09/10/2008 12:01 PM

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Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: September 10, 2008

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DOE Headquarters Inaugurates 205 kW Solar PV System

A new 205-kilowatt solar power system was turned on for the first time at DOE's Forrestal Building on Tuesday, in an inaugural ceremony led by Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman. The new rooftop solar electric system, designed and installed by SunPower Corp., consists of 891 solar PV modules and is 40-50 times larger than a typical residential system.

Each module is able to convert 18.5% of the sunlight hitting it into electricity, which is one of the highest conversion efficiencies available for purchase today. The system will generate about 200 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, providing up to 8% of the Forrestal complex's energy during peak hours and saving as much as $26,000 in utility costs in its first year of operation. Insulation incorporated into each module will provide additional energy savings by reducing the building's heating and cooling load, and the system will ultimately help DOE avoid the emission of 186 metric tons per year of greenhouse gases. See the DOE and SunPower press releases.

DOE's new solar power system will help it comply with the Executive Order President Bush issued in January 2007, calling for all federal agencies to reduce their energy consumption per square foot by 30% and requiring all agencies to use more renewable energy. In response, DOE developed the Transformational Energy Action Management (TEAM) initiative, with the aim of being the first federal agency to meet or exceed the energy efficiency and renewable energy requirements laid out in the Executive Order. For more information about the initiative, see the TEAM Web site.

DOE Awards $6.6 Million for State-Led Clean Energy Projects

DOE announced on Monday that it will award $6.6 million in competitive grants for 15 state-level projects, nine of which focus on developing policy and regulations to support gigawatt-scale clean energy capacity, and six of which focus on developing advanced building codes.

Of these awards, $4 million will go to the gigawatt-scale clean energy capacity projects, which will develop policy and regulatory frameworks that will enable gigawatt-scale clean energy, either through renewable energy or demand-side reductions. Although no cost share was mandated, state partners will contribute up to $1.8 million for these projects. The six advanced building codes projects will receive $2.6 million, which will assist states in developing and implementing residential, commercial, or overarching building codes. Along with its financial assistance, DOE will support these projects with ongoing technical assistance.

Of the nine clean energy capacity projects, three will go to states that are focusing on electrical grid infrastructure: Colorado will examine barriers and incentives to expand its transmission grid for renewable energy projects, while Hawaii and Maryland will examine policies for smart grid technologies that could encourage the use of renewable energy, demand-side management, and energy storage.

Two states will focus on financing: Michigan will develop four pilot projects for utility financing of customers' cost-effective clean energy projects, with each loan repaid using a portion of the consumer's energy cost savings, while Wisconsin will draft regulations for low-interest loans for renewable energy projects. Wisconsin will also aim to convert up to 25 old, small coal-fired power plants to burn wood instead.

In the Southeast, Georgia will develop a framework for integrating clean energy supplies into the energy infrastructure of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, while South Carolina will seek to overcome barriers for coastal wind, wave, and tidal energy projects. And in terms of energy efficiency, Arizona will create a streamlined and cost-effective home weatherization program, while Maine will partner with the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership to develop regional protocols for evaluating, measuring, verifying, and reporting demand-side resource impacts.

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