Department of Energy Awards $1.3 Million for Energy Programs in Mid-Atlantic States; Funding Will Support 15 Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects.

Business Editors

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 2003

Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham announced this week that the Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded more than $17 million for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects nationwide. The Department of Energy's Philadelphia Regional Office has awarded $1.3 million for 15 energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in the Mid-Atlantic region. Funding is being provided through the DOE's State Energy Program Special Projects competitive grants.

State Energy Offices will use these funds to improve the energy efficiency of schools, homes and other buildings; create opportunities for distributed energy resources; promote energy-efficient industrial technologies; and support renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and biomass.

"This funding supports our continued efforts in educating the Mid-Atlantic region on the value and need for sustainable energy through innovative programming," said Ellen D. Lutz, Regional Director, U.S. Department of Energy - Philadelphia Regional Office. "These programs -- designed to educate consumers about clean energy choices -- brings us closer to ensuring that consumers receive clean, affordable, reliable and abundant energy."

States, territories and the District of Columbia competed for these DOE awards which provide technology-specific funding in addition to annual formula grants award to each State Energy Office.

The Philadelphia Regional Office is responsible for administering Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) programs to the Mid-Atlantic Region which includes, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

The mission of the Philadelphia Regional Office is to ensure that federal programs for energy efficiency and clean energy technologies are implemented in the Mid-Atlantic Region, providing the region with a stronger economy, a healthier environment and a more secure future.

Award Amounts and Special Projects by State

Maryland was awarded $355,000 to support the State Industries of the Future and Distributed Energy CHP projects.

Pennsylvania was awarded $266,400 to support the Clean Cities, Biomass Power and Rebuild America projects.

Virginia was awarded $258,479 to support the Clean Cities, State Industries of the Future, Rebuild America, and Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) projects.

New Jersey was awarded $219,996 to support the Clean Cities, State Industries of the Future, and Residential Deployment projects.

The District of Columbia was awarded $150,000 to support the Clean Cities project.

West Virginia was awarded $100,000 to support the State Industries of the Future project.

Award Category Summaries

Clean Cities

Clean Cities is a voluntary, locally-based government/industry partnership designed to promote the use of alternate fuel vehicles (AFVs) and their supporting infrastructure. By encouraging AFV use, the Clean Cities program will help achieve energy security and environmental quality goals at both the national and local levels. In the Mid-Atlantic region, there are eight active Clean Cities coalitions: Greater Philadelphia, Delaware, Metropolitan Washington D.C., Metropolitan Baltimore, West Virginia, Pittsburgh Region, Hampton Roads and North Jersey.

Rebuild America

Rebuild America is a voluntary network of community partnerships determined to reduce energy costs by saving money locally. Rebuild America provides business and technical tools, customized assistance and information on alternative financing mechanisms to enable building owners and community leaders to successfully plan and carry out building energy projects that improve building performance, reduce energy use and costs and promote local economic development. There are currently 44 community partnerships in the Mid-Atlantic region, including one in Delaware, three in the District of Columbia, ten in Maryland, ten in New Jersey, five in Pennsylvania, eight in Virginia, and seven in West Virginia.

Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)

EERE's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) works with facility managers, engineers, architects, contract specialists, and utilities to save energy and money at federal facilities. FEMP services promote energy efficiency, water conservation, the use of distributed and renewable energy, and improved utility management decisions.

Distributed Energy Resources (DER)

Distributed Energy Resources (DER) refers to a variety of small, modular power-generating technologies that can be combined with energy management and storage systems and used to improve the operation of the electricity grid. Implementing DER can be as simple as installing a small electricity generator to provide backup power at an electricity consumer's site. Or it can be a more complex system, highly integrated with the electricity grid and consisting of electricity generation, energy storage and power management systems.

State Industries of the Future

Industries of the Future (IOF) is a partnership strategy of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT). OIT has successfully facilitated the development of industry visions and roadmaps (R&D pathways) for the agriculture, aluminum, chemicals, forest products, glass, metal casting, mining, petroleum and steel industries. The intent of the State IOF is to expand the national government/industry partnership to the state level. The Philadelphia Regional Office and the OIT are partnering with the states in the Mid-Atlantic region to pursue industrial energy efficiency goals at the local level. In the Mid-Atlantic region, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware have active State IOF programs.

Residential Deployment

The goal of the residential deployment effort is to develop self-sustaining energy efficiency programs for the existing home market that incorporates marketing efforts, builder training/certification, home inspections, and quality assurance of contractor work. The primary objective of this effort is to support seed efforts in new market areas, but DOE will consider funding expansion in existing programs. The projects do not have to be statewide; they may be limited to one or more metropolitan areas or media markets.

Biomass Program

EERE's Biomass Program partners with U.S. industry to foster research and development of advanced technologies that can transform our nation's abundant biomass resources into clean, affordable, and domestically produced biofuels, biopower, and high-value bioproducts. The two primary goals of this program are to:

-- Reduce dependence on foreign oil by developing liquid fuels

-- Create the domestic biomass industry.