The State Energy Program (SEP) selected 11 states for $5 million in competitive funds to advance innovative approaches for local clean energy development that will reduce energy bills for American families and businesses, protect the environment by reducing carbon emissions, and increase our nation’s energy security.
Area of Interest 1: State Energy Planning
| Recipient | Key Partners | DOE Investment | Project Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAINE (Governor's Energy Office) | Maine Governor's Energy Office; E2TECH and Maine Technology Initiative |
$284,022 |
The Maine Energy Planning Roadmap project will establish a stakeholder-driven strategy to meet the objectives set forth in the 2015 GEO Comprehensive Energy Plan. |
| NEW YORK (New York State Energy Research Development Authority) | Maine Governor’s Energy Office; Massachusetts Clean Energy Center; Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources; Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources; Clean Energy States Alliance | $592,683 |
New York and its partners will explore the potential for mutual action to develop offshore wind at the scale necessary to reduce costs and establish a regional supply chain. A final product of the project will be a detailed Regional Roadmap for the increased adoption of local and regional offshore wind policies and projects. |
| TENNESSEE (Office of Energy Programs) | NASEO; APX Inc.; GA Finance Authority; MI Economic Development Office; MN Pollution Control Agency; OR Department of Energy; PA Department of Environmental Protection; TN Department of Environment & Conservation; The Climate Registry. |
$800,000 |
Tennessee and its partners will develop a roadmap with potential pathways for voluntary adoption and implementation of a national energy efficiency registry. States will benefit from the roadmapping and registry exercise, as it will support multi-agency intra- and inter-state dialogue related to broader state energy and environmental planning and policy. |
| VIRGINIA (Division of Energy) | Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy; Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance; Virginia Energy Efficiency Council; Clean Energy Solutions | $300,000 |
Virginia will establish a public-private collaboration on energy efficiency in order to meet the Governor’s energy savings goal of 10% by 2020. The state will lead an effort to engage stakeholders, develop actionable recommendations, and a roadmap for markedly expanding energy efficiency as a resource in its portfolio. |
Area of Interest 2: Opportunities for Innovative Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Practices
| Recipient | Key Partners | DOE Investment | Project Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALASKA (Alaska Energy Authority) | Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium | $299,330 |
Alaska aims to reach underserved communities in rural areas of the state to undertake small-size energy efficiency projects. An Energy Efficiency Technical Assistance Center will be established that, among other services, will provide access to pre-qualified Small Project Energy Efficiency Developers that will provide audits and project development opportunities. |
|
MINNESOTA |
University of Minnesota; LHB (architecture, engineering and planning firm); Great Plains Institute | $299,353 |
Minnesota’s Next Generation Energy Act calls for cutting the state’s greenhouse gas emissions to 30% below 2005 base levels by 2025, and 80% by 2050. The Twin Cities Regional Climate Collaborative Project will provide energy planning resources to local governments within the Twin Cities metropolitan region. The final result of this project will be energy planning tools that local governments and other key stakeholders can use to support significant progress toward Minnesota’s sustainability, energy transition and greenhouse gas reduction goals. |
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MISSOURI |
VT Energy Investment Corporation; Ameren MO; Empire District Electric; Kansas City Power & Light; Laclede Gas Company; MO American Water Company; MO Energy Initiative; MO Public Service Commission; MO Dept. of Natural Resources; MO Office of Public Counsel; NRDC of Chicago; Renew MO; Sierra Club; Summit Natural Gas |
$268,232 |
Missouri will facilitate coordinated program planning across all MO utilities by developing a statewide Technical Reference Manual and a vision for Evaluation, Measurement and Verification (EM&V) 2.0. The state estimates this resource could stimulate an additional 20% participate rate in efficiency offerings. |
|
NEBRASKA |
University of Nebraska; Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality | $273,330 | Nebraska will benchmark energy usage data from 60 to 100 municipal wastewater plants in the State; at least 24 of the lowest performing plants will be offered technical and financial assistance to achieve savings of 20% or better. NE’s Dollar and Energy Saving Loan program will be expanded by adding $5 million dollars to the existing pool to offer 1% loans to municipalities undertaking technical assessments and implementing retrofits in their plants to reduce energy usage or minimize waste. |
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NEW HAMPSHIRE |
Public Service Company of New Hampshire (Eversource Energy); Granite State Electric and Energy North Natural Gas; Liberty Utilities; New Hampshire Electric Cooperative Inc.; Unitil | $300,000 |
The “Leading New Hampshire Wastewater Treatment Facilities Energy Efficiency” project aims to reduce electric energy use at New Hampshire’s 74 municipally-owned facilities through education, information sharing, comprehensive energy audits, and direct technical assistance. Focused educational workshops, facility-specific energy use data, and one-on-one technical assistance will be used to break down the time and knowledge barriers that currently limit implementation of energy efficiency measures by wastewater treatment facilities. |
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NEW MEXICO |
City of Espanola;, City of Mora; City of Taos; City of Tucumcari; City of Ruidoso | $300,000 |
New Mexico will leverage this funding to support five low-income communities in advancing energy management of their wastewater treatment facilities by creating energy teams, assessing energy consumption and energy savings opportunities, developing and implementing renewable energy and energy conservation plans, measuring progress and sharing lessons learned statewide. Energy Audits will occur at each facility and recommendations will be implemented to achieve a goal of 20% or more in energy savings. |
|
TENNESSEE |
TN Department of Environment & Conservation; AL Department of Economic and Community Affairs – Energy Division; AL Department of Environmental Management; University of Memphis (TN); EPA-Region 4;City of Atlanta; Georgia | $469,947 |
Tennessee and Alabama will advance the adoption of energy efficiency improvements in the wastewater and water treatment utility sectors – along with other underserved sectors – in at least 24 local governments in Alabama and Tennessee through onsite energy assessments and energy management implementation support. In addition to serving wastewater treatment facilities, TN will broaden the scope to include outdoor lighting projects, community centers and libraries. Alabama will focus solely on wastewater treatment facilities. The proposal includes plans to provide follow-up technical assistance to participants to help identify and procure sources of financing for energy and/or renewable energy improvements. |
|
VERMONT |
The States of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island; NEEP; MA Department of Energy Resources; Efficiency Vermont; Energy Futures Group; VT Public Service Department; VT Energy Investment Corporation; NASEO | $786,103 |
Vermont and 6 partner states will develop a Home Energy Labeling Information Exchange (HELIX) database so realtors (and new home buyers) can access Home Energy Score - a tool that allows homeowners to compare the energy performance of their homes to others nationwide - data in the Multiple Listing Services. The project builds upon recent efforts to “Green the MLS” that have created standard fields in the Multiple Listing Service data structure for energy efficiency data. This project takes the next step by developing a path to transmit the Home Energy Score data from efficiency programs to Multiple Listing Services. |