On Tuesday, November 26, 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the U.S. State Energy Program (SEP) Competitive State Awardees for FY'13 under areas one through three in the initial funding opportunity announcement. Nearly $4 million went to 13 States to increase statewide energy savings and boost the energy efficiency of public institutions, local governments, and industrial sectors. On Wednesday, December 11, 2013, DOE announced the state awardees under Area 4, Clean Energy Economic Opportunity Roadmaps.
Below is a list of projects under three areas of interest: Advancing Industrial Energy Efficiency, Stimulating Energy Efficiency Action in States, and Retrofitting Public Buildings.
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Advancing Industrial Energy Efficiency – The Energy Department will invest approximately $751,000 to help Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin address specific policy, regulatory or market barriers to greater investment in energy efficiency and combined heat and power (CHP) technologies. CHP technology captures and reuses heat created during electricity production and other industrial processes – boosting overall building efficiency.
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Supporting Energy Efficiency Action in States – The Department will invest $1 million to assist Arkansas and Mississippi in generating the necessary policy and program frameworks to encourage cost-effective energy efficiency investments and establish or increase statewide energy-savings goals.
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Retrofitting Public Buildings – The Energy Department will invest about $2 million to help Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin to retrofit public housing as well as local government and state facilities. These state-led projects will use performance contracting and other financing tools to improve the energy efficiency of public buildings, including installing low wattage LED lighting and upgrading heating and cooling systems.
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Clean Energy Economic Opportunity Roadmaps – In support of President Obama's goal of doubling U.S. energy productivity by 2030, the Energy Department awards of more than $1 million to Michigan, North Carolina, and Washington to advance clean energy manufacturing in their regions. This effort will help create economic development opportunities in local communities to significantly increase statewide energy savings and spur investment in clean energy technologies.