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| Technical Assistance, Incentives, and Funding Opportunities: Upcoming Events and Activities:
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| Erlanger Pilots Energy Saving Natural Gas Heat Recovery System Erlanger Health System is building a $13 million natural gas-fired energy system at its main campus, which hospital officials believe will be a showcase project for cutting energy, expenses, and pollution. Chattanooga's biggest hospital plans to install the 8-megawatt Combined Heat and Power facility next year in a former incinerator building to generate most of the electricity and most of the hot water consumed in the 2.5-million-square-foot medical complex. TVA is providing $6.75 million to match the hospital's investment under a green energy pilot program designed to encourage more efficiency through combined heat and energy facilities. The new energy system is estimated to help Erlanger save more than $1 million a year on the roughly $5 million of annual energy expenses for the main campus to heat, cool and power the hospital and adjacent medical offices. With the aid of TVA in the pilot program, Erlanger's investment should pay off in less than four years. For more information, click here.
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| Knoxville City Council Approves Citywide LED Streetlight Retrofit
As part of the contract, Siemens will perform turn-key design and installation services for the new LED lights. Installation of new lights is expected to begin in late 2017, with all work to be completed by June 30, 2019. By retrofitting Knoxville’s streetlights to LED technology, the City will save money, reduce energy use, and take a major step toward exceeding its goal of reducing municipal greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020. With anticipated energy and maintenance cost savings of $2 million annually, the investment will pay for itself in less than a decade. During the design phase, there will be multiple opportunities through public meetings and the demonstration installation for local residents and businesses to review and comment on the new proposed lighting. Additionally, project staff can be available to discuss the project and LED lighting plans with neighborhoods and other community groups. As the streetlight project progresses, the City will post updates online at www.knoxvilletn.gov/LED. For more information, click here.
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| Memphis Earns Top-10 Spot Among Mid-Sized Cities in Latest Rankings for ENERGY STAR Certified Buildings The City of Memphis was recently ranked 10th in the U.S. EPA 2017 list of mid-sized U.S. metropolitan areas with the most ENERGY STAR certified buildings. Cities are ranked on the list according to how many buildings in their area achieved ENERGY STAR certification in 2016. To qualify for the ENERGY STAR, a building must earn a 1 – 100 ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher, indicating that it outperforms 75% of similar buildings nationwide. In 2016, 38 Memphis-area buildings earned the ENERGY STAR.
Buildings in the Memphis area that earned the ENERGY STAR in 2016 include offices, schools, retail stores, distribution centers, and one hospital. In total, these thirty-eight buildings recorded energy savings of 187 million kBtu, cost savings of $4.1 million, and prevented emissions equaling 27,000 metric tons of CO2e. These savings represent the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power 4,000 homes for one year. FedEx, the largest employer in Memphis, had nine buildings in its World Headquarters campus earn the ENERGY STAR. Fourteen Shelby County Schools – ranging from elementary to high schools – also demonstrated their commitment to energy efficiency and stewardship by earning the ENERGY STAR last year. For more information, click here.
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| Loews Vanderbilt Hotel Highlighted as Showcase Better Buildings Project for Energy Efficiency U.S. DOE’s Better Buildings Initiative encourages businesses, local governments, educational institutions, and other community members to cut down on their energy usage. Over 900 organizations have joined the initiative and are looking for ways to raise the energy efficiency of their buildings in a strategic, cost-effective manner. With increased energy efficiency, these organizations encounter lower energy costs and separate themselves as leaders on environmental issues of our day. In June, the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville was highlighted by U.S. DOE as a showcase Better Buildings project. In 2015, the Loews hotel entered into U.S. DOE’s Better Buildings Challenge. By April 2017, Loews had reduced its energy consumption by 22%, saving approximately $328,250 per year. Replacing outdated roofing over the ballroom, updating the chiller system, and modifying the electric system in the elevators are the main renovations that the hotel employed. Upcoming changes to the hotel’s thermostat system will help staff decrease energy costs even more in the future. For more information on the Loews Vanderbilt’s energy efficiency successes and to read about other Better Buildings Challenge projects in Tennessee, click here.
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| Solar Projects Move Ahead in Chattanooga, Hawkins County
On July 11, EPB Chattanooga launched Chattanooga’s first community solar project, known as Solar Share. EPB worked with TVA on the Solar Share project, installing 4,408 solar panels. With 1.3 MW of solar power, the panels meet the average energy needs of around 130 homes. Elected officials who attended the launch ceremony said that the innovative Solar Share will inspire students to come up with new ways to utilize the sun’s power, especially since more Hamilton County schools have adopted STEM curriculum. The Solar Share program is part of TVA’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint by 60 percent by 2020 from the peak levels reached a generation ago. For more information, click here. In Hawkins County, Tennessee, solar energy provider Birdseye Renewable Energy recently welcomed local dignitaries to the Phipps Bend Industrial Park to celebrate the completion of its new solar energy farm. Comprised of more than 3,000 panels, the facility will generate enough energy to power about 92 homes. The new $1.8 million installation located on approximately six acres at Phipps Bend will generate $4,200 annually in rent for the Phipps Bend Joint Venture. For more information, click here.
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| TVA Launches Redesigned Renewable Webpage
TVA’s new renewables website, Valley Renewable Energy, is easy to navigate and offers clear information on renewable program offerings and solutions. Highlights of the redesigned site include pages and options on topics related to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. For more information and to view the site, click here.
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| U.S. DOE Announces Building Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) Funding Awards
On August 2, U.S. DOE’s Building Technologies Office announced that it is investing up to $15.8 million in 13 projects that will drive innovation in early-stage research and development for advanced building technologies and systems. The outcomes and advancements of these selected technologies will ultimately result in improving the efficiency of our nation’s buildings and will help American consumers and businesses save energy and money on their utility bills. Within the State of Tennessee, two heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) projects were selected: - Stone Mountain Technologies Inc. (Johnson City, Tennessee) will validate and analyze a gas-fired absorption heat pump that uses an ammonia-water absorption cycle.
- ORNL (Oak Ridge, Tennessee) will investigate a novel dehumidification process to avoid the excessive energy utilized by conventional approaches, through high frequency mechanical vibration of ultrasonic transducers to “eject” adsorbed water.
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| TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, INCENTIVES, AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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| TDEC Offering $4.5 Million in Recycling and Waste Reduction Grants
TDEC is now accepting applications for recycling and waste reduction grants totaling $4,500,000. Grant funding can be used toward purchasing recycling equipment, recycling rebates, the management of used oil/automotive fluids, convenience centers, education and outreach, and recycling measurement. All grants will support local governments’ efforts toward achieving their waste reduction and recycling goals. The application process is open until October 2. For more information and to apply, click here.
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| Pre-applications Open for Second Cohort of Innovation Crossroads Program
Innovation Crossroads matches aspiring early stage energy researchers with the experts, mentors, and networks in technology-related fields to take their world-changing ideas from R&D to commercial applications. The first cohort of entrepreneurs was announced earlier this year. The program at ORNL, in partnership with the U.S. DOE, is providing a runway for innovators who will disrupt the energy economy. Through an annual call, up to five entrepreneurs will be selected to work at Oak Ridge National Lab and transform their ideas and bring new ideas to the lab with financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Innovators will receive a fellowship that covers living costs, benefits and a travel stipend for up to two years, plus substantial financial support for collaborative research and development at ORNL. Each innovator will also be paired with a doctoral student from the University of Tennessee’s Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education for assistance with market research and customer discovery. To pre-apply for the second Innovation Crossroads cohort, click here. The official application will open September 19.
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| Hit Me With your SunShot Photo Contest
U.S. DOE’s SunShot Initiative has launched a photo contest in an effort to collect the best photos that contain solar energy technologies. Winning entries will be featured on SunShot’s webpage and in other collateral from the office. In addition to the $500 grand prize for the best overall photo, $250 prizes will be awarded to the best photos in eight categories, including solar installation, solar hardware and power electronics, and university research. All photos must be submitted by August 17. The winners will be announced no later than August 31. To view the official rules for the contest and to submit a photo, click here.
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| Opportunities for Graduates in Clean Energy
U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and various other organizations and institutions offer fellowships across the country for students and faculty alike to engage in clean energy-related research, internships, and/or career-building opportunities. To find out more about these opportunities, click here or here.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
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| Energy Management Workshop Series for Community Water Systems in Tennessee
The Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN) is currently seeking community water systems interested in participating in a no-cost Energy Management Workshop Series in Tennessee focused on using energy management practices to cut costs at your water system. Participants will receive one-on-one assistance on improving energy management. Assistance with rate setting and financial management will also be available to participating systems. The series is designed for water systems that serve 10,000 people or fewer. Multiple attendees from each water system are encouraged to attend, including elected officials. The workshops will take place during the week of August 21, the week of September 18, and the week of October 23. For more information and to register, click here.
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| TDEC Webinar: Materials Management
On September 13 at 1 pm Central, TDEC’s Office of Sustainable Practices will host a webinar on materials management. Specifically, Vaughn Cassidy with TDEC OSP and Kahley Malloy with Complete Recycling, LLC will touch on source reduction, the Tennessee Materials Market Exchange Network, and advice on choosing a recycling vendor. For more information and to register for the webinar, click here.
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| 2017 NASEO Annual Meeting
The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) 2017 Annual Meeting, which will take place from September 17-20 in New Orleans, will convene state, local, and private sector leaders of breakthrough, innovative, and effective energy policies and programs for a series of discussions on the future of U.S. energy systems and technologies. Join us for interactive sessions examining diverse energy markets and high-impact policies that build resiliency, state economies, and local communities. Feature discussions will cover community resiliency; state and local energy programs; cyber and physical security; intelligent energy systems; environment and sustainability; and technology innovation. To view the full agenda, click here. To register for the meeting, click here.
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| 2017 SEEA & AESP Southeast Conference
The 2017 Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance & Association of Energy Service Professionals’ Southeast Conference will be held in Atlanta, Georgia from October 16-18. With the recent emergence of beneficial electrification, this year’s conference will explore opportunities to optimize energy use in the Southeast by way of efficiency, demand response, the smart grid, renewables, storage, electric vehicles and more. To view the full agenda and to register, click here.
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| Nashville to Host Scrap to Profit Conference
From October 25-26, the Scrap Tire Research and Education Foundation, Inc., the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association and TDEC’s Office of Sustainable Practices and Division of Solid Waste will host the 7th Scrap to Profit Conference in Nashville. The conference will explore topics to drive innovation in the scrap tire industry, including current trends and future opportunities for tire derived fuel, civil engineering, and ground rubber markets. Also, the conference will spark ideas for new markets by addressing recent and coming innovations in scrap tire uses, including an update on pyrolysis and gasification technologies. The conference will also offer networking and educational opportunities to drive the future of scrap tire markets. For more information and to register, click here. .
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| Southeast Renewable Energy Summit
From November 1-3, the Southeast Renewable Energy Summit in Atlanta, Georgia will provide an opportunity for the renewable energy community to get the latest insights into the market and to meet the key players operating in and around the Southeast. Learn about the key trends impacting renewable energy project development, finance and investment in the Southeast and engage in networking with decision-makers driving the industry forward. To view the agenda and to register, click here.
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| Strategic Energy Management Evaluation Protocol
U.S. DOE and NREL have published additional protocol for estimating energy savings through the Uniform Methods Project protocols, which provide a straightforward method for evaluating gross energy savings for residential and commercial measures and programs offered by ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs in the United States. For more information and to read about the protocol development process, click here.
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| Resources on Energy Efficiency Potential for States
U.S. DOE recently released a new national study prepared by the Electric Power Research Institute, which estimates state-level cost-effective electric energy efficiency potentials. Nationally, the study finds 741,000 GWh of cost-effective electricity savings potential over the period 2016 to 2035. In addition, U.S. DOE’s State and Local Solution Center provides resources on energy efficiency savings opportunities and benefits, including recent state-level energy savings potential estimates for single family homes, the manufacturing sector, building energy codes, and combined heat and power.
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| LED Outdoor Lighting Toolkit Over the course of the last two years, TDEC OEP participated in the U.S. DOE’s Outdoor Lighting Accelerator, which worked to help state and local governments move toward a clean energy economy using high performance outdoor street lighting. While LED street lighting technology is gaining greater acceptance in some regions across the country, market perceptions and barriers still prevent municipalities from taking full advantage of the energy savings and cost benefits of high-performance lighting, especially LED upgrades. The resulting toolkit from the Accelerator’s work captures some of the lessons learned, best practices, and technical resources that were compiled. To access the toolkit, click here.
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| IEA World Energy Investment Report The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently released its World Energy Investment report, covering 2016 global energy investments. IEA estimates that $231 billion was invested in energy efficiency products and services worldwide, a 9% increase from its 2015 estimate. For the first time, the agency provides an estimate of efficiency spending in just the United States: $41 billion. IEA does not provide a sector breakout for the United States, but worldwide, it estimates about 58% of these investments is in buildings, about 26% is in transportation, and 16% is in industry. To view the full report, click here.
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| ACEEE Report on Natural Gas Efficiency Opportunities The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently released its World Energy Investment report, covering 2016 global energy investments. IEA estimates that $231 billion was invested in energy efficiency products and services worldwide, a 9% increase from its 2015 estimate. For the first time, the agency provides an estimate of efficiency spending in just the United States: $41 billion. IEA does not provide a sector breakout for the United States, but worldwide, it estimates about 58% of these investments is in buildings, about 26% is in transportation, and 16% is in industry. To view the full report, click here.
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