EERE Network News
April 29, 2009
News and Events
President Obama Touts Clean Energy on Earth Day
The development of renewable energy and energy efficiency marks "a new era of energy exploration" in the United States, according to President Barack Obama. The president delivered his Earth Day speech on clean energy at a manufacturing plant for wind turbine towers in Newton, Iowa.
DOE Offers $300 Million in Recovery Act Funds for Clean Cities Program
On Earth Day, Vice President Joe Biden announced the availability of $300 million in Recovery Act funding to support at least 30 projects involving alternative fuels or advanced vehicles. The funding will be available to transit authorities, as well as state and local governments.
Interior Department Sets Rules for Offshore Renewable Energy Projects
The U.S. Department of the Interior marked Earth Day by releasing the rules for issuing leases, easements, and rights-of-way for renewable energy projects on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. The timing is just right for two New York utilities that are planning a project south of Long Island.
DOE Launches the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, or ARPA-E
DOE released a $150 million Funding Opportunity Notice on April 27 to launch the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). The new agency will pursue high-risk, cutting-edge research and development of clean energy technologies that hold the potential to change the world's energy future.
DOE to Invest $777 million in 46 New Energy Frontier Research Centers
Drawing in part on Recovery Act funds, DOE plans to invest $777 million to support 46 new Energy Frontier Research Centers for the next five years. The new centers will study top energy challenges such as solar energy, biofuels, solid-state lighting, hydrogen storage, and electrical energy storage.
California Adopts a Low-Carbon Fuel Standard
Each gallon of fuel sold in California in 2020 will have to result in the emission of 10% less greenhouse gases than each gallon sold today, according to the state's new Low-Carbon Fuel Standard. The standard will also take credit for non-liquid fuels like electricity, hydrogen, biogas, and natural gas.
Energy Connections
NOAA: Two Major Greenhouse Gases Continued to Rise in 2008
The concentrations of both carbon dioxide and methane in the Earth's atmosphere increased in 2008, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The amount of carbon dioxide increased by 16.2 billion tons, while methane increased by 12.2 million tons.
