DOE Announces up to $52.5 Million for Concentrating Solar Power Research and Development

July 15, 2009
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced plans to provide up to $52.5 million to research, develop, and demonstrate Concentrating Solar Power systems capable of providing low-cost electrical power both day and night. Today’s announcement underscores the Obama Administration’s commitment to creating jobs and saving money, making electricity generated from solar energy competitive with conventional grid electricity.

“Low-cost renewable energy generation that includes energy storage is one key to our efforts to diversify domestic energy sources and create new jobs,” Energy Secretary Steven Chu said. “By investing in the development of low-cost solar technologies we can pave the way toward faster deployment of carbon-free, large-scale energy sources.”

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Innovation Calls For I-Shaped People

These thinkers have their feet firmly planted in the practical world, can stretch their heads to the clouds—and simultaneously span all of the space in between (B. Buxton, BusinessWeek, July 15, 2009).

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Recovery Act Announcement: DOE Announces up to $22 Million for Community Renewable Energy Deployment

July 15, 2009

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu today announced plans to provide up to $22 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support the planning and installation of utility-scale community renewable energy projects in up to four communities nationwide. This funding opportunity directly supports the Obama Administration’s goals of developing clean, renewable energy supplies, and creating new jobs and economic opportunities.

Completed applications are due September 3, 2009. DOE will select awardees by the end of November 2009. For more information, please visit the Recovery Act Web site.

Recovery Act Announcement: Secretary Chu Announces Nearly $300 Million Rebate Program to Encourage Purchases of Energy Efficient Appliances

July 14, 2009

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu today announced the availability of nearly $300 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for state-run rebate programs for consumer purchases of new ENERGY STAR® qualified home appliances. The new program underscores the Obama Administration’s commitment to make American homes more energy efficient, while helping to support the nation’s economic recovery.

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U.S. EPA’s Region 4 Awards More than $1.1 Million in Recovery Funding to the American Lung Associations in AL, GA, KY, NC, SC TN, and FL to Reduce Diesel Emissions and Create Jobs

Contact Information: Kara Belle, (404) 562-8322, belle.kara@epa.gov

(ATLANTA – July 10, 2009) In a move that stands to create jobs, boost local economies, reduce diesel emissions and protect human health and the environment for people of the Southeast, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $1,118,142 to the American Lung Associations in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida to assist trucking companies in replacing older, more polluting vehicles and installing idle-reducing battery-powered air conditioners. This clean diesel project will create jobs while protecting the Southeast’s air quality.

The Recovery Act allotted the National Clean Diesel Campaign a total of $300 million, of which the National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program received $156 million to fund competitive grants across the nation. The Recovery Act also included $20 million for the National Clean Diesel Emerging Technology Program grants and $30 million for the SmartWay Clean Diesel Finance Program grants.

In addition, under the Recovery Act’s State Clean Diesel Grant program, a total of $88.2 million has been provided to states for clean diesel projects through a noncompetitive allocation process.

President Obama signed the ARRA on Feb. 17, 2009 and has directed that the Recovery Act be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability. To that end, the American people can see how every dollar is being invested at Recovery.gov.

For information on EPA’s implementation of the ARRA in Region 4, visit: http://www.epa.gov/region4/eparecovery/
For information about EPA’s clean diesel initiatives, visit: http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel
For information about the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest, visit: http://www.lungum.org

Obama Administration Delivers More than $288 Million for Weatherization Programs in Seven States

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that the DOE is providing more than $288 million in Recovery Act funding to expand weatherization assistance programs in Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and New Hampshire. These funds, along with additional funds to be disbursed after the states meet certain Recovery Act milestones, will help these states achieve their goal of weatherizing more than 91,000 homes, lowering energy costs for low-income families that need it, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating green jobs across the country.

Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and New Hampshire will receive 40% of their total weatherization funding authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act today. This installment adds to the initial 10% of the states’ funding allocations that were awarded previously for training and ramp-up activities. Under the Recovery Act, the states may spend up to 20% of the funds to hire and train workers.

Source: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy newsletter

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DOE Announces Up to $10.5 Million in Solar Energy Education for Local Governments

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced a funding opportunity for up to $10.5 million to increase the ability of local governments to accelerate solar energy adoption and workforce development. Funding for the five-year awards is subject to annual appropriations. Through this new funding opportunity, DOE will provide local governments across the U.S. with useful, timely information on increasing solar energy use.

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What Small Business Owners Want from Obama

An end to the credit crunch, less talk of tax increases, and health-care reform without coverage mandates top entrepreneurs’ lists (By Karen E. Klein, June 23, 2009).

Along with resentment about billions in government bailouts to large corporations deemed too big to fail, the issues most commonly mentioned as troubling for small business owners as they contemplate life under the new Obama Administration are the persistent credit crunch, the Administration’s plans for health-care reform, and the possibility of tax increases on top-tier income brackets, experts say.

While many entrepreneurs give President Barack Obama credit for a policy initiative that dropped fees on U.S. Small Business Administration-backed loans and increased the agency’s loan guarantees, they worry that the incentives are not working. “All this recovery money is going out and yet nobody’s lending and we don’t know when they ever will be,” says Margo Dorfman, CEO of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce. “The businesses we deal with have been around for decades, they’ve been paying their lines of credit as they’re supposed to, but now they’re getting cut off left and right. Our members are saying, ‘Hey, I could grow my business but I can’t get access to capital.’”

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How to Kick Off an Innovation Project

To build consumer loyalty, Office Max launched a study of what women look for when they buy office supplies
(By Jessie Scanlon, BusinessWeek).

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Avoid Losing Business: Persuade your clients to trust you

Individuals and companies are scrutinizing the firms they hire and cutting the fees they pay. Andrew Sobel, author of All for One: 10 Strategies for Building Trusted Client Partnerships, explains how your small business can make the cut (BusinessWeek Podcast).

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