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| Technical Assistance, Incentives, and Funding Opportunities: Upcoming Events and Activities:
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| Tennessee Joins ENERGY STAR Task Force to Bolster Energy Efficiency Efforts in K-12 Schools
The ENERGY STAR Task Force was announced on February 10 at the 2016 National Association of State Energy Officials’ (NASEO) Energy Policy Outlook Conference. The Task Force, a partnership between NASEO and EPA, will work with NASEO State and Affiliate Members to develop policy and programmatic recommendations, resources, and best practices to be shared through the broader Buildings Committee and NASEO membership at-large. The Task Force will deploy ENERGY STAR resources and program models to accelerate state-wide efficiency efforts targeting state-owned buildings and key markets such as K-12 schools, commercial, industrial, and multifamily sectors. Additionally, State Energy Offices will work with EPA and NASEO to leverage ENERGY STAR in ongoing activities such as benchmarking programs and efforts to streamline access to building energy data. In addition, the Task Force will make recommendations on the States’ specific needs for tailored ENERGY STAR education, training, and recognition activities. For more information, contact Alexa Voytek at alexa.voytek@tn.gov.
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| City of Chattanooga Joins U.S. DOE's Better Buildings Challenge
On January 19, Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke announced that the City of Chattanooga has accepted U.S. DOE’s Better Buildings Challenge. Since 2013, the City has reduced its energy use by over 11 million kilowatt hours by making relatively simple changes, like installing and utilizing controls for HVAC and lighting. However, over 70 percent of Chattanooga’s contribution to harmful emissions comes from their municipal building portfolio, which includes over 200 buildings and approximately two million square feet. On average, these 200 buildings use about 250 million kilowatt hours of energy per year. By taking the Challenge, the City of Chattanooga commits to reducing its energy use by 20 percent over a 10 year period. The city is also encouraging other businesses and organizations to take part in the Better Buildings Challenge. The initiative is free and provides access to technical expertise from U.S. DOE to help achieve energy-savings goals. For more information on the Better Buildings Challenge, visit http://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/.
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| Bridgestone to Receive $1.25 Million to Develop Fuel-Efficient Truck and Bus Tires
Tennessee-based Bridgestone Americas and Pennsylvania-based PPG have been selected to receive $1.25 million from U.S. DOE to collaborate on improving the fuel efficiency of truck and bus radial tires. The goal of this project will be to develop prototype tires that help trucks and buses achieve fuel-efficiency improvements of 4-6% while maintaining or improving tear strength and tread wear. In particular, Bridgestone and PPG will utilize PPG’s AGILON® performance silica platform, which is a chemically modified precipitated silica that can improve the performance of rubber products. According to DOE reports, heavy-duty vehicles comprise only 4 percent of all vehicles on U.S. roads but consume approximately 20 percent of all fuel. PPG estimates that if even 25 percent of all tractor-trailers on the road improved fuel efficiency by 4 percent, they would consume 750 million fewer gallons of diesel fuel annually, saving nearly $2 billion and reducing carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions by nearly 8 million metric tons.
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| Smoky Mountains National Park Featured for Its Implementation of Alternative Fuels
Smoky Mountains National Park was recently featured in a video by U.S. DOE’s Clean Cities program, for its successful promotion and implementation of alternative fuels. In September of 2015, Great Smoky Mountains National Park held two ribbon cutting ceremonies to celebrate the operation of 10 new pieces of alternative-fueled equipment. Of note, the park was the first park in the National Park Service to install DC Fast Charging infrastructure, which can recharge a compatible vehicle in roughly 20 minutes. The park also converted 5 gasoline-powered mowers to run on propane autogas and replaced 3 gasoline-powered vehicles with low-speed electric vehicles. These conversions, installations and replacements have helped the park as well as the public in the effort to reduce harmful emissions from mobile sources. Furthermore, the park has also added signage, reminding visitors not to idle their cars or buses unnecessarily. Be sure to check out the video, which features the work of the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition, the Land or Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition, Nissan USA, Blackbear Solar Institute, and the National Park Service to make such a great project come to life.
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| UT Martin Receives USDA Award to Develop Mobile Energy Classroom
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| ORNL to Support Two New DOE-Funded Nuclear Power Plants
U.S. DOE recently announced the selection of two companies, X-energy and Southern Company, to each receive $6 million in funding to further develop advanced nuclear reactor designs. These awards both have a multi-year cost share commitment of up to $80 million. Tennessee-based Oak Ridge National Labs will assist both projects in addressing key technical challenges related to the design, construction, and operation of next generation nuclear reactors, with potential for demonstration by 2035. X-energy will work with ORNL, BWX Technologies, Oregon State University, Teledyne-Brown Engineering, SGL Group and Idaho National Laboratory to develop the fuel manufacturing methodology needed to supply the Xe-100 Pebble Bed Advanced Reactor. ORNL specifically will provide technical expertise for the development of spherical fuel pebbles containing TRISO. Southern Company will work with ORNL, TerraPower, EPRI and Vanderbilt University to further improve the design of molten chloride fast reactors (MCFRs). This project builds off of ORNL’s historic work in molten salt reactor technology, and the lab will assist primarily with the development of reactor systems and technology, safety assessment and licensing strategy, materials assessment and fabrication methods, chlorine isotope separation methodology, and salt purification and property measurement.
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| TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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| TDEC Announces 2016 Energy Education Camps for K-12 Educators
Applications are currently available online for the TDEC 2016 K-12 Energy Education Camps. These four-day educational sessions will provide K-12 educators with information and resources needed to teach the science of energy and energy conservation in the classroom. While a school may be represented by one educator, it is highly recommended that teams of two educators from a school attend the camp and work together to develop and conduct an energy education program. K-12 educators are invited to apply for one of the following two camps: - Montgomery Bell State Park in Dickson County, June 6-10, or,
- Pickwick Landing State Park in Hardin County, June 13-17
At Energy Camp, educators will participate in learning activities that make energy tangible and fun. Educators will leave Energy Camp with increased background knowledge of the science of energy, energy conservation, and clean energy technology, and will be prepared to involve students in service learning projects that promote environmental stewardship in their schools and communities. The TDEC Office of Energy Program’s K-12 Energy Education Camps are funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy‘s State Energy Program. For more information, contact Angela McGee at Angela.McGee@tn.gov or 615-532-7816.
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| Increase in TVA Electric Forklift Incentive, Effective March 8
Electric forklifts have lower operating costs, less emissions, less maintenance, and quieter operation. As part of its EnergyRight Solutions for Business and Industry program, TVA is offering limited-time only cash incentives for the purchase or lease of all-electric forklifts. All TVA directly served customers, Local Power Company (LPC) customers, and LPC-served customers who have an existing qualifying forklift are eligible. This incentive will increase to $5,000 for the replacement of internal combustion Class 4 (cushion tire) and Class 5 (pneumatic tire) forklifts with electric-powered Class 1 (counter-balance) or Class 2 (narrow aisle) forklifts for applications received March 8, 2016, through August 31, 2016. This new incentive is designed to increase participation and further reduce the gap between the cost of internal combustion and electric forklifts. During the same period, a $3,000 incentive will be extended for the purchase of new Class 1 and Class 2 electric forklifts. For more information about the electric forklift program, please click here or contact Brandie Jones at nrevforklifts.tva@lmco.com or 615-248-0236.
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| Solar Energy Evolution and Diffusion Funding Opportunity
U.S. DOE is making over $20 million available for projects that seek to reduce soft costs associated with solar technologies, particularly the financing, permitting, and installation costs, which now account for over half the cost of a residential solar installation on average. The funding opportunity consists of two topic areas: - Solar Energy Evolution and Diffusion Studies: This topic is targeted at projects that examine how solar technologies, the electric grid system, and the institutions that create the solar business marketplace support or impede the evolution and diffusion of solar by partnering researchers with data and energy practitioners.
- State Energy Strategies: Although solar installation nationwide is growing fast, this activity has been concentrated to relatively few states, with over 90% of U.S. solar installations located in 10 states. This topic area directly tackles the soft costs and market barrier challenges at the state and regional level by seeking to maximize the benefits of solar electricity through energy and economic strategic planning. In particular, this program will target partnerships between states and utilities/electricity sector entities that look to increase solar deployment in their region. This will be achieved through analytical support to develop and implement strategies to: determine or expand renewable energy and other goals, such as: maximizing emissions reductions; hedging against fuel price volatility; creating jobs; expanding access to electricity; and/or increasing grid resiliency, among others.
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| Plug-in EV Charging Tax Credit for Workplace Charging Installations
By way of H.R. 2029, the U.S. Congress reinstated the alternative fuel infrastructure property tax credit on fueling equipment installed for natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (propane), liquefied hydrogen, electricity, E85, or diesel fuel blends containing a minimum of 20% biodiesel. The incentive originally expired on December 31, 2013, but was retroactively extended through December 31, 2016. Of note, this tax credit can provide up to $30,000 towards a workplace charging installation for plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging. Because the tax credit is retroactive, businesses can claim it either if they have installed a charger since January 2015 or if they will install one through December 2016. For technical assistance or information related to workplace charging in Tennessee, please visit www.DriveElectricTN.org or contact Jonathan Overly at jonathan@etcleanfuels.org. Consumers who purchased qualified residential fueling equipment prior to December 31, 2016 may also receive a tax credit of up to $1,000. For more information, visit http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/10513.
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| U.S. DOE Launches Energy Materials Network
On February 24, U.S. DOE announced the launch of its Energy Materials Network, which is a national lab-led initiative that will leverage $40 million in federal funding to decrease the time-to-market for advanced materials innovations critical to many clean energy technologies. Through targeted consortia offering accessible suites of advanced R&D capabilities, the network will accelerate the development of materials to address U.S. manufacturers’ most pressing challenges. Current consortia topics include improved vehicle efficiency through lightweight materials, the replacement of platinum group metals for hydrogen fuel cells with more abundant and inexpensive substitutes, and the development of caloric cooling technologies to reduce the U.S. energy demand for cooling. For more information, visit http://energy.gov/eere/energy-materials-network/energy-materials-network.
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| Funding for USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
USDA Rural Development’s REAP creates economic development opportunities for agricultural producers, rural small businesses, farmers and ranchers by supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. REAP grants provide a 25% reimbursement of the total system costs, with a maximum grant of $500,000 for renewable energy systems and $250,000 for energy efficiency systems. Within the State of Tennessee, rural small businesses already benefit from over $2 million in USDA grants.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
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| Tennessee Environmental Conference
The Tennessee Environmental Conference will take place on March 15-16 in Kingsport, Tennessee. This conference focuses on improving the environment and public health. During its 14-year history, the Environmental Conference has provided the leadership necessary to substantially bridge the gap between the economic, health, environment and industrial sectors. The Tennessee Environmental Conference is planned by a committee representing academia, industry, government and community organizations that have a vested interest in improving health, environment and our economy in Tennessee. For more information, visit: http://tnenvironment.com.
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| UT, TDEC & TVA Forum on Energy Efficiency, Conservation & Low-Income Households
On March 31, UT, TDEC & TVA will host a forum on Energy Efficiency, Conservation & Low-Income Households at the University of Tennessee’s Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy. The forum will look at this issue from the viewpoints of: Economics and Consumer Behavior, Energy Programs: New Construction and Retrofits, and Utility Companies' Perspectives. This event is free and lunch is provided, but attendees must register in advance and seats are limited. A lunch keynote and additional panelists will be added to the agenda.
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| Environmental Council of the States Spring Meeting
The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) is the national non-profit, non-partisan association of state and territorial environmental agency leaders. The purpose of ECOS is to improve the capability of state environmental agencies and their leaders to protect and improve human health and the environment of the United States of America. The 2016 ECOS Spring Meeting, which will take place on March 15-16 in Nashville, will focus on “Pathways to Partnerships: Advancing Environmental Protection.” Confirmed guest speakers include U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Acting Deputy Administrator Stan Meiburg, General Counsel Avi Garbow, and Science Advisor Thomas Burke; Major General Donald E. Jackson of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Assistant Attorney General John Cruden; author Bryn Barnard on the environment-public health nexus; former ECOS President Richard Opper, now Director of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services; and Nashville Mayor Megan Barry.
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| Environmental Show of the South
The Environmental Show of the South is the largest and most comprehensive environmental conference and tradeshow in the region. Its goal is to provide high-quality, low-cost environmental training as well as updates on government/industry developments and trends, with a particular focus on solid and hazardous waste issues. The 45th annual event will be held on April 20-22, 2016, at the Gatlinburg Convention Center. This conference will feature speakers from leading environmental agencies, industry partners, law firms, and service providers. Learn about compliance from regulators and the regulated community alike, and speak one on one with your favorite permit writer. The exhibit hall will also showcase vendors offering a full spectrum of environmental goods and services. For more information, click here.
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| 2nd Annual TDEC Sustainable Transportation Awards & Forum
The second annual TDEC Sustainable Transportation Awards & Forum will take place on May 12-13 at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The forum will cover a diverse array of transportation-related topics, including infrastructure, planning, fleets, and fuels. The keynote will be delivered by Proterra, the nation’s leading provider of battery all-electric transit buses. The morning address on May 13 will be delivered by Kevin Triplett, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. To register for the event, click here. An awards luncheon will be held on the second day of the forum, and will include remarks from Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau and Tennessee Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Toks Omishakin. The awards recognize outstanding initiatives within the State of Tennessee to reduce transportation-related energy and emissions, in line with an overarching effort to save natural resources, improve the health and well-being of Tennesseans, and create efficiencies in the delivery of goods and services. To apply for an award, click here. 2016 forum panel topics will include: - Innovation in fleets and fuels
- Cleaner technology for off-road, nontraditional transportation
- One Big Idea – overviews of winning projects and ideas to move toward a more environmentally friendly future for all things transportation
- Sustainable Transportation Research and Development
- Local Government Planning (greenways, bike share programs, etc.)
The forum will also feature a roadshow of alternative fuel vehicles, as well as the launch of the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition Tennessee Green Fleets certification program. This program is a new opportunity for any Tennessee-based fleet to receive certification for its efforts toward reducing petroleum consumption, improving air quality, and increasing the use of alternative fuels or advanced vehicle technologies. For inquiries related to the Tennessee Green Fleet program, please contact Jonathan Overly at jonathan@etcleanfuels.org.
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