EERE Network News
April 22, 2009
News and Events
EPA: Greenhouse Gases Pose a Threat to Public Health and Welfare
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed finding on April 17, concluding that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare. The finding opens six major greenhouse gases to regulation under the Clean Air Act.
Obama Administration Charts a Course for High-Speed Rail
President Barack Obama released a strategic plan on April 16 for developing high-speed rail in the United States. The plan draws on $13 billion in federal investment, including $8 billion in recovery act funds, as a down payment on a passenger rail system consisting of 10 high-speed rail corridors.
DOE to Award $41.9 Million in Recovery Act Funds for Fuel Cells
DOE announced on April 15 the award of $41.9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for 13 projects to deploy fuel cells and help build a consumer base for U.S. fuel cell manufacturers. The funds will support the immediate deployment of nearly 1,000 fuel cell systems.
DOE to Award $10 Million for Plug-in Hybrid Electric School Buses
DOE will award up to $10 million to Navistar Corporation for the development, testing, and deployment of plug-in hybrid electric school buses. The company aims to develop a bus with a 40-mile electric range and will deploy 60 vehicles for a three-year period in school bus fleets across the nation.
DOE to Invest Nearly $4 Billion in Smart Grid Technologies
DOE is gearing up to offer nearly $4 billion in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds to support smart grid projects. Energy Secretary Steven Chu will also team up with Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to run an early May meeting with industry leaders on setting smart grid standards.
NREL: Utility Green Power Sales Increased 20% in 2008
People that voluntarily buy renewable energy-based electricity from their electric utility are now supporting about 5,000 megawatts of new renewable power capacity throughout the United States, according to the latest annual "green power" assessment from DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Energy Connections
EIA Projects Faster Clean Energy Growth with Recovery Act Funds
In an update to the Annual Energy Outlook, DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act will provide a near-term jump in renewable power generation and a long-term reduction in residential and commercial energy use.
