State News Published on the EERE Web site May-June 2009

How to keep track with so much going on across the country?

June 2009

Following are news stories published online by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) during the past two months. Interested in more news? Subscribe to a weekly state news report via email from EERE.

• Massachusetts Grants Permits for Cape Wind Project

  June 4

  Massachusetts has given the green light to the 454- megawatt Cape Wind Project, the first offshore wind farm in the nation. The state's Energy Facilities Siting Board granted all of the state and local permits for the project on May 28, allowing Cape Wind Associates to proceed to construction.

• Vermont Passes a Feed-In Tariff, Plus Other Clean Energy Measures

  June 3

  The Vermont Energy Act of 2009 will allow individuals and businesses to install renewable power systems and sell the power from the systems to utilities at a fixed rate under long-term contracts, an approach known as a feed-in tariff. The act also includes a number of other clean energy innovations.

• "Climate Positive" Urban Projects Slated for California and Florida

  May 27

  A former naval base on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay and a planned green community in central Florida will be two of the initial sites for the Climate Positive Development Program. The new international effort will develop large-scale urban projects with negative greenhouse gas emissions.

• Interior Department Awards $15 Million for Forest Thinning on Public Lands

  May 27

  The Interior Department will direct Recovery Act funds toward 55 projects to remove "hazardous fuels" from areas susceptible to wildfires. Of those 55 projects, 23 in eight states are designated as biomass utilization projects, which means that the small trees, accumulated deadwood, and underbrush will be converted to energy.

• Department of Interior to Open Renewable Energy Offices in Four Western States

  May 18

  The Department of the Interior will create four Renewable Energy Coordination Offices in California, Nevada, Wyoming, and Arizona. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said the effort will cut through red tape and expedite production of renewable energy on public lands while protecting the environment.

• New York Launches 100-Megawatt Solar Project on Distributed State Sites

  May 18

  The governor of New York has announced the state has embarked on a100-megawatt solar project that will consist of installations distributed across the state on the roofs and grounds of schools, municipal and commercial buildings, and other state sites. The project supports the state's goal in producing 45 percent of its electricity through energy efficiency and renewable energy by 2015—an effort expected to create 50,000 jobs.

• Maryland Aims for a 25% Cut in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2020

  May 13

  Maryland has approved legislation that requires the state to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 25% below 2006 levels by 2020. Achieving that goal may be tricky, as the legislation also restricts greenhouse gas reductions for the state's manufacturing plants.

• Secretary Chu, Governor Patrick Announce $25 Million for Massachusetts Wind Technology Testing Center

  May 12

  DOE has announced its intent to award Massachusetts $25 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate development of the state's Wind Technology Testing Center and create hundreds of new jobs in the area.

• Colorado Passes "Solar Ready Homes" Legislation

  May 5

  The governor of Colorado has signed a bill requiring home builders to offer buyers pre-wiring and pre-plumbing for solar systems. In addition to saving homeowners money at a crucial point in the building process, the bill is expected to create jobs for solar system designers and installers.

• Minnesota Raises Biodiesel Requirement to 5 Percent

  May 4

  Minnesota has increased the amount of biodiesel required for blending into regular diesel from 2 to 5 percent. The change is another step towards the state's goal to be the first in the nation to require 20 percent biodiesel in all its diesel by 2015.

• California Adopts a Low-Carbon Fuel Standard

  April 29

  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.

• New Wind Turbine Plant Employs Former Auto Workers in Michigan

  April 27

  Former auto workers will be able to put their steel-working and assembly line skills back to work at a new wind turbine manufacturing plant in Michigan. The plant has hired 30 employees and expects to hire 80 more during the next three years.

• State of Washington Creates Sustainable Energy Trust Fund

  April 20

  The governor of Washington signed a bill on April 13 allowing the state to issue bonds to create a fund that will finance energy efficiency and small-scale renewable energy projects. The legislation aims to accelerate deployment of such projects by making financing easier.

• Merck & Co., Inc. Fires Up 1.6-Megawatt Solar Project at New Jersey Headquarters

  April 20

  A global pharmaceutical company announced that its new photovoltaic system is up and running at its New Jersey company headquarters. The company used incentives provided by the New Jersey Clean Energy Program to obtain the system, which is expected to provide about 7 percent of the electricity required at the site.

• Florida to Host World's Second-Largest Solar Thermal Power Plant

  April 13

  Florida Power and Light announced it will construct a 75- megawatt solar energy center about 40 miles northwest of West Palm Beach, Florida—adjacent to the company's combined-cycle power plant. The solar center will be the world's first hybrid energy facility and the largest solar plant of any kind outside of California.

• New Mexico Governor Signs Renewable Energy and Green Jobs Bills

  April 13

  New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed eight bills on April 9 that are expected to advance renewable energy and create "green" jobs. The bills focus on education, incentives, and policy changes.

• Virginia Bills Advance Renewable Energy

  April 9

  Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine announced on March 31 that he had taken action on several energy bills as part of his Renew Virginia initiative to move the state "toward a more sustainable and energy efficient future." One of the bills increases the state's renewable energy portfolio goal to 15 percent by 2025.

• Retrofit of Empire State Building to Slash Energy Use by 38%

  April 8

  By 2013, New York City's Empire State Building should be consuming 38% less energy while shaving its peak electrical demand by 3.5 megawatts. But the real achievement of the massive energy retrofit is the process used to devise it, a process that can now be applied to other existing buildings.

• Kansas Governor Signs Bill to Attract Renewable Energy Jobs

  April 7

  To help attract new renewable energy jobs and businesses, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius has signed legislation to modify the Kansas Economic Revitalization and Reinvestment Act.

• New Hampshire Task Force Releases Climate Action Plan

  March 30

  A climate change task force in New Hampshire has released an action plan to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The plan aims to build on New Hampshire's efforts to reduce pollution, increase the use of renewable energy, and provide long-term economic benefits.

• Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Raises More Than $117 Million in Third Auction

  March 30

  Funds raised by a mid-March auction of carbon dioxide emissions allowances by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative exceeded $117 million, $10 million more than the auction held in December 2008. The funds will be invested in energy efficiency and clean energy technologies in 10 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states.