Conservation Update — March 1996
Arizona
Super Bowl XXX Clean Air Challenge:
In effort to help reduce air pollution and decrease the number of single-occupancy vehicles
driven in Maricopa County during Super Bowl XXX week, state
employees were encouraged to participate in the state's Clean Air
Challenge. Arizona Department of Commerce employees participated
by using an alternate mode (car pool, bus, bike, walk, telecommute or
work a compressed work week) the week of January 21-27. The
department's participation rate for the week was 14.7%.
Contact: Gloria Castro, (602) 280-1410
Solar Energy Education Program:
The Arizona Department of
Commerce Energy Office has submitted a paper for publication to
the American Solar Energy Society. The paper's topic is the Solar
Energy Education Program the energy office has developed and
implemented in more than 50 percent of Arizona's elementary schools.
The program instructs teachers how to teach solar science principles
to 10-12 year olds using solar cookers. This program recently was
awarded an Environmental Achievement Award from Renew America.
The paper's author, Jim Arwood, is in charge of the energy office's
education programs and was recently elected to the Board of Directors
for Solar Cookers Inter-national. Solar Cookers International is a
nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting solar cooking in
developing countries.
Contact: Jim Arwood, (602) 280-1402
Colorado
Transportation Moves into Next Funding Cycle:
The Governor's Office of Energy Conservation (OEC) has announced that $80,000 to $100,000
is available for the next funding cycle of the Transportation Partnerships
program. Transportation Partnerships began in 1995 as a way to encourage
and assist Colorado communities trying to manage transportation demand
and concerns related to energy efficiency and air quality. OEC is interested
in funding projects which address community needs with innovative and
meaningful solutions. Examples of projects include planning a regional
transportation summit; supporting a region-wide transportation
management organization; developing an integrated land use or other
planning tool to affect transportation choices; or conducting a public
education campaign to promote community understanding and the use
of alternative transportation types. The application deadline for the next
funding cycle is April 30, 1996.
Contact: Kay Fay or Lisa Nelson (303) 620-4292
Connecticut
New Energy Technology Grants Announced:
The State Office of Policy and Management/Energy Unit (OPM) has announced the third round of
new energy technology grants. The purpose of the grant program is to
identify and assist in the development of innovative renewable energy
or energy conserving technologies in order to help get them to market.
The grants target Connecticut individuals and small companies that
have a concept or prototype product that has not yet been commercialized.
Awards are given on a competitive basis to the most promising submittals,
as judged by a panel of individuals knowledgeable in energy and environmental
disciplines. Up to ten grants of $10,000 each will be provided to help
advance products toward commercialization. In addition to the awards,
OPM will work with the winning companies to identify other sources of
funding, technologies, or partnerships which can assist in advancing or
improving the product.
Contact: John Ruckes, (860) 418-6384
Iowa
Biannual Update to Iowa Energy Emergency Plan:
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Commerce,
Utilities Division and the Iowa Department of Public Defense, Emergency
Management Division has issued the biannual update to the Iowa Energy
Emergency Plan. The Iowa Energy Emergency Plan is a comprehensive
operating manual for state government leaders charged with the responsibility
of ensuring an adequate power supply during periods of energy distributions or
emergencies.
The Plan is organized around four emergency response phases -
the readiness phase, verification phase, pre-emergency phase, and
emergency phase. The phases incorporate increasing levels of activity,
culminating with a fifth phase, the post-emergency phase, which is
designed to assess the effectiveness of the responses to the energy
emergency.
The underlying philosophy of the Iowa Energy Emergency Plan
is a reliance on the free market to operate. Government intervention is
assumed only under conditions of last resort when mechanisms in the
marketplace have failed to provide for the health, safety and welfare of
Iowa's citizens.
To obtain a copy of the Iowa Energy Emergency Plan, contact
Dave Evans at DNR, Wallace Building, Des Moines, IA 50319.
Contact: Dave Evans, (515) 281-6150
Kansas
Life-Cycle Costing Workshops to be Offered Coast to Coast:
The Life-Cycle Costing Workshop for Energy Conservation in Buildings will be sponsored
three times this year by USDOE and the engineering extension office at
Kansas State University. The purpose of the workshops is to provide
professionals concerned with energy conservation the knowledge and
skills needed to perform economic analyses quickly and correctly.
Life-cycle costing performed in accordance with the methods taught in
these workshops is required on all federal projects and often used in other
settings. This training is required by the Energy Policy Act of 1992 for all
federal energy managers.
The workshops will be offered in the following cities: Kansas City, Missouri
(May 7-8, 1996), Orlando, Florida (June 11-12, 1996), and Los Angeles,
California (August 13-14, 1996).
Gene Meyer and Richard Rusk will be the instructors. Both instructors are
professional engineers and are two of the first DOE/FEMP-qualified
life-cycle costing instructors. Meyer is a mechanical engineer with the
engineering extension office at Kansas State University with over
15 years' experience in energy conservation. Rusk has been a staff
engineer with the Center for Building Energy Research at Iowa State
University for the past six years.
The registration fee is $350 and includes course handout materials, breaks,
and a workshop certificate. To register contact the registration office
at (800) 432-8222.
Contact: Gene Meyer, (913) 532-4994
Kentucky
Workshop on Disposal of Lighting Wastes:
The Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet, Division of Energy,
was a co-sponsor of a workshop on March 20 that covered the
environmentally safe disposal of discarded lamps and ballasts. The
workshop, held in Louisville, covered the following topics: regulatory
overview for lamp and ballast waste, future regulatory initiatives,
landfilling versus recycling, USEPA's Green Lights program, recycling
services and vendors, and case studies. The workshop was for facility
managers and others contemplating the change-out of significant numbers
of less efficient lamps and ballasts. Other co-sponsors included the City
of Louisville and Jefferson County, the International Facility Management
Association, the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center, Louisville Gas
& Electric Co., the Metropolitan Sewer District, and USEPA.
Contact: Greg Guess, (502) 564-7192
Massachusetts
Division of Energy Resources Files Plan to Deregulate Electric Industry:
The Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources (DOER) filed a comprehensive
plan for deregulating the state's electric utility industry. The plan, titled
Power Choice, outlines steps to create a new market structure that gives
Massachusetts customers a choice of electricity providers to lower electric
costs. DOER filed the plan with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) as
part of the DPU's investigation into competitive models for improving the
electric industry. The Power Choice plan will be considered by the DPU
along with other plans submitted by the state's three largest utility
companies. All proposals are subject to DPU approval.
DOER's plan provides specific recommendations on how utilities and
regulators can open the market to competition. Key issues
addressed by the proposal include new companies, customer choice,
basic service, consumer protection, reliability, environmental progress,
and stranded costs. The plan would apply to investor-owned utilities
only. Municipal utility companies, which are subject to different
regulations, would continue to operate under their current structure.
Contact: Michelle Haynes (617) 727-8565 or Vicki Pitluk
(617) 727-4732
Minnesota
Home Remodeling Energy Publication:
Remodeling offers an excellent opportunity to increase the energy efficiency of a house. Most
remodeling projects affect energy use, but this update focuses on
only a few: kitchen fans, recessed light fixtures, attic expansions,
siding and roof replacements, and sun porch enclosures. This
publication is written primarily for remodeling contractors, but
would also be informative to the homeowner planning a
remodeling project.
Contact: The Energy Information Center, (612) 296-5175
North Carolina
North Carolina Inventories Greenhouse Gas Emissions:
Efforts by the North Carolina Energy Division to get a clear picture on where
greenhouse gas emissions are concentrated in the state are nearing
completion this winter as energy officials prepare to release
a report on source emissions for eight anthropogenic greenhouse gases.
An estimate of the annual quantity of greenhouse gases emitted is part of
nationwide efforts to reduce emissions to certain levels by the year
2000. The report identifies greenhouse gas emissions by source,
provides documentation of 1990 emission estimates, and predicts future
emissions by 2010. The report also provides an estimate of how much
of the national total of greenhouse gases are being produced by North
Carolina sources.
Contact: Eric Soderberg, (919) 733-1897
Oklahoma
Oklahoma School Energy-Saving Program:
Assisting public and not for profit elementary and secondary schools in the development and
implementation of energy-saving improvements is the purpose of a new
program recently launched by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.
The Energy Loan Fund program, nicknamed ELF, provides low-cost loans
to eligible schools to make physical improvements in facilities, buildings
and related complexes which result in energy cost savings. Oklahoma Governor
Frank Keating has authorized the use of one million dollars in oil
overcharge settlement monies from the Exxon Company to fund the
new loan program.
Loans available to schools in the program are divided into three
application categories: pre-installation, analysis and auditing of energy
savings needs; professional services which contribute to the planning,
design and development of projects; and acquisition and installation of
energy efficient technologies. Loan proceeds in each of these
categories can be up to 100% of costs involved.
The interest rate paid by borrowers in the ELF program is fixed
at 3%, and is intended only to cover the administrative costs and related
expenses of the program incurred by the Commerce department. The
program has been established with a revolving fund. The maximum
length of a loan has been set at six years.
Contact: Randy Snead, (405) 841-9396
Oregon
Steve Sautter named Communications Program Manager ODOE:
Steve Sautter has been named communications program manager for the
Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE). He succeeds Sally Sederstrom
who left ODOE to become public relations and special events manager
for the Oregon Tourism Commission. In this new role, Steve will be
responsible for internal and external communications, including media
relations.
Prior to joining the ODOE staff, Steve worked at Portland General
Electric Company as senior nuclear spokesperson from 1986
to 1993 when the Trojan Nuclear Plant was permanently shut
down.
Contact: Steve Sautter, (503) 378-8278
South Carolina
South Carolina Submits Consumption Report to Legislature:
The South Carolina Energy Office submitted the fourth annual
report, "Energy Conservation in State Government and Public School
Districts," to the General Assembly in December as required by the
South Carolina Energy Efficiency Act. This report addresses energy
use and conservation by state agencies and public school districts over
fiscal year 1995.
The response rate of 93% for school districts and 96% for state
agencies was the highest it has ever been. Reported energy costs were
$61.1 million for school districts and $65.9 million for state agencies,
totaling $127 million. Two performance indicators were used to
measure energy consumption patterns and trends: cost per square foot
and use per square foot. The reported average cost per square foot for
school districts decreased from $0.80/sf in FY94 to $0.75/sf in FY95,
and for state agencies from $1.22/sf in FY94 to $1.13/sf in FY95. The
reported average use per square foot for school districts decreased
from 50 kBtu/sf to 45 kBtu/sf, and for state agencies from 129 kBtu/sf
to 107 kBtu/sf. These reductions are attributed to milder weather as
well as effective energy conservation practices.
The most successful energy conservation measures implemented
over the last three years cost $6.2 million, with projected annual savings
of $840,600. Respondents proposed additional investments of $5.5
million over the next few years with projected annual savings of $1.149
million. A more detailed comparison of the energy data for each school
district and state agency during the coming year will determine
additional opportunities for effective energy conservation projects to be
undertaken.
Contact: Reneé Sharpe, (803) 737-8030
Texas
Texas Expands LoanStar Program:
The nationally recognized Texas LoanStar (Save Taxes And
Resources) Revolving Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans
to finance energy-efficient retrofits of public buildings, is expanding its
sphere of influence to include some new areas. LoanStar will continue
to loan funds to public entities for energy improvements, but with a
renewed emphasis on secondary schools and rural hospitals. Since
LoanStar's inception, approximately $98.5 million dollars have been
loaned to finance retrofits in more than 225 buildings constituting over
22 million square feet. Texas taxpayers are now enjoying documented
savings of over $1,000,000 a month due to these improvements.
The Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) also
plans to vigorously market our new Energy Efficient Industrial
Partnership Program. This program will form partnerships with existing
industrial programs such as the Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) at
Texas A&M University - Kingsville and College Station campuses,
and utility companies.
Another aspect of this effort is to provide financial incentives to
the industrial sector through a low-interest revolving loan fund modeled
after LoanStar. SECO, a utility, or an
IAC will perform an energy assessment for the interested company.
SECO would loan money to the company to install energy conservation
measures based on the assessment report. As the company repays the
loan, the funds then become available to finance other industrial retrofit
projects.
Contact: Charles Wickman, (512) 463-1931
