EERE Network News

June 20, 2012

News and Events

SunShot Initiative Investments and Solar Contest Announced

The Energy Department has announced a new competition and $8 million in investments to startups in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Minnesota to make it easier and less expensive to deploy solar energy technologies.

Energy Department Awards Funding for Concentrating Solar Power

The Energy Department has announced a total of $56 million in awards to further advance cutting-edge concentrating solar power technologies. The 21 awards are in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, and Washington.

Six New Partners Join the Better Buildings Challenge

Six new major U.S. companies are joining the Better Buildings Challenge, which encourages private sector leaders across the country to commit to reducing the energy use in their facilities by at least 20% by 2020.

Northwestern University Wins Clean Energy Business Plan Competition

NuMat Technologies from Northwestern University in Illinois has won the first DOE National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition. Other finalists came from California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, and Utah.

New Centers for Building Operations Excellence Named

The Energy Department and the U.S. Department of Commerce have announced selections for three Centers for Building Operations Excellence in California, New York, and Pennsylvania, that will receive a total of $1.3 million.

Reports: $257 Billion Invested Globally in Renewable Energy in 2011

Total investment in renewable power and fuels last year increased by 17% to a record $257 billion, according to two new reports on renewable energy trends issued by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century.