Arizona
State of Arizona Now on Internet: The State of Arizona is now officially on-line via the Internet. The Arizona homepage address is http://www.state.az.us and includes information from most of Arizona's state agencies. The Arizona Department of Commerce Energy Office's portion of the home page offers descriptions of office programs, including those dealing with energy policy, education, engineering, buildings, community energy, and institutional energy conservation. Also offered is a list of publications and videos that are available through the office. Hyperlinks are included in each section in order for users to ‘speak' directly to the appropriate individual with the click of a mouse.

Contact: Brian Fellows, (602) 280-1420

California
Internet Site Turns One Year Old: The California Energy Commission's Internet Site, Access Energy, celebrated its first birthday on December 15, 1995. Like a young child, the site is growing rapidly. As many as 2,000 people are visiting each week. The Commission's homepage can be found at: http://www.energy.ca.gov/energy/ . Once there, Internet travelers can click on any of four buttons that will lead them to a wealth of information about energy in California:

• General information about the Energy Commission--information about the Commissioners, the agency's organizational structure, etc.
  
• What's new--a listing of new items recently added to the Web site, new releases, notices about hearings and workshops, an energy events calendar, and more.
  
• Energy directory--an alphabetical listing of items available on the web site.
  
• "Energy Quest"-the Commission's web site on energy education for students, parents and teachers.

On-line are two newsletters: the Blueprint discusses building standards and the Alternative Fuel Briefs discusses alternative fueled vehicles.

The Commission is developing consumer-oriented pages on its Internet site. Planned for the future will be the country's most extensive database (more than 64,000 items) on energy-efficient appliances. Also on-line will be the entire text of Title 24, the state's code on efficiency standards for residential and nonresidential buildings.

Also planned is the entire text of the Commission's directory of companies engaged in exporting energy goods and services to other countries. The Energy Export Directory contains more than 800 companies, their products, and how to reach them. Having their names available on the Internet will allow people across the globe access to California's extensive know-how in energy technologies. The Internet offers a new way to market those firms.

The Commission also plans to have all of its filings dealing with the 1996 Electricity Report (ER96) available on-line. Because of the California Public Utility Commission's pending decision on restructuring and deregulating the electric utility industry, ER96 is considered by many to be a crucial policy document for the State of California.

For more information about the Commission's internet site, please contact Bob Aldrich by e-mail at boba@energy.ca.gov or by phone at the number below.

Contact: Bob Aldrich, (916) 654-4989

Colorado
Transportation Partnership Grants Awarded: Governor Roy Romer has announced that $80,000 in grants have been awarded to three projects designed to tackle growth-related concerns of transportation, land use and the environment.

The grants are the first of a series in a newly-launched Transportation Partnerships Program by the Governor's Office of Energy Conservation (OEC). OEC created the program to help communities across the state develop new and innovative approaches to managing transportation demands.

Projects funded under the new Transportation Partnerships Program are:

• Roaring Fork Transit Agency Study: The agency will study the safety, access and comfort of bus stops along the heavily traveled Highway 82 corridor from Aspen to Glenwood Springs. Recommendations will be made on how the agency and the Colorado Department of Transportation can enhance the transit system to increase use. It is hoped the study will serve as a model for rural corridors statewide.
  
• Mesa County Positive Land Use Incentives Project: Mesa County will design a land use plan that meets community growth concerns. The focus will be urban infill and concentrated rural development.
  
• North Front Range Passenger Rail Feasibility Study: The study will assess the feasibility of establishing passenger commuter rail using a variety of proposed routes. The study will be used as a basis for identifying what routes could support passenger commuter rail in communities along the Front Range and major resort areas.

The programs selected represent geographical areas having distinct transportation, land use, and environmental needs. They were also judged to be innovative and contribute to the promotion of energy efficiency.

The Transportation Partnerships' second program funding cycle will end January 31, 1996, at which time grant applications for another $80,000 must be received by the Governor's Office of Energy Conservation at 1675 Broadway, Suite 1300, Denver, Colorado 80202. For more information about the Transportation Partnerships Program, contact Kate Fay at (303) 620-4292.

Contact: Matt Sugar, (303) 866-4572 Jennifer Harrison (303) 620-4292

Florida
Solar for Schools Demonstration Project Overview: Solar for Schools is a demand-side management program designed to bring solar energy technologies and new education resources to public schools. Market research carried out by the University of Florida suggests that informed Florida residents are willing to make substantial voluntary contributions on their monthly utility bills to support this program. If all of Florida's electric and gas utility customers were offered the opportunity to participate in Solar for Schools, voluntary contributions in Florida are estimated to be approximately 100 million dollars per year. In addition, analysis indicates that electric utilities may provide an additional 10-30 million dollars per year in matching support without causing upward pressure on rates.

Through a grant from the Florida Energy Office, the University of Florida's Energy Extension Service is developing Solar for Schools with a high-profile demonstration project located at Ferry Pass Middle School in Escambia County. This demonstration project is providing laboratory-grade scientific instrumentation and University of Florida faculty support for energy education as well as approximately $160,000 worth of solar technology installations and $40,000 worth of scientific instrumentation and other educational resources. Based on experience gained from the project, a comprehensive Solar for Schools implementation manual is being produced and will be available in the fall of 1996.

The demonstration project has three major components:

• Solar technology installations--Solar-powered air conditioning, heating, lights, etc. are being installed and the systems' performance will be measured by students and University of Florida faculty.
  
• Energy education--Energy research projects associated with the installed solar equipment are being carried out by a newly developed school-based 4-H club. Students are learning energy basics, scientific measurement techniques, performance analysis of installed solar technologies, and results reporting through the production of TV-grade videos and publication-grade written materials. Energy education activities will also be incorporated into the school's science curriculum in a manner consistent with the Florida Goals 2000 objectives.
  
• Marketing--High-visibility press and media campaigns which highlight the new solar technologies and the students' associated educational experiences will be carried out. Much of the students' energy project results reporting will be used in state and national press releases.

The time frame for this demonstration project calls for the installation of an instrumented solar "energy lab" air conditioner by late fall 1995 and the development of a school-based 4-H technology leadership club over the 1995-1996 winter. A media "ribbon cutting" event designed to attract national attention is planned for the spring of 1996.

More solar technologies, such as photovoltaic security lights and passive solar daylighting systems, will be installed at Ferry Pass Middle School through the 1996 school year. The associated student education program will be broadened and refined.

Contact: Roy Johannesen, P.E., (904) 477-2981

Hawaii
Hawaii Energy Fact Sheets Updated: Ten Hawaii energy fact sheets have been updated to reflect recent developments in Hawaii's use of renewable energy resources and technologies, as well as specific programs aimed at reducing the state's energy use. Included in each fact sheet are definitions of the renewable technologies or the approach to energy reduction, how the processes work, and their advantages and disadvantages. The subjects covered are alternative transportation fuels, biomass, demand-side management, geothermal, hydropower, integrated resource planning, ocean thermal energy conversion, photovoltaics, solar thermal, and wind power. Copies may be obtained from the State of Hawaii, DBEDT Energy Division, 335 Merchant Street, Room 110, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813-2921.

Contact: Dean Masai, (808) 587-3804

Iowa
Enclosed Bicycle Storage Lockers to Be Installed on School Grounds: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and a local high school have entered into a contract to install 30 fully-enclosed bicycle storage lockers on school grounds by the opening of the 1995/1996 school year. The project was initiated by the student council and completed with volunteer student labor. The need for the project was evident to the student council due to an inadequate number of bicycle storage facilities and the fact that existing facilities offered little protection from vandals and harsh weather. Student council members, along with the school's site-based council and the technology education teacher, developed an action plan that satisfied the school's need for better bike security, accessibility, protection and low cost. Local businesses donated labor and offered project materials at a discount.

Contact: Dave Evans, (515) 281-6150

Kentucky
Legislation Introduced on Efficiency in Government Buildings: A bill was introduced in January in the Kentucky General Assembly that would require the state to implement energy efficiency improvements in all state buildings if the measures have a simple payback period of five years or less. The bill, House Bill 264, would also implement low-cost/no-cost operations and maintenance efficiency measures and require the state to consider energy costs when evaluating bids for new buildings and leased properties.. The Kentucky Division of Energy, which is part of the Cabinet for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, estimates that the program could save $10 million a year - 25% of the state's energy costs for buildings - when fully implemented. The bill includes an option that would authorize the financing of energy efficiency measures by third parties if the legislature decides not to appropriate state funds for this purpose.

Contact: John Stapleton, (502) 564-7192

Minnesota
Home Energy Audit: A Homeowner's Guide: In 1994, the Minnesota Department of Public Service established minimum standard requirements for residential energy audits. Becoming aware of these requirements will help homeowners differentiate an energy audit from other home inspection services. This guide explains what to expect from an audit, how to prepare, and what the homeowner will learn from a home energy audit.

Contact: The Energy Information Center, (612) 296-5175

Virgin Islands
Energy Alternatives Expo Held: The Virgin Islands Energy Office (VIEO) and the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) jointly sponsored the Energy Alternatives Expo: Moving Toward Self-Reliance. Held December 9th on St. Croix and December 10th on St. Thomas, the expo featured energy efficiency and renewable energy applications and technologies available from local vendors.

After Hurricane Marilyn, the VIEO and UVI received numerous phone calls from residents affected by the hurricane. The number one question was "how can I get power to my home?" As a result, the VIEO and UVI combined efforts to address the needs of the public and its desire to learn more about energy self-sufficiency.

The expo allowed residents to actually see energy efficiency and renewable energy at work: solar hot water heaters, compact fluorescent lighting displays, and other technological displays were featured. UVI featured a water resources conservation exhibit as well as an "energy house" which demonstrated photovoltaic panels supplying power to a small low-voltage television and a rotating fan. Other exhibits included an interactive photo display that pictured Virgin Islands residents who have become totally energy self-sufficient as well as those moving in that direction.

Not only did the expo afford local businesses the opportunity to advertise, but more important, it allowed residents to witness the practicality of energy self-sufficiency. Becoming energy self-sufficient does not have to occur overnight but can be a process implemented over time.

Contact: Stephanie Hodge, (809) 772-2616

Wisconsin
Three Wisconsin Projects Receive Biomass Energy Grants: Three Wisconsin biomass energy projects have been approved for funding support totaling $155,000 by the Great Lakes Regional Biomass Energy Program. The projects, addressing new approaches to produce and use biomass energy, were among seven selected in the seven-state Great Lakes region, from 29 proposals submitted this year. The goal of the program is to develop the region's biomass energy resources. Wisconsin's projects include: 1) a project to evaluate the economic and agronomic feasibility of establishing switchgrass on marginal cropland in southwestern Wisconsin for electrical and liquid fuel production; 2) a grant to demonstrate that switchgrass can be successfully fed at a rate of five tons per hour (12% replacement of coal on a heat basis) in a 50-megawatt coal boiler; and 3) a project to demonstrate a pilot-scale anaerobic digester for industrial wastewater with a high organic content. The study will evaluate the effectiveness of several settler designs and establish biogas generation rates.

Contact: Don Moran, (608) 266-1067

Renewable Energy Incentive Program Examines Choices: One of the nation's longest running energy incentive programs is located in Wisconsin and, according to a recent program evaluation, its success matches its age. Wisconsin's Renewable Energy Assistance Program (REAP), designed and run by the Wisconsin Energy Bureau, is now preparing for its seventh annual grant cycle. A recently published evaluation highlights the program's accomplishments in its first four years of operation. It concludes that the program has successfully fostered the expanded use of a wide range of cost-effective renewable energy technologies in Wisconsin. The program offers two types of grants -- technical assistance and construction. Technical assistance grants have included solar, ethanol, wood, wind, biogas, and hydropower projects. Construction grants have gone to wood, biogas and hydro-power projects. Copies of the 30-page report are available.

Contact: Dan Moran, (608) 266-1067

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