Show Me the Money: $2.4 Billion for NexGen Batteries and Electric Vehicles
48 new advanced battery and electric drive projects will receive a total of $2.4 billion under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The projects, which were selected through a competitive bidding process by the Department of Energy, will support U.S. manufacturing of batteries, electric drive components and electric drive vehicles. The dollar amount of the awards will be matched by the recipients and industry experts believe that the sum of $4.8 billion will create thousands of new manufacturing jobs in the U.S. battery and auto industries.
The awards were divided up as follows:
- $1.5 billion to produce batteries, battery components and to expand battery recycling capacity
- $500 million to produce electric drive components for vehicles
- $400 million to purchase thousands of plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles and charging stations.
Show me the Money: Green Jobs Grants
Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued $500 million for green job training. This money is being released through a series of competitive grants.
If you are an organization within Washington State, the Governor's Office requests that you submit a brief information form to the Governor's Evergreen Jobs Leadership Team. The Team is compiling a list of potential applicants which will be posted on a public website. The information on this list will be available for stakeholders to find grant partners and leverage resources.
A copy of the form is available here: http://www.wtb.wa.gov/documents/clearinghousegrantform.doc
U.S. Wind Industry Breaks Records in 2008, Gets a Boost From Secretary Chu
Today, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that 28 new wind energy projects will receive up to $13.8 million in funding for wind turbine research and testing and transmission analysis, planning, and assessments. Most of the $13.8 million comes from Recovery Act funds. Recognizing the struggles that Americans are facing in the current economic climate, Secretary Chu noted that the Recovery Act funds are intended to rebuild the fundamentals of the economy, in part by “spur[ring] a revolution in clean energy technologies.” Chu added that wind energy is a “critical factor” in achieving President Obama’s clean energy and job growth goals.
Secretary Chu’s funding announcement was coupled with the release of the Department of Energy’s 2008 Wind Technologies Market Report. As detailed in the report, the U.S. wind industry continues to reach impressive milestones. For the fourth year in a row, the U.S. boasted the fastest-growing wind power market. Also for the fourth consecutive year, wind power was the second largest new resource added to the electrical grid, contributing 42 percent of all new U.S. electrical generating capacity in 2008. As a result of increased demand for wind, the share of domestically manufactured wind turbine components increased dramatically in the last three years, with about 50 percent of these components now being manufactured in the U.S. In 2008, approximately 8,400 new domestic manufacturing jobs were added in the wind sector. Given these statistics, it is no wonder that cultivating a strong domestic wind industry is one of the keys to meeting the Obama Administration’s clean energy and economic recovery goals.
Show me the Money: $7.5 Million Available to Develop Commercial Energy Efficiency Training Programs
On June 26, 2009, the Department of Energy ("DOE") released a funding opportunity announcement ("FOA") to deploy $7.5 million in Recovery Act funds to further its goals of reducing energy consumption and achieving net zero-energy buildings (defined as buildings that produce as much energy as they consume). In order to reach these goals, DOE recognizes that a workforce must be created to help existing buildings reach, and new buildings keep, their full energy efficiency potential.
This specific FOA provides ten to thirty individual awards from $250,000, to $750,000 to develop training programs for three specific sets of commercial building specialists:
- Equipment technicians,
- Operators, and
- Energy commissioning agents/auditors
Entities involved with energy efficiency, professional development associations, trade training/development associations, universities, community colleges, technical trade schools, and apprenticeship programs are encouraged to apply.
Applications must be submitted by September 1, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
U.S. Department of Labor Announces US $500M For Green Job Training
U.S. Dept of Labor announced five grant competitions this week, totaling US $500 million, to fund projects out of Recovery funds that prepare workers for green jobs in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. Four of the competitions are designed to serve workers in need of training through various national, state and community outlets. These include Energy Training Partnership Grants, Pathways Out of Poverty Grants, State Energy Sector Partnership and Green Capacity Building Grants. The fifth competition, for State Labor Market Information Improvement Grants, will fund state workforce agencies that will collect, analyze and disseminate labor market information and develop labor exchange infrastructure to direct individuals to careers in green industries. See: link to DOL page: http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm
Washington's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Comprehensive Application
On May 11, the Washington Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (“CTED”) filed an application with the United States Department of Energy to receive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (“ARRA”) funds for Washington’s State Energy Program (“SEP”). The application contains funding for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and farm energy assessments. Once the SEP is approved, funding will commence through CTED with advice from the Clean Energy Leadership Council.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Loans and Grants Program
Washington’s SEP dedicates $38.5 million to a loan and grant fund for innovative renewable energy projects that use commercial or near commercial energy technologies. These funds may also be used for cost-effective energy efficiency projects. The goal of this program is to produce renewable energy or reduce energy consumption in a manner which leverages ARRA funds to create or retain as many jobs as possible. The first request for proposal (“RFP”) under this program should be issued in June 2009. CTED anticipates issuing up to 25 loans and 15 grants.
Community-Wide Urban Residential and Commercial Energy Efficiency Program
Washington’s SEP dedicates $14.5 million for the development and deployment of at least three large neighborhood based building energy efficiency projects. This will further the state’s policy goal of annually weatherizing twenty thousand homes and business over the next five years. The Washington State University Extension Energy Program will coordinate and collaborate with CTED on the design, administration, and implementation of the projects.
Energy Efficiency Credit Enhancement
Washington’s SEP provides $5 million toward credit enhancement mechanisms to generate high levels of leverage for energy efficiency projects that go beyond direct loans. CTED will create risk reduction mechanisms that allow financial institutions to lend to a broader pool of applicants with lower rates and longer loan terms. The risk reduction mechanisms include loan guarantees, loan loss reserves, credit enhancements, and leverage revolving loan funds.
The Farm Energy Assessments Program
Washington’s SEP directs $500,000 to increase on-farm energy efficiency. These funds will be used to create tools for farm energy analysis, and to train staff in the use of such tools. Afterwards, farmers will be provided with a tool to analyze current farm practices and proposed changes.
Clean Energy Leadership
Washington’s SEP will be carried with advice from the Clean Energy Leadership Council. The Clean Energy Leadership Council will consist of representatives from Washington’s major clean energy companies, supporting organizations, and the state’s legislature. The council will be co-chaired by the director of CTED. The Council will develop strategic recommendations to develop clean energy industries within Washington, review energy investments, and recommend potential clean energy programs and projects for possible federal funding through the SEP.
The Wind and Solar Power Industries Now Employ Twice the Number of Workers in the U.S. as the Coal Mining Industry
In the midst of an unprecedented amount of bad news surrounding the economy, the robust growth in employment in the wind and solar energy sectors has been receiving a lot of attention. Wind industry jobs have increased 70% over the past year, totaling 85,000 in 2008. These 85,000 jobs in the wind industry include some 13,000 manufacturing jobs, many of which are being filled by workers who lost jobs in other manufacturing industries, like the steel industry. Similarly, the solar industry employs more than 80,000 workers in the U.S.
CNNMoney.com ran an article earlier this week noting that the wind industry now outstrips the coal mining industry in number of workers. The article, “Wind Jobs Outstrips Coal,” noted that the coal mining and extraction industry employs about 81,000 workers. According to a 2007 U.S. Department of Energy report cited in the article, these numbers have been steady in recent years, but are down nearly 50% since 1986. Estimates for the total direct employment in the U.S. coal industry range from 136,000 to 174,000 workers, and includes those who mine coal, haul it by rail, barge and truck, and who operate and maintain coal-fired power plants. Thus, the solar and wind energy sectors have quickly caught up the coal industry in terms of overall employment and will soon surpass the coal industry in total employment.
These facts demonstrate the potential of renewable energy to lead the country’s economic recovery when you consider that renewable energy currently supplies a tiny portion of the nation’s electricity supply—about 3 percent—compared to coal, which supplies about 50 percent of our electricity.
