Another solar FOA will award $4.5 million over five years to a national administrator for the Solar Instructor Training Network, created in 2009 by DOE. The selected organization will serve as a national point of contact for the training network and will work with a broad set of stakeholders to define, prioritize, and address issues related to solar training and workforce development. Applications are due June 15.
See the PV Manufacturing Initiative FOA on Grants.gov and FedConnect, the PV supply chain development FOA on Grants.gov and FedConnect, and the FOA for the training network administrator on Grants.gov and FedConnect.
The other FOA will provide $39 million over four years for marine and hydrokinetic technologies. DOE intends to speed the technological advancement and commercial readiness of emerging water power technologies that can produce renewable, cost-competitive electricity by harnessing the energy of waves, currents, tides, and free-flowing rivers, or energy stored in ocean thermal gradients.
This FOA seeks to leverage private-sector investment in water power technologies by providing cost-shared funding to industry and industry-led partnerships to advance technological and operational readiness of water power systems and components. Applications are due June 7. See the FOA on Grants.gov and FedConnect.
DOE, Masdar Sign Clean Energy Pact
DOE and Masdar, a multifaceted renewable energy initiative in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, signed a MOU on April 26 to promote collaboration on clean energy technologies.
The agreement establishes a framework in three areas: water and biofuels, building technologies, and carbon capture and sequestration. The agreement opens the door for scientific and technical exchanges and joint research and development of clean energy technologies.
The bilateral agreement will foster viable renewable energy solutions as part of the Masdar Initiative, also known as the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, begun in 2006 to advance development and deployment of renewable energy solutions and clean technologies.
A key aspect of the initiative is to build Masdar City, a district on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi that aims to be the world's first carbon-neutral and zero-waste city. Masdar City is home to the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, which accepted its first graduate students in September 2009, and it also became the headquarters for the International Renewable Energy Agency in 2009. See the DOE press release and the Web sites for the Masdar Initiative and Masdar City.
USDA Proposes Rules for 3 Biofuels Programs
The USDA on April 16 invited public comments on proposed rules for three programs designed to increase U.S. production of advanced biofuels.
The Biorefinery Assistance Guaranteed Loans would establish guaranteed loan regulations to develop commercial-scale biorefineries and to retrofit existing facilities using an eligible technology. Under the proposal, there would be a rolling application process for loan guarantees, with loans capped at $250 million and covering no more than 80% of the total eligible project costs.
