Addressing Climate Change Yields 4.5M Clean Energy Jobs
Obama Announces $3.4B for Smart Grid
DOE: $151M for ARPA-E Projects
Plug-In Automaker to Reopen GM Plant
DOE: $24M Loan to Emissions Controls Manufacturer
Honda CR-Z Concept Hybrid Debuts in Tokyo
EPA Names Top 20 Green-Powered Schools
President Obama Announces $3.4B to Spur Smart Electric Grids
President Obama announced the largest single electric grid modernization investment in U.S. history on October 27, with DOE tapping $3.4 billion in ARRA funds for 100 projects. The funds will be matched by $4.7 billion in private investments.
According to the president, the smart grid projects will help build a "clean energy superhighway," with a goal of increasing energy efficiency and helping to spur the growth of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar power. The grants range from $400,000 to $200 million, and will reach every state except Alaska.
The grants will pay for installing over 2.5 million smart meters, which allow utility customers to access dynamic pricing information and avoid periods of peak electricity use, when power is most expensive. The grants will also support installation of other smart grid components, including 1 million in-home energy displays, 170,000 smart thermostats, and 175,000 other load control devices to enable citizens to reduce energy use.
The funding will help expand the market for smart washers, dryers, and dishwashers, so that U.S. residents can further control energy use and lower electric bills. The technologies can also better accommodate the use of plug-in electric vehicles and production of renewable energy from customer-owned systems, such as solar or wind systems.
Much of the funding will support upgrades to utility power grids, including installation of over 200,000 smart transformers, which will make it possible for power companies to replace units before they fail. Utilities will also install 850 sensors, which will cover the entire electric grid in the contiguous U.S., making it possible for grid operators to better monitor grid conditions and allow them to take advantage of intermittent renewable energy. Finally, utilities will install nearly 700 automated substations, which will make it possible for power companies to respond faster and more effectively to restore service when bad weather knocks down power lines or causes electricity disruptions. See the DOE press release, President Obama's comments, the awards by category (PDF 141 KB) or by state (PDF 68 KB), and a map of the smart grid projects (PDF 568 KB).
Report: Addressing Climate Change Yields 4.5M Clean Energy Jobs
In the process of addressing climate change, the US could net 4.5 million jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency by 2030, according to a new study. The report, "Estimating the Jobs Impact of Tackling Climate Change," was prepared for the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) by Management Information Services Inc.
The report finds that an estimated 1.2 billion tons of annual carbon emissions could be eliminated by 2030 through renewable energy and energy efficiency alone, if the country makes a serious commitment to reversing climate change.
According to the report, about 57% of the reduction in carbon emissions would be from energy efficiency and 43% would be from renewable energy. Professions that would gain the most jobs include farming, construction, professional services, trucking, and metal fabrication, with job benefits spread across the entire country. The greatest numbers of renewable energy jobs would be in solar, biomass and biofuels. A summary of the report is available now; the full report will be posted on October 30. See the ASES press release and a summary of the report (PDF 1.09 MB).
