DOE

Largest-Ever Single Corporate Contribution to to Advance Student Achievement New York City Public Schools

NEW YORK, NY, June 30, 2008 -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and GE Chairman and CEO Jeffrey R. Immelt today announced that the GE Foundation, the philanthropic organization of General Electric Company, has awarded the New York City Department of Education (DOE) a five-year grant of $17.9 million, the largest-ever single corporate contribution to New York City public school system. The grant will support initiatives to better prepare middle school students for college and career opportunities, with a particular focus on improving achievement in math and science.    » read more »

June 13, 2008 -- Proactive energy management policies and energy efficiency efforts to improve process, thermal, and motor-driven systems were already in place at the Boise Inc. paper mill in St. Helens, Oregon, when it participated in a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Save Energy Now energy assessment. After implementing several assessment recommendations, the Boise Inc. St. Helens mill saved $1 million in energy costs and 154,000 MMBtu in natural gas with a simple payback of 1 month.    » read more »

Adds Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle to Department’s Fleet

June 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Andy Karsner today announced up to $30 million in funding over three years for three cost-shared Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) demonstration and development projects.

The selected projects will accelerate the development of PHEVs capable of traveling up to 40 miles without recharging, which includes most daily roundtrip commutes and satisfies 70 percent of the average daily travel in the U. S. The projects will also address critical barriers to achieving DOE’s goal of making PHEVs cost-competitive by 2014 and ready for commercialization by 2016.    » read more »

Sen. Menendez commends Department of Energy for investing in energy efficient technology, expresses concern that commercialization goal is as late at 2016

June 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON –Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that they will award up to $30 million in funding over three years for three cost-shared Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) demonstration and development projects.

Early plug-in hybrid electric conversion: Photo by Steve Jurvetson (CC)    » read more »

June 3, 2008 -- NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Research performed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility has found that protons are about 20 times more likely to pair up with neutrons than with other protons in the nucleus. The result will be published online by the journal Science, at the Science Express website.

The result, based on the first-ever simultaneous measurement of such pairings and their constituents, could have implications for understanding the structure of nuclear systems from light nuclei to neutron stars.    » read more »

June 3, 2008 -- The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today announced projects that will enhance the nation’s ability to realize the full potential of wind power across the United States.

The projects include: a new wind turbine blade test facility to be constructed in Texas; a partnership between NREL, DOE, and a state consortium led by University of Houston; a just-signed agreement with Siemens Power Generation to locate and test a commercial-scale wind turbine at NREL’s National Wind Technology Center; and, a new Siemens research and development facility in Boulder, Colo., which will work closely with NREL on advanced wind power technologies.    » read more »

Governor Lauds Decision

June 3, 2008, Juneau, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today lauded the decision by the U.S. Energy Department to approve the application of Marathon Oil Corporation and ConocoPhillips for an extension of the Kenai Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Plant export license. The two companies filed for the extension in January 2007.

“In these times of economic uncertainty, this is great news for the state and its residents,” Governor Palin said. “This extension will secure a future for the LNG operation and is another step toward ensuring energy supplies and energy security for Alaska.”    » read more »

May 20, 2008 -- U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels increased by 1.6 percent in 2007, from 5,888 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MMTCO2) in 2006 to 5,984 MMTCO2 in 2007, according to preliminary estimates released today by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The economy, as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), grew by 2.2 percent and energy demand rose by 1.7 percent indicating that energy intensity (energy use per unit of GDP) fell by 0.5 percent. Carbon dioxide intensity (carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP) also fell by about 0.5 percent.

Factors that drove the emissions increase included weather conditions that increased the demand for heating and cooling services and a higher carbon intensity of electricity supply.    » read more »

DOE Report Analyzes U.S. Wind Resources, Technology Requirements, and Manufacturing, Siting and Transmission Hurdles to Increasing the Use of Clean and Sustainable Wind Power

May 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) today released a first-of-its kind report that examines the technical feasibility of harnessing wind power to provide up to 20 percent of the nation’s total electricity needs by 2030.

Wind turbine, night: Photo by Kevin White (CC)    » read more »

May 10, 2008 -- Eighty-eight teams from 29 Colorado schools participated in today’s Junior Solar Sprint and Hydrogen Fuel Cell car competitions hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Teams used either a solar cell and motor or a fuel cell and motor to design and build solar or hydrogen powered vehicles.    » read more »

Spring and the Summer-Grade Gasoline Price Bump

For many, the sight of a bird’s eggs hatching or tulips blooming signifies the arrival of spring. Historically, spring is also the time for rising gasoline prices. Over the last 10 years, the monthly average retail price for regular-grade gasoline has increased by an average 7 cents a gallon from April to May. In EIA’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, the average gasoline wholesale price for May is projected to increase by 10 cents per gallon from last month.    » read more »

05/06/2008 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded $65.6 million to support the California Energy Commission's West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (WESTCARB) research:

"California is a leader in the fight against global warming, and this money will help us in reaching our climate change goals. It also underscores the need for continued funding to research new technologies. Over a short period of time-just four years-this carbon capture and storage project has the potential to remove one million tons of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere. These are the kinds of innovative technologies that we need to win the battle against greenhouse gas emissions."    » read more »

May 5, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced up to $7.5 million in federal funding for research and development to help advance the viability and cost-competitiveness of advanced water power systems.

Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), DOE seeks partnerships with U.S. industry and universities to develop innovative and effective technologies capable of harnessing water power energy resources, including ocean wave, tidal, current and other water-based resources.

Photo by watch4u (CC)    » read more »

$15 million Hawaii project to install electrical distribution system at Maui substation

April 21, 2008 -- HONOLULU – Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Kevin Kolevar today announced the selection of a Hawaii project as part of a nationwide demonstration to modernize the country’s electricity grid system.

Hawaii powerlines: Photo by Quinn Dombrowski (CC)    » read more »

March 31, 2008 -- HONOLULU – Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle today announced a collaborative public-private partnership to establish a wind technology program on Maui as part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to increase Hawaii’s energy independence.

A wind farm near Hawi, Hawaii: (photo: NREL)    » read more »