WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today highlighted its renewable energy and energy efficient building design assistance - valued at up to $1.25 million - in rebuilding the City of Greensburg, Kansas, one of the first cities in the country to power its homes and businesses through continuous renewable energy.  Following the tornado that hit Greensburg last year, DOE dedicated a team of experts to advise Greensburg in construction of an advanced wind energy system and the use of efficient building technologies and designs.

“Working with the City of Greensburg we are helping to harness the potential of wind power – one of Kansas' best renewable energy sources,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman said.  “Increasing America’s wind energy capacity is a vital part of our energy strategy and will help us meet the President’s goal to stop the growth of greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.  Through the use of new energy efficient building technologies and designs, we are also helping citizens of Greensburg tap the most abundant source of new energy – the energy that is wasted everyday.”

The City of Greensburg has announced plans to lead by example as a model for sustainability by pursuing common-sense green solutions including wind energy, while retaining its roots as a small rural community. In the state with the third highest potential for wind energy in the country, the City of Greensburg chose to pursue the development of a three to four megawatt wind energy system.  This system is expected to generate enough electricity over the course of a year to meet the pre-tornado base load of Greensburg, and most of its additional peak load.  The City’s decision followed months of energy analysis by DOE and other partners as well as consultation between DOE experts and city officials, local utility partners, the Kansas Energy Office, and potential power providers.  The community will be connected to the grid during the times that wind does not blow sufficiently, and the system will include biodiesel-powered generators for emergency backup, that also provide renewable power.

“We want to harness the wind and make it work for our citizens. What makes Greensburg’s system unique is that we also want the electricity from the grid to be scheduled so that what we get will always be from a green source. ” City Administrator Steve Hewitt said. “This means that a business located in Greensburg can use electricity that is ‘100% Renewable, 100% of the Time’– an important factor as we work to build a clean and sustainable energy environment.  The help from DOE has been absolutely critical through this whole process.”

DOE received a call requesting assistance two weeks after the tornado hit and met with Greensburg officials two weeks later. DOE then opened an office in Greensburg to provide commercial and residential users with advice on renewable and energy efficient options in reconstruction planning.  DOE committed a team on the ground of experts from its National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado to conduct detailed studies, develop renewable energy and efficiency business strategies and assemble various financing and ownership options to produce or procure renewable energy technologies.

DOE joined with Greensburg to advise the city residents and commercial building owners on opportunities to improve energy efficiency in their new buildings. In conjunction with Berkebile Nelson Immenschuh McDowell, an architectural firm also advising the city on planning, DOE helped the city develop and pass a City Resolution for all city buildings larger than 4,000 square feet be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum with 42 percent or better energy savings; the first city in America to pass such a requirement, specifically through the LEED green building rating system. The LEED green building rating system™ encourages the adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of global performance criteria.

DOE provided building design specifications and training for over a hundred homeowners and builders to rebuild using clean energy technology and green buildings practices.   As an example, DOE provided design support for an affordable housing project, Mennonite Housing in Greensburg, where over 20 homes are being built with the help of USDA, United Way, and local residents.  This housing project is expected to be 40-50 percent more energy efficient than previous homes built to code, substantially reducing the homeowner’s monthly costs.

DOE has committed FY 2007 funding of $1.25 million towards energy technical assistance in Greensburg.  In FY 2008 DOE will provide Greensburg with a minimum of $0.5 million of additional funding to continue efforts in efficient housing and commercial buildings, and provide wind generation technical support.  Additional priorities will be determined in conjunction with the city.

The U.S. has almost 17,000 megawatts of wind installed across the nation today; an additional 3500 megawatts are currently under construction. Leading the world in annual wind capacity installations for the past two years, the United States is projected to lead the world in overall installed capacity by the close of 2009. In 2007, wind was 30 percent of all new electricity capacity installed and since 2001 wind energy installations have grown 475 percent.

Learn more about the Department of Energy’s energy efficiency and renewable efforts and the City of Greensburg’s progress.

Media contact(s):
Jennifer Scoggins, (202) 586-4940