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| News and Events: Technical Assistance, Incentives, and Funding Opportunities: Upcoming Events and Activities: Resources and Guides:
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| TDEC Furthers Energy Efficiency at Tennessee Wastewater Treatment Plants Tennessee Public Works (TPW) magazine recently published an article about TDEC’s ongoing efforts to improve wastewater treatment energy efficiency across the state. These efforts began in 2011, when the TDEC Division of Water Resources and Office of Policy and Sustainable Practices (OPSP) created the Tennessee Water and Wastewater Energy Efficiency Partnership with stakeholders including EPA Region 4, the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and the University of Memphis. The Partnership provided no-cost technical assistance for water and wastewater facilities to identify operational strategies that could reduce energy consumption (and, often, nutrient discharge) and result in energy cost savings. In 2016, U.S. DOE provided a State Energy Program Competitive Award to the TDEC Office of Energy Programs (OEP) to continue the efforts of the Partnership and to help the State of Alabama implement a similar program. Over its lifespan, the Partnership assessed 41 water and wastewater systems across Tennessee and conducted 14 workshops to train operators on how to better run their facilities. The Partnership has also worked directly with participating operators to identify potential energy efficiency improvements. On average, implementation of these improvements has reduced a system’s annual energy costs by nearly 20% and, in some cases, reduced total nutrient discharge by 40%. Read more about TDEC’s wastewater system optimization efforts in the TPW November/December 2018 issue.
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| green|spaces Offers Workforce Development Program for Energy Services Field
Build it Green (BIG) is a workforce development program offered by green|spaces in partnership with Build Me a World and Empower Chattanooga. Based on Knoxville’s social equal energy efficiency development (SEEED) program, BIG is a paid, 12-week energy jobs training initiative for young adults from low-income communities. BIG prepares its participants for entry level jobs in the energy services field while equipping them to engage low-income residents in sustainability practices and programs, such as for residential energy efficiency and weatherization projects. BIG also provides job shadowing opportunities and job placement assistance for all participants. Learn more about the program here.
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| OEP Hosts K-12 Energy Education Workshops at Tracy City Elementary
Last week, OEP conducted two K-12 Energy Education Workshops at Tracy City Elementary School in Grundy County. These workshops reached 331 pre-K through eighth grade students as well as 28 educators from the school. As part of the workshops, OEP provided lessons and materials on electrical energy, including information on electromagnetic force, resonance, and energy transfer. OEP also brought in Super Science TN, a local organization that conducts educational science programming for kids, to provide a hands-on demonstration of tesla coils and dry ice experiments. Participating educators were provided energy education materials to take back to the classroom, including Electric Circuits Kitbooks and hand boilers (a tool that demonstrates heat and energy transfer). TDEC OEP has a long history of supporting K-12 Energy Education through professional development and student learning opportunities. OEP’s Energy Education Workshops link the broad topic of energy to the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects and provide educators with the knowledge and resources necessary to teach energy concepts. For more information regarding this program, please contact Angela McGee at Angela.McGee@tn.gov or 615-532-7816.
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| Local Partners form Chattanooga Research Collaborative
Last month, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, EPB, and Erlanger Hospital joined with the city, county, and local business accelerator groups to create the Chattanooga Smart Community Collaborative. All parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which outlined plans to complete research projects in energy, transportation, and health care innovations. Each partner organization will provide its own staff and funding for the collaborative, which will seek to provide real world, locally based solutions for self-sustaining research efforts that can improve quality of life in the area. Click here to read more about the collaborative.
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| TDEC to Support Tennessee's First STEM Design Challenge
The Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) promotes the teaching and learning of STEM subjects in K-12 schools across the state. TSIN will partner with TVA and TDEC to launch its first-ever statewide Design Challenge for Tennessee students, a competition where student teams will research sustainable growth strategies and then design and prototype a solution to reduce pollution through clean energy. Winning teams will present at a statewide expo in Nashville next spring. TDEC OEP and OPSP will provide resources and technical support to participating students throughout the competition. Interested schools may register here to participate. Watch the launch video below for more information. Good luck, students!
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| TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, INCENTIVES, AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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| U.S. DOE Announces Funding for Advanced Wind Turbine Generator R&D
U.S. DOE recently released a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to support the development of a lightweight, more efficient wind turbine drivetrain system (gearbox and generator, or direct drive generator) that minimizes the use of rare earth magnets and contributes to the scaling of wind turbine power capacities beyond 10 MW. This work will further U.S. DOE's goal to reduce the cost of energy from wind by decreasing nacelle and tower mass; reducing operation, maintenance, and replacement costs; and improving performance. Concepts papers are due December 13, 2018. Read the full FOA here.
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| U.S. DOE Announces FY 2019 Phase I Release 2 Topics
U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) recently announced plans to fund more than 100 new research and development projects under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, totaling approximately $20 million. Proposed projects can address the following topic areas: advanced manufacturing for fuel cells, geothermal, solar, or other projects; bioenergy; buildings; fuel cells; geothermal; solar; vehicles; water; or wind. Letters of Intent under Phase 1, Release 2 are due by December 17, 2018. Additional information on the SBIR and STTR programs is available here.
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| ITEAM Prize Rewards Innovators in Manufacturing Energy Efficiency
U.S. DOE recently announced its Individuals Taking Energy Action in Manufacturing (ITEAM) Prize, a competition to identify and celebrate the individual employees whose ideas and practices led to significant, measurable energy savings in U.S. manufacturing facilities. Up to five winners in each category of small, medium, and large manufacturers will be selected to receive a cash prize of $5,000. In addition to the cash prize, the winners will be recognized at the annual Better Buildings Summit and will have their winning ideas and practices highlighted on the Better Buildings Solutions Center website. Applications must be submitted by May 15, 2019 at 11:59 PM ET. Self-nominations are welcome. For questions about the prize competition, contact iteamprize@ee.doe.gov. Click here to apply.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
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| Applications Open for U.S. Solar Decathlon Build Challenge
U.S. DOE recently released the 2019-2020 Competition Guide to provide information on its solar design challenge, the Solar Decathlon. The purpose of this collegiate competition is to take buildings in the United States to the next level through a variety of advancements, including making them more affordable for American families; incorporating grid-interactive technologies; improving construction productivity; providing greater comfort and healthier indoor environments; and optimizing operational efficiency with resilient solutions that will stand the test of time. Participating students get hands-on experience and unique training that prepares them to enter the clean energy workforce. The winners of the Solar Decathlon competition are selected from the teams that best blend technology, market potential, and design excellence with smart energy efficiency and production.
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| Webinar: Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Program
TDEC OPSP will host a free webinar on December 12 at 2:00 PM CST to provide an overview of combined heat and power (CHP), including technologies, fuel diversity, and overall benefits of these systems. Presenters will share information on installed CHP projects in the state and will explain the types of support the Southeast CHP Technical Assistance Program (TAP) can provide to facilities across the region. For more information about the webinar, please contact Caleb Powell at caleb.powell@tn.gov or 615-532-0097.
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| TREEDC 2018 Renewable Energy Summit
The Tennessee Renewable Energy and Economic Development Council (TREEDC) will host its 2018 Renewable Energy Summit at Tennessee Technology University in Cookeville from December 13-14. This conference will feature a mayoral panel on best practices in economic development, energy efficiency, and innovation in renewable energy. Attendees will also hear from state and federal government leaders on the future of renewable energy and transportation, including a presentation from TDEC OEP’s Assistant Commissioner on the VW Settlement in Tennessee. A free networking reception for registered attendees will be held on the evening of December 13. Register for the event here. View the event agenda here.
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| OEP Accepting Applications for K-12 Energy Education Camps and Workshops Across TN
TDEC OEP plans to conduct three Energy Education Camps for K-12 Educators in 2019. The Camps are comprised of three-day training sessions and provide energy-related lesson plans and resources designed for use in the K-12 classroom. These lessons promote energy literacy as it relates to STEM subjects and introduce educators to topics including, but not limited to, electricity generation, consumption, and measurement; renewable energy; and energy efficiency and conservation. 2019 Camps will be hosted at the following dates/locations: - June 18-20: Cumberland Mountain State Park
- June 25-27: Roan Mountain State Park
- July 17-19: Natchez Trace State Park
Energy Education Camps are offered free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. All participating educators will receive $200 in materials to teach energy education topics in the classroom or afterschool programs, as well as receive a certificate of participation to receive professional development hours. Click here to access the 2019 Energy Education Camps application. Applications are due by April 5, 2019. Click here to learn more about the Camps program. For questions about the Camps program or OEP’s other K-12 Energy Education activities, please contact Angela McGee at Angela.McGee@tn.gov or 615-532-7816.
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| New Project Principles Released for Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contracts
The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and the Energy Services Coalition (ESC) have released a set of principles to help strengthen and expand the use of Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contracts (GESPCs). GESPCs are a form of public-private partnership under which customers can procure facility improvements without expending upfront capital; utility and operational savings delivered by the upgrades more than pay for the projects. The new NASEO-ESC Principles seek to strengthen the quality and performance of GESPC projects and increase confidence in GESPC by improving understanding and clarifying the roles and responsibilities of customers and the energy service companies (ESCOs) that construct the projects. The Principles emphasize the use of guidelines, standardized documents and methods, technical assistance, good measurement and verification of energy savings, and robust management and tracking practices. For more information, please contact Rodney Sobin at rsobin@naseo.org.
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