consumer preferences in the United States, driven by the high cost of gasoline.
Energy Connections
NRC Expects Applications for 34 Nuclear Power Plants by 2010
Many of the same factors that are spurring rapid growth in the renewable energy industry are also leading utilities to consider building new nuclear power plants. According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), energy companies are applying to build nuclear reactors in at least 16 states.
