Tag Archives: energy efficiency

Energy Projects Could Earn State Funding

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Creative and unique energy conservation programs could earn some funding support from the state. Applications are now open for the 2015 Community Conservation Challenge (CCC) grant program.

Below are a few of the particulars with full details online from the Indiana Office of Energy Development.

  • Available funding: $700,000
  • Application deadline: February 20

CCC projects must be located in Indiana and must use commercially-available technologies. The project must be visible to the public and have at least one community partner, demonstrate measurable improvements in energy efficiency or the use of renewable energy, result in a reduction in energy demand or fuel consumption, or involve the implementation of an energy recycling process.

Eligible Indiana applicants include local units of government, school corporations, businesses, universities, and nonprofits. Applicants may apply for either an Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy grant or an Alternative Fuel Vehicles grant.

Winners from the 2012 CCC Program included Ozinga Indiana, RMC, which converted six diesel ready-mix trucks to compressed natural gas (CNG); Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light for a solar energy project; the Linton-Stockton School Corporation for a new HVAC system, new roof and boilers; and CNG truck conversions for Bestway.

Leading the Way in Sustainability

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Site Selection magazine is well known for its business climate rankings. It also features annual Sustainability Rankings that it says are based on statistical factors such as LEED-certified buildings, renewable energy use, brownfield funding, "green industry" facility projects and more.

Below are top 10 rankings for states, metro areas and foreign countries. Among individual measures for states, Massachusetts was No. 1 in energy efficiency, Washington for renewable energy generation and Pennsylvania for green industry projects per capita.

Top States

1. California

2. Oregon

3. Vermont

4. North Carolina

5. Arizona

6. New York

7. Minnesota

8. Washington

9. Texas

10. Pennsylvania

Top Foreign Countries

1. Canada

2. Germany

3. Brazil

4. Spain

5. China

6. United Kingdom

7. Italy

8. South Korea

9. Chile

10. Mexico

Top Metros (listing just the first city of metro area that typically encompasses three cities)

1. San Francisco

2. Washington, D.C.

3. New York

4. Chicago

5. Los Angeles

6. Phoenix

7. San Diego

8. Houston

9. San Jose

10. Boston

Washington Wants Your Help on Clean Energy Development

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Whether you agree or disagree with Washington’s approach to trying to rejuvenate the economy (referring to Recovery Act, stimulus and the like), one thing is clear. When the government is making money available, businesses would be foolish to at least not take a look to see if they could benefit.

The latest entry in that category comes from the Department of Energy (DOE), which last week announced $30 million in funding to help commercialize clean energy technologies. These are really first-time Phase III grants under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. If you’ve worked with the government funds before on clean energy projects, here’s the chance to do more — up to $3 million over three years.

The deadline for submission of applications is August 4. Learn more at the DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy site. Here are the specific areas where the agency wants to invest:

Biomass Technologies

  • Harvesting/Dewatering Technology for Algal Biofuels Production.

Buildings Technologies

  • Transitional Technology for Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs)
  • SSL Products made from Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs)
  • "Core" Technology for Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) 

Fuel Cell Technologies

  • Advanced Materials for Fuel Cell Technologies
  • Bio-Fueled Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
     

Geothermal Technologies –  High Temperature Tools and Sensors 

  • High Temperature Downhole Tools 
  • High-Temperature-High-Volume Lifting  
  • High Temperature Downhole MWD Tools for Directional Drilling
     

Industrial Technologies

  • Sensors and Controls  
  • Industrial Membrane Process Systems   
  • Advanced Materials 
  • Integrated Reaction-Separation using non-thermal processes
  • Mitigation of Heat Losses, Fouling, and Scaling in key Manufacturing Unit Operations. 
     

Solar Technologies – Lowering the Cost of Photovoltaics through Innovative Augmentation

  • Lightweight, Flexible and Low Cost Multi-junction Solar Cells
  • Static Module PV Concentrators
  • New Methods of Crystallizing Silicon

Vehicle Technologies

  • Technologies to Address Internal Heating in DC Bus Capacitors
  • Improved Magnetic Materials for Motors
  • Advanced Materials for Lightweight Vehicles
     

Wind Technologies

  • Advanced Wind Power Technologies and Systems  
     

Fossil Energy

  • Pollution control
  • Advanced power systems
  • Stationary power fuel cells
  • Clean fuels
  • Carbon sequestration
  • Recovery of oil, natural gas, and methane hydrates
  • Advances in materials, sensors, monitors, controls, biotechnology, and computational processes
     

Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability

  • Smart Grid Technologies and Systems
  • Electric Transmission Technologies
  • Superconducting Technology for Power Equipment 
  • Advanced Materials for Power Electronics and Energy Storage
     

Nuclear Energy

  • Advanced Instrumentation and Control, Radiation Resistant Sensors, and Wireless On-Line Monitoring Systems for Nuclear Power Plant Applications 

Rogers Staying in Energy Game for Next Five Years

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Duke Energy’s Jim Rogers has spent 20-plus years as a CEO in the energy industry (starting with PSI Energy in Plainfield in 1988). And despite his wife’s reaction of "what the heck were you thinking?," he acknowledged today at the Indiana Chamber’s Indiana Conference on Energy Management that he’s signed up for five more years.

"I love this industry," he told the conference attendees. And while he has seen many changes in his career, he adds, "The next five years are going to be more transformative for our industry than the last 20 have been."

Rogers shared 10 facts about the current and future energy outlook before answering numerous questions. Among his revelations:

  • By 2050, Duke will have to retire or replace virtually every power plant it is operating today
  • The company is the third largest generator of both coal and nuclear energy. It is currently building new coal and natural gas facilities, has two nuclear proposals being reviewed and is also active in various areas of renewables
  • While there will always be skeptics, he says the majority of scientists have spoken in favor of climate change and that he is a believer

Rogers thinks that the cap and trade legislation that passed the House earlier in the summer "will be improved by the Senate to minimize the cost impact to consumers. The transition, however, is not going to be free, not going to be easy and not going to be quick. It will take decades to make the transition, but we have to get to work on it now. Our mission has changed. We have to modernize and decarbonize our fleet to help our communities become the most energy efficient in the world."

Rogers’ take on three other issues:

  • China: "They’re moving fast. The reality is that China gets it. They’re the number one producer of solar panels; number one producer of wind turbines. They have 14 nuclear plants under construction. That’s why we’re partnering with them. We want to move at China time."
  • Industry employment: "Real jobs are going to be created if we rebuild the nuclear industry in the United States. There are no such things as green jobs; every job is a green job. It’s all about improving productivity and becoming more efficient. Let’s quit trying to draw lines."
  • Smart grid and energy efficiency: "I believe this will turn out to be the greatest enabler, and I can’t even envision today what it will enable." He explains that while Duke and other companies are currently focused on generation of power to the meter, the future includes writing software for specific energy uses. "Our energy efficiency will be driven by technology. The same way you throw the switch today and the lights come on, you will throw the switch and it will optimize your use of energy. The boundaries of our business are being fundamentally redrawn."