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Newsletter Archive
| June 2005 Biobased Fuels, Power and Products Newsletter
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Contents:
Feature Article: Life Cycle Analysis for Buildings and Building Systems
Biomass Spotlight: Washington, DC
On the Hill
Grassroots
Market Place
Events
Solicitations
R&D Awards
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Feature Article
 |
Life Cycle Analysis for Buildings and Building Systems
1. INTRODUCTION TO LCA
Life cycle analysis (LCA) is a “cradle to grave” approach to measure
the costs (economic, environmental, and social) of a material or
process. It is a practical tool which applies externalities to
materials and provides a better method for deciding on the selection of
materials or processes by incorporating their full impact or cost. As
shown in Exhibit 1, a life cycle analysis of a building would not only
entail measuring energy, water, material inputs but also solid waste,
water effluent, and air emissions as outputs.
Buildings and Building Systems
A product-to-product LCA focuses on incorporating all inputs and
outputs into the life cycle. A building is a system of processes
incorporating numerous materials which makes it more complex in
comparison to a product-to-product LCA. Never the less, LCA tools have
been developed to use building system models in addition to
product-to-product LCA tools to be more comprehensive in their
analysis. In early design phases, a whole-building analysis or
LCA, can help with basic questions like structural system
selection. In later phases, product-to-product comparisons can
help fine-tune a building's environmental performance.
Executive Order 13123 requires the Federal government to consider LCA
in building design and construction. To help respond to this
requirement, agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal
Energy Management Program, the Environmental Protection Agency, the
Department of Defense, the National Institute of Standards, and the
General
Services Administration are supporting in the development of software,
databases, and working groups to create useful application of LCA for
both the federal government and the public. This represents an
opportunity for biobased products and bioenergy. LCA will enable
building planners and designers to compare biobased products and
bioenergy against conventional options and compare the full range of
life cycle costs and benefits, allowing for more informed decision
making.
2. THE COMPONENTS OF LCA
Exhibit 2 illustrates the basic components of the LCA process from
defining goals to interpretation of results. Implementation of this
process requires inventory analysis and databases and analytical
methods and tools, including software. Databases and inventory
are developed through a Life-Cycle Inventory (LCI) - the collection of
data. Analysis and methods are performed through a Life-Cycle Inventory
Analysis (LCIA) - the analysis of the impact of that data during its
life-cycle. In recent years, LCA results have contributed to
product, process and building rating systems such as ISO 14000
Environmental Standards developed by the International Standards
Organization (ISO) and the US Green Building Council’s LEED
initiative. Further development of LCA methodology has been
achieved with the help of organizations such as the Society of
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and the USEPA, when they
came to a consensus on an overall LCA framework and a well-defined
inventory methodology.1 SETAC and UNEP are also in
cooperation with the Life Cycle Initiative, which builds on the ISO
14040 standards and intends to establish approaches with best practice
for a Life Cycle Economy.2
It is the hope of many participants in the LCA community to develop a
single comprehensive LCA tool that covers all aspects of a building
that is easy to use, produces repeatable results, and contains a
transparent comprehensive database. To date there are several
groups intergovernmental working and steering committees on this task.
Most notably is the USGBC’s “LCA into LEED” program which involves 5
groups to achieve the following goals.
A. Defining LCA goals and scope
B. Allocation, Life Cycle Inventory (LCI), impact,
normalization
C. Benchmarking
D. Weighting (how is carbon dioxide weighted compared
to other impacts)
E. Tools and pilot.
Exhibit 2 - Basic Components of LCA
Software/Analysis Tools
There are estimated to be over 200 LCA software packages currently
being used, but only a fraction of those are available for the public
and marketed towards buildings and building systems. Some
examples of LCA software that have received public funding are:
Building Life-Cycle Cost Program (BLCC), Building for Environmental and
Economic Sustainability (BEES), Energy-10, SimaPro 6, Umberto, TEAM,
Boustead, EcoIt, and the Athena Estimator. BEES is a
product-to-product LCA software that lets you choose from a database of
around 200 materials. It gives you numerous useful charts and
graphs depicting air emissions, energy input and outputs, to name a
few. It is an extremely useful product-to-product LCA tool.
The Athena Estimator is building system LCA software which enables the
user to model a whole building. The program lets the user piece
together prefab walls, and other inputs including a useful regional
input which influences the output.
Databases
LCA applications become most useful when a database of product
information has already been assembled from which to compare products
or building assemblies.3 The most notable database in
the U.S. is NREL’s U.S. Life Cycle Inventory database which contains
over 40 processes. It is an ongoing project that compiles and
centralizes a comprehensive US database. This is important
because LCA tools need to be transparent, generate reproducible
results, and allow balanced comparisons for the Federal government to
use in its buildings. It is important to note that the
availability of peer reviewed international LCI databases on a global
scope and widely accepted LCIA methods are vital for the reliability
and ease of use of LCA.4
Standards
The U.S. Green Building Council in cooperation with several Federal
governmental agencies has developed the Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) Green building rating system. This is
a checklist of criteria that building planners can use as guidelines to
improve a building’s environmental sustainability. This standard
is somewhat like the International Standards Organization’s 14000
Environmental Series. Both standards have a checklist containing
criteria to become certified under each standard.
3.
FEDERAL USE AND GENERAL APPLICATION
USDA - Federal Biobased Products
Preferred Procurement Program (FB4P)
FB4P is an initiative proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and passed by Congress in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of
2002 to help the Federal government meet the requirements to purchase
biobased products. It aims to increase awareness and be a source
of information for vendors/manufacturers of qualifying biobased
products to obtain the use of an official USDA approval. There is
a clear area for marriage between the U.S. Federal government and
LCA. An LCA could identify which products should receive this
approval. The process and results could be kept in a public
database, transparent for the public to see. Results could be
repeatable and new products would be tested using the same methodology
and LCA tool to ensure an equal playing field. The end result of
this program would be to achieve less dependence on foreign sources of
petroleum, and decrease the negative environmental impacts of products
purchased in the Federal sector.
The Federal Energy
Management Program (FEMP)
To help facility managers make sound decisions, FEMP provides software,
training, publications, and guidance on how to apply LCC to evaluate
the cost-effectiveness of energy and water investments. The
Federal government requires its agencies to follow guidelines set
out in Acts passed by Congress Executive Orders. The most
relevant are as follows: 10
CFR 436 , Federal
Energy Management Improvement Act of 1988 and Executive Order
13123. FEMP's Building
Life-Cycle Cost (BLCC) software programs can help calculate
life-cycle costs, net savings, savings-to-investment ratio, internal
rate of return, and payback period for Federal energy and water
conservation projects funded by agencies or alternatively
financed. For a more detailed source of information please visit
FEMP’s Life-Cycle
Cost Analysis webpage.
EPA - National Risk
Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL)
The EPA's NRMRL has done work to promote LCA and to help users to make
more informed decisions through a better understanding of the human
health and environmental impacts of products, processes, and
activities. The website, LCAccess provides
information on why one would want to perform an LCA, an overview of
LCA, how to find LCI data sources, available LCA resources, on-going
efforts in the field of LCA and upcoming LCA events.
Private Sector
Private sector companies like IBM and DuPont have long used life cycle
costing to project costs of products and processes used in their
business activities to cut costs and improve budgets. Only
recently has the private sector begun to integrate the environmental
and social aspects of life cycle into its analysis due to Federal
guidelines, Executive Orders, and overall public preference towards
purchasing environmentally “friendly” products. Continued
pressure from consumers will push the development of LCA methodology
and LCI databases.
4. OUTLOOK FOR LCA
In general, there is a feeling of frustration in US industry interested
in LCA, which is looking for the definitive, simple, relatively
inexpensive and timely approach to do it. Furthermore, there is
still the underlying belief that an LCA can be used to get any answer
the study sponsor wants. Because there doesn't seem to be a
single tool that can be applied and give reproducible results
regardless of who does the study, many remain skeptical about the
usefulness of LCA.5 And there are barriers that LCA
faces, most notably are inaccessibility of reliable LCA data and the
lack of universal impact assessment methods. Strides towards
achieving better data are underway. Ecoinvent, SimaPro both
European LCA tools, have developed far more extensive databases, and
international efforts such as SPOLD and ECOSPOLD have helped facilitate
information and database exchange, greatly improving LCA application.
Continued work developing
LCA into a fast, inexpensive, and easy to use
tool for building planners will reap benefits towards achieving greater
economic, environmental and social sustainability. International
cooperation will be key to the success of a universal LCA tool, as well
as local participation in developing the region specific data that
drives the LCA analysis.
1US
Environmental Protection
Agency (1993): Life Cycle Assessment: Inventory Guidelines and
Principles, (EPA/600/R-92/245). Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory,
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
2United Nations Environment Program (2003):
Environmental Management Tools: LCA. Website visited June 2,
2005.
http://www.uneptie.org/pc/pc/tools/lca.html
3Montgomery, Margaret. Life Cycle Assessment
Tools. Achitechture Weekly: Website visited June 2, 2005.
http://www.architectureweek.com/2003/0716/environment_1-1.html
4United Nations Environment Program (2003):
Environmental Management Tools: LCA. Website visited June 2,
2005. http://www.uneptie.org/pc/pc/tools/lca.htm
5Curran. Mary
Ann. US Environmental Protection Agency (2005): Life Cycle Assessment:
Why LCA? Website visited June 2, 2005. http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/lcaccess/whylca.htm
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Spotlight: Washington, DC
|
In 2001, the District of Columbia consumed approximately 66 trillion
Btu of energy. Petroleum accounted for the majority of energy
consumption, generating approximately 51 percent of all energy
consumed. Natural gas supplied the second-most amount of energy
consumed, accounting for roughly 46 percent of the total. Coal
supplied 1 percent of the 66 trillion Btu consumed, while hydroelectric
and nuclear power is not used in the District. Energy from
biomass accounted for two percent of total energy consumed.1
The DC Energy Office manages energy projects and programs within the
District of Columbia. While no projects specific to biomass are
currently being conducted in the District, some programs do include
biomass. For example, over $1.25 million has been invested in
making the DC government vehicle fleet a leader in the use of
alternative fuels, including ethanol.2
The District of Columbia participates in several financial incentives
to support biomass usage. The District of Columbia Renewable
Demonstration Project made $180,000 available in early 2005 for
renewable energy projects, including biomass projects. Residents,
businesses, and institutions are eligible for the funding. DC
also participates in the Mainstay Energy Rewards Program - Green Tag
Program. The Program allows customers who install renewable
energy systems to sell the renewable energy credits generated from such
installations.3
Regulatory incentives for the use of biomass in DC include
interconnection standards that allow residential, commercial, and
industrial electricity customers to net meter up to 100 kW in renewable
energy capacity. The Reliable Energy Trust Fund, created by the
Retail Electric Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 1999, is a
public benefits fund that supports energy efficiency, renewable energy,
and low-income projects. Biomass technologies are eligible for
funding. Finally, in January 2005, DC enacted a Renewable
Portfolio Standard that requires utilities to generate electricity from
renewable sources, including biomass, in the following amounts:
- In 2007, 1.5% from "tier
one" resources;
2.5% from "tier two" resources; and 0.005% from solar energy
- In 2012, 4.0% from "tier
one" resources;
2.5% from "tier two" resources; and at least 0.066% from solar energy
- In 2017, 6.5% from "tier
one" resources;
1.5% from "tier two" resources; and at least 0.192% from solar energy
- In 2022 and beyond, 11%
from "tier one"
resources; 0% from "tier two" resources; and at least 0.386% from solar
energy
"Tier
one" resources include
solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas,
wastewater-treatment gas, geothermal, ocean (mechanical and thermal)
and fuel cells fueled by "tier one" resources. "Tier two" renewable
resources include hydropower (other than pumped storage generation) and
municipal solid waste.
1 Energy Information Administration.
“Table 7:
Energy Consumption Estimates by Source, Selected Years, 1960-2001,
District of Columbia”. http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/states/sep_use/total/use_tot_oh.html
2 DC Energy Office: http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/map.cfm?State=DC&CurrentPageId=1
3 DSIRE: http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/map.cfm?State=DC&CurrentPageId=1
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On the Hill
|
| Bill # |
Sponsor |
Summary |
Last Action |
| S. 1042 |
Sen Warner,
John [VA] |
National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2006: to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2006 for
military
activities of the Department of Defense and for defense activities of
the
Department of Energy, including a study on the use of ethanol as a fuel. |
5/17/2005: Placed on
Senate Legislative Calendar under General
Orders. Calendar No. 102. |
| S. 1043 |
Sen Warner,
John [VA] |
Department of
Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2006: to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2006 for
military
activities of the Department of Defense, including a study on the use
of
ethanol as a fuel. |
5/17/2005: Placed on
Senate Legislative Calendar under General
Orders. Calendar No. 103. |
| S.1091 |
Sen Salazar,
Ken [CO] |
National
Gasification Strategy Act of 2005: to
establish a Federal incentive program as part of a national
gasification
strategy to stimulate commercial deployment of integrated gasification
combined
cycle and industrial gasification technology. |
5/20/2005:Referred to
the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources |
| S.1093 |
Sen Salazar,
Ken [CO] |
Research and
Development Investment Act: to
reauthorize and revise the Renewable Energy Production Incentive
program. |
5/20/2005:Referred to
the Committee on Finance |
|
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Grassroots
|
|
Creating Cellulosic
Ethanol: Spinning Straw into Fuel
A recent article in BioCycle magazine examines the difference between
conventional ethanol, generated from grains, and cellulosic ethanol,
generated from a wider variety of feedstocks, including agricultural
plant wastes, plant wastes from industrial processes, and energy
crops. Grain based ethanol requires fossil fuels to produce heat
during the conversion process, whereas cellulosic ethanol substitutes
biomass for fossil fuels. The article points out, however, that
the conversion processes involved in making ethanol from cellulosic
materials is costly, but examines options by which to reduce that
cost. Suggested options include increased R&D into conversion
processes, funding for demonstration projects, and incentives to
support commercialization.
Diane Greer. “Creating Cellulosic Ethanol: Spinning Straw
into Fuel.” BioCycle Magazine. April 2005, page 61.
Springfield Mass Transit
District to Use E-Diesel
Illinois’ Springfield Mass Transit District (SMTD) will, beginning in
June 2005, use a regular diesel and ethanol fuel mixture called
E-Diesel in its vehicle fleet. Twenty-five buses and 15 transit
vans will run on the new fuel, which contains 7.7 percent corn
ethanol. While the fuel costs approximately $0.10/gallon more
than regular diesel, the SMTD will not be affected, as the switch is
part of the CityHome program. The CityHome program is sponsored
by the Delaware-based O2Diesel Corporation and other sponsors,
including corn growers and ethanol boards. The sponsors cover the
cost difference in exchange for advertising space on the sides of fleet
vehicles. Lincoln, Nebraska and Johnson County, Kansas also
participate in the CityHome program.
http://www.sj-r.com/sections/news/stories/55909.asp
University Wins Green
Award for Burning Oat Hulls in Power Plant
The power plant at the University of Iowa received an award from The
Association of Higher Education Facilities for its Biomass Fuels
Project. The project involves burning waste hulls from the Quaker
Oats plant in Cedar Rapids instead of coal to generate power.
Coal used was reduced by 17,000 tons, resulting not only in a reduction
of green house gas emissions and soot, but in cost savings of $5000
annually.
http://www.whotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3358121
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Marketplace
|
| The
Fuel Spot Prices graph illustrates the current and historical prices of
ethanol as compared to MTBE and gasoline, the two products ethanol
hopes to replace. The Grain Prices graph shows the cost of the main
biodiesel feedstock, soybeans, and the main ethanol feedstock, corn.
The tables show the actual grain prices, along with indicators which
may affect gasoline prices. Below these is a table showing the
production of ethanol and MTBE. |
 |
|
Data Sources:
OxyFuel News: Ethanol (U.S. Avg:
Terminal); MTBE (Houston, TX: spot); Gasoline
(Gulf Coast: spot, regular
grade)
USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service, "Agricultural Prices,"
"Grain Stocks"
|
| Grain
Prices |
May 2004 |
May 2005 |
% Change |
Corn Prices
($/bushel) |
2.87 |
1.92
|
-33% |
| Soybean Prices ($/bushel) |
9.57 |
6.09 |
-36% |
|
| Fuel
Supply |
May 2004 |
May 2005 |
% Change |
| Percent Refinery Utilization |
95.2 |
94.2 |
-1.10% |
Stocks - Finished Motor Gasoline
(Million Barrels) |
137.5 |
142.7 |
3.78% |
Imports - Total Motor Gasoline
(Million Barrels) |
928.8 |
801.5 |
-13.07% |
| Products - Finished Motor Gasoline
(Million Barrels) |
8,921.8 |
8,997.5 |
-0.85% |
|
| Oxygenate
Production |
April 2004 |
April 2005 |
% Change |
Ethanol Production
(Million Barrels) |
214 |
243 |
11.93% |
MTBE Production
(Million Barrels) |
135 |
129 |
-4.65% |
|
|
Data Sources:
U.S. DOE-Energy Information
Administration, "Weekly Petroleum Status Report", "Monthly Oxygenate
Report"
USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service, "Agricultural Prices,"
"Grain Stocks"
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Events
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|
June 12-14, 2005
Cody, Wyoming
|
15th Annual EPAC Ethanol Conference
"Spurring Ethanol into the Future"
Contact: Ethanol Producers And Consumers, (EPAC)
Tel: (406) 785-3722
http://www.ethanolmt.org/php/conference.php
|
June 19-22, 2005
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|
BIO 2005 Annual International Convention
http://www.bio.org/events/2005/
|
June 28-July 1, 2005
Kansas City, Missouri
|
21st Annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop
Website: http://www.fuelethanolworkshop.com
|
June 28-29, 2005
San Diego, California
|
West Coast Energy Management Congress 2005
Contact: Ashley Clark
Tel: (770) 279-4392
Email: ashley@aeecenter.org
|
June 29-30, 2005
Morgantown, West Virginia
|
BTU's From the Forest: An Educational Conference on
the use of Wood Fiber as an Energy Source
Contact: Shawn Grushecky
Tel: (304) 293-2941 ext. 2413
Email: Shawn.Grushecky@mail.wvu.edu
Exhibiting contact: Nadine Kelly
Tel: (304) 293-2867 ext. 5408
Email: Nadine.Kelly@mail.wvu.edu
Website: http://ahc.caf.wvu.edu/woodconf/
|
August1-6, 2005
Perth, Western Australia
|
International Workshop: Multiple benefits from sustainable
bioenergy systems
Contact: Jim Richardson
Tel: +1-613-521-1995
Fax:+1-613-521-1997
Email: jrichardson@on.aibn.com
Brochure: IEA
International Workshop.pdf
|
August 4-6, 2005
Flagstaff, Arizona
|
The Southwest
Sustainability Expo
Website: http://www.sustainabilityexpo.com/
August 14-17, 2005
Long Beach, California
Energy 2005
Tel: (800) 608-7141
http://www.energy2005.ee.doe.gov/
|
August 29-30, 2005
Ames, Iowa
|
2005 Biobased
Industry Outlook Conference
Growing the Bioeconomy
Website: http://www.valuechains.org/bewg/Conf2005/
|
September 12-15, 2005
Jyvaskyla Finland
|
Bioenergy 2005 in
Wood Industry: international conference and exhibition
Organizer: FINBIO
Contact: Ms. Mia Savolainen
E-mail: bioenergy2005@jsp.fi
Tel: +358-14-4451 117
Website: http://www.jklmessut.fi/puu2005/eng_press2.php
|
September 13-15, 2005
Warsaw, Poland
|
Eastern Biofuels
Conference & Expo
Contact: Wendy Vincent
The Stratton Group, Inc.
Phone: +01.605.338.6829
E-mail: wendyv@thestrattongroup.com
Website: http://www.easternbiofuels.com/
|
September 26, 2005
San Diego, California
|
ISAF XV: The 15th
International Symposium on Alcohol Fuels
Tel: 951-827-2525
E-mail: reginah@ucr.edu
Website: http://www.eri.ucr.edu/
Brochure: http://bioproducts-bioenergy.gov/pdfs/ISAFbrochure4.pdf
|
October 17-21, 2005
Washington, DC
|
Renewable Energy in
America: Phase II 2005
Website: http://www.acore.org/
|
October 17-21, 2005
Paris, France
|
14th European
Biomass Conference and Exhibition: Biomass for Energy, Industry and
Climate Protection
Contact: Angela Grassi
E-mail: angela.grassi@etaflorence.it
|
October 25-27, 2005
Trondheim, Norway
|
Bioenergy 2005,
Nordic Bioenergy Conference
Contact: Norwegian Bioenergy Association
Tel. +47 23 36 58 70
Fax. +47 22 60 41 89
Email: post@nobio.no
Website: www.bioenergy2005.no
|
November 2-4, 2005
Messe Frankfurt, Germany
|
Eurolipids:
International Trade Fair for Fats & Oil
Organizer: Messe Frankfurt Ausstellungen GmbH
Contact: Mrs. Caroline Curik
Email: eurolipids@mfa.messefrankfurt.com
Tel: +49 (0)611-951 66-28
Website: http://www.mfa.de
|
December 6, 2005
Philippines
|
Asia Biofuels
Conference & Expo
Contact: Wendy Vincent
The Stratton Group, Inc.
Phone: +01.605.338.6829
Email: wendyv@thestrattongroup.com
Website: http://www.asiabiofuels.com/
|
|
| Click here
for additional bio-related events. |
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|
Solicitations
|
| Title: |
Continuing
Solicitation for the Office of Science
|
| Description:
|
Seeking
grant applications for supporting basic energy science research in the
natural sciences and engineering areas, leading to new and improved
energy technologies and to understanding and mitigating the
environmental impacts of energy technologies. |
| Government
Agency: |
U.S.
Department of Energy, Office of Science |
| Schedule: |
Applications
may be submitted at any time. |
| URL: |
http://www.science.doe.gov/grants/Fr04-01.html
|
|
| Title: |
Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) |
| Description: |
The
program sponsors grants in: research/education, professional
development in agricultural educators, and producer projects in
sustainable agriculture. |
| Government
Agency: |
USDA
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) |
| Schedule: |
Grant
programs, funding amounts and funding cycles vary by region. |
| URL: |
http://www.sare.org/htdocs/sare/cfp.html |
|
| Title: |
Transportation’s
Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) |
| Description: |
Provides
credit assistance in the form of secured (direct) loans, lines of
credit, and loan guarantees to public and private sponsors of eligible
surface transportation projects. Highway, passenger rail, transit, and
intermodal projects (including intelligent transportation systems) may
receive credit assistance. |
| Government
Agency: |
U.S.
Department of Transportation’s Transportation Infrastructure Finance
and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Joint Program Office |
| Schedule: |
Letters
of interest are required and are accepted at any time. |
| URL: |
http://tifia.fhwa.dot.gov |
|
| Title: |
Energy
Innovations Small Grant (EISG) Program |
| Description: |
The EISG
provides funding to small businesses, small non-profits, individuals
and academic institutions for establishing the feasibility of new
energy concepts. Qualifying entities outside of California are
eligible. Projects must develop innovative and original energy concepts
that address a clear market need, provide benefit for California
electricity ratepayers and target one or more areas of interest:
industrial/agriculture/water end-use efficiency; building end-use
efficiency; advanced generation; renewable generation; energy-related
environmental research; strategic energy research. |
| Government
Agency: |
California
Energy Commission |
| Schedule: |
EISG has
up to four cycles of grants per year. |
| URL: |
http://www.energy.ca.gov/research/innovations/index.html |
|
| Title: |
Energy
Performance Contracting in State-Owned Facilities |
| Description: |
Funded
by a System Benefits Charge (SBC) on electric transmission, this
program offers energy efficiency, research and development, low-income
and environmental disclosure funding and education to assist consumers
of electricity as the regulated electricity market moves to more open
competition. |
| Government
Agency: |
New York
State Energy Research and Development Authority |
| Schedule: |
Grant
programs, funding amounts, and funding cycles vary. |
| URL: |
http://www.nyserda.org/rddopps.html |
|
| Title: |
Farm
Bill-Efficiency and Renewables |
| Description: |
The U.S.
Department of Agriculture requests applications for the Renewable
Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program. This program
assist agricultural producers and rural small businesses that
demonstrate financial need to purchase renewable energy systems and to
make energy efficiency improvements. This program is designed to help
agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs
and consumption and help meet the nation's critical energy needs. $11.4
million is available for grants, and additional $11.4 million will be
set aside through 8/31/05 for guaranteed loans. 75% cost share required. |
| Government
Agency: |
U.S.
Department of Agriculture |
| Schedule: |
Responses
due June 27, 2005 |
| URL: |
Renewable
Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program |
|
| Title: |
Assistance
to High Energy Cost Rural Communities |
| Description: |
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) of the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces the availability of
$19.5 million in competitive grants to assist communities with
extremely high energy costs. The grant funds may be used to acquire,
construct, extend, upgrade, or otherwise improve energy generation,
transmission, or distribution facilities serving communities in which
the average residential expenditure for home energy exceeds 275 percent
of the national average. Eligible facilities include on-grid and
off-grid renewable energy systems and implementation of cost-effective
demand side management and energy conservation programs that benefit
eligible communities. |
| Government
Agency: |
U.S.
Department of Agriculture |
| Schedule: |
Applications
due July 25, 2005
|
| URL: |
Assistance
to High Energy Cost Rural Communities |
|
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R&D Awards
|
|
No R&D Awards were
granted for this month.
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| The Biomass Initiative, formed as part of the Biomass
R&D Act of 2000, is a multi-agency effort to coordinate and
accelerate all Federal biobased products, biofuels, and bioenergy
research and development. The Biomass Initiative distributes an online
monthly newsletter to inform government institutions and the public,
including private companies, about the Biomass Initiative and
biomass-related activities. The newsletter’s contents include a feature
article highlighting important biomass-related stories of the month, as
well as grassroots information and a state spotlight recognizing
important local activities. In addition, the newsletter includes
biomass-related information on recent legislation, R&D awards,
solicitations, and market trends.
If you have any
questions or comments about the Biomass Initiative Newsletter, please
contact mmanella@bcs-hq.com.
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