U.S. Department of Energy
Report Addresses U.S. Carbon Reductions
A Department of Energy news release on September 25, 1997, announced the publication of "Scenarios of U.S. Carbon Reductions." This DOE-sponsored report was led by Lawrence Berkeley and Oak Ridge National Laboratories and includes contributions from Argonne National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The study examines the carbon-reduction opportunities available in four major sectors of the economy--buildings, industry, transportation, and electric utilities. It concludes that progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved without increasing the nation's energy bill. Current projections suggest that a carbon emissions reduction of 390 million metric tons (MMT) would be required to reduce U.S. emissions in 2010 to 1990 levels. The study models a scenario that combines a vigorous national technology program with a domestic system of carbon trading to achieve the reduction. It concludes that such an approach could reduce emissions by up to 390 MMT.

To learn more, call:

Marilyn Brown, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
(423) 576-8152, or
Mark Levine, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
(510) 486-5238.

Request for State Energy Program Success Stories
The Department of Energy was established in October of 1977 under President Carter. The new department integrated many of the activities of existing agencies dealing with energy policy issues. Now, to celebrate twenty years of USDOE and state energy office collaboration, the Office of State and Community Programs (OSCP) is gathering success stories. Please review your energy office's accomplishments and consider projects or programs that have successfully met the goals and mission of the agency. Stories covering the full range of projects and subject areas are welcome, including energy codes, technology transfer, alternative fuels, etc. Stories can include projects that were previously under the Institutional Conservation Program (ICP), Energy Extension Program (EES), and the State Energy Conservation Plan (SECP). One intent of collecting success stories is to exemplify to decision makers and others the positive effects these programs have had on energy efficiency and renewable energy. Please submit your written success stories to Joe Konrade, Office of State and Community Programs, USDOE, EE-44, 5E-080, 1000 Independence Ave., Washington, DC 20585; email: Joseph.Konrade@hq.doe.gov

Contact: Joe Konrade, (202) 586-8039

Arizona
Builders Guide to Be Produced
The Arizona Department of Commerce Energy Office has entered into an agreement with the Nevada Department of Business and Industry Energy Office, Arizona Public Service Company, Salt River Project, Tucson Electric Power Company, and Nevada Power Company to produce The Builders Guide for Hot Arid Climates. The Energy Efficient Builders Association (EEBA) will be producing the guide for the states. The guide will address construction issues that are relevant to the desert southwest. The states will conduct training workshops based on the guide, with the goal of improving residential building in the two states.

Contact: Charlie Gohman, (602) 280-1410

Rebuild America Program

The Arizona Department of Commerce Energy Office has taken over administration of the Phoenix area Rebuild America grant. The grant was awarded to the region in 1996 to improve the efficiency of commercial and multi-family housing by 25 percent. The consortium that received the grant was composed of the Arizona Department of Commerce Energy Office, Arizona Public Service Company, Arizona State University, and Energy Simulation Specialist Inc., a private energy simulation firm. Other partners include the Building Owners and Management Association (BOMA), Arizona Multihousing Association, Arizona Community Action Association, the Cities of Phoenix and Tempe, and the Arizona Department of Commerce Housing Division.

Contact: Jim Westberg, (602) 280-1434

California
Electricity Report Highlights Impending Market Changes
The California Energy Commission recently adopted the 1996 Electricity Report, which looks at a deregulated electricity system beyond its January 1, 1998 start-up date. The report discusses how a free market will achieve the fundamental goals expressed by the Energy Commission two years earlier--to ensure that such a system is as economically efficient as possible and that the state's public policies are achieved.

While delineating the extent to which a deregulated system realizes those goals, the report offers suggestions for improvements. The report examines consumer choices for retail electricity services and the effects of deregulation on the economy, the environment, and the reliability of electricity. It explains why the state encourages energy efficiency, ensures continued research and development to benefit consumers, and advocates a diversity of fuel types to produce power.

The report also assesses supply and demand trends in electricity. It establishes criteria that the Energy Commission will use to determine whether new power plants are needed, granting that the economic incentives of a competitive market will be sufficient to cause enough new power plants to be built in the future.

With electricity deregulation, government agencies such as the Energy Commission, which frequently collect and disseminate information, will have an important role to play. The Energy Commission will expand its part in providing information needed to ensure that market participants, particularly small customers, can make well-informed decisions. Although deregulation does not affect publicly owned utilities (POUs), the report discusses the unique opportunities for these entities in a competitive market.

Copies of the report will be available in four to six weeks. To obtain a copy, contact the Energy Commission's Publications Unit at (916) 654-5200 and ask for publication P300-97-001. The Executive Summary of the report will be available on Access Energy, the Energy Commission's Web site at: www.energy.ca.gov

Contact: Claudia Chandler, (916) 654-4989

Colorado
Final report of Renewable Energy Task Force Presented
Governor Roy Romer announced 10 steps his office will take to help Colorado significantly increase its use of renewable energy, and to turn the state into what he calls "a world center for renewable energy industries." The plan is a direct response to the final report his Renewable Energy Task Force presented at a November 10 press conference.

Governor Romer hopes the state can reach a goal of 250 megawatts of renewable energy in the next decade. 250 megawatts is roughly the amount of power it would take to provide wind-generated electricity to 80,000 homes or solar hot water heating for 164,000 homes in Colorado. The Colorado governor directed his Office of Energy Conservation to take the following steps to help implement the task force report:

• Provide local governments, architects, engineers, developers, and builders with the tools and technical support they need to take advantage of cost-effective renewable energy applications.
• Encourage state and local governments to adopt policies to purchase "green power."
• Provide support to community-based organizations to promote "green power."
• Encourage Colorado utilities to adopt "net metering" programs which allow owners of grid-tied, solar-powered homes and businesses to receive credit at the retail rate for surplus power they generate.
• Ensure that consumers have access to qualified solar contractors by supporting training, certification, and licensing.
• Help the home loan industry offer homeowners better access to financing for renewable technologies and evaluate state home loan and housing programs to encourage the use of renewables.
• Support renewable energy education in schools by developing a curriculum to introduce renewable energy concepts in 4^th through 8^th grade science programs and by co-sponsoring demonstrations of renewable energy in schools.
• Support the development of Colorado's renewable energy industry by determining the current status and needs of the industry, developing strategies to nurture renewable energy businesses and assisting in the export of Colorado renewable energy technologies.
• Find a permanent home for renewable energy issues inside state government.
• Advocate and promote specific task force recommendations to those whose involvement and support is necessary for successful implementation.

The 10-point plan incorporates most of the 33 recommendations the task force developed over the past 16 months. Romer noted that a number of the task force recommendations are directed to entities outside of state government, or are dependent on future developments such as electric utility restructuring.

The 23-member task force report, "Renewable Energy in Colorado's Future," identifies nearly 30 specific organizations that will be key in meeting the goal of 250 megawatts. The blueprint offers potential partners detailed descriptions of each recommendation and action plans for implementing them. Recommendations range from encouraging the design-build community to incorporate renewable technologies into Colorado homes and buildings, to introducing kids to a renewable energy curriculum, to building a Colorado Renewable Energy Industries Center.

The task force brought together a widely representative group from utility and energy companies, public interest and environmental groups, state and local governments, the renewable energy and building industries, and the field of renewable energy research. The task force was staffed by the Governor's Office of Energy Conservation.

Copies of the task force report and/or executive summary are available from the Governor's Office of Energy Conservation by calling (303) 620-4292 or 1-800-OEC-6662.

Contact: Jennifer Harrison Lane, (303) 620-4292.

Iowa
Educational Effort Underway for Building Energy Code Project
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has received a grant from USDOE to implement Phase II of its Building Energy Code Project. In Phase II, the DNR will contract with a private consultant to work with local jurisdictions to increase implementation of building energy codes. Efforts will focus on targeted Iowa communities through the use of education materials that have been specifically tailored for Iowa's residential and commercial sectors. One-on-one and small-group training sessions will be conducted for local building officials who have primary responsibility for enforcing Iowa's building energy codes. Circuit riders, or traveling energy experts, will assist communities with building energy code compliance.

A lesson learned from Phase I of the Iowa Building Energy Code Project is that educational tools and compliance methods must be easy to understand and enforce. The goal of Phase II is to offer compliance materials in two forms: printed guides with worksheets and computer software. The Energy Code Institute, Building Codes Assistance Project and USDOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory materials will be used extensively for this information-gathering and material development effort. The guides will lead users through the applicable prescriptive requirements in each major section of the relevant code to provide a simple checklist for building departments to use in plan review and field inspection. The software will offer many of the same features as the guides, but will provide greater flexibility with ease-of-use as its primary objective.

Contact: Tami Foster, (515) 281-7015
or e-mail at tfoster@max.state.ia.us

Kentucky
Division Sponsors Energy Poster Contest
Thirteen young artists from Kentucky schools were honored during "Energy Awareness Week" ceremonies in the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort. Governor Paul E. Patton proclaimed Nov. 16-22 as "Kentucky Energy Awareness Week." This is the 22nd consecutive year Kentucky has celebrated "Energy Awareness Week." Poster art by fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students from across the Commonwealth was selected to appear on the 1998 calendar distributed by the Kentucky Division of Energy. "Energy . . . Back to the Future" was the theme of this year's poster contest. The poster calendar and desk calendar were unveiled during the ceremonies. Copies of the calendars will be distributed at no cost to local and national organizations and the general public.

"Energy Awareness Week" is observed so that people can recognize the importance of the development and efficient utilization of Kentucky's energy resources for the continued economic growth and well-being of all Kentuckians.

Contact: Ginny Bobbitt, (502) 564-7192

South Carolina
Energy Office Initiates Loan Program
With the Budget and Control Board's approval in September, the Energy Office is now able to offer two loan programs for energy projects. ConserFund finances energy efficiency improvements at public and non-profit facilities. EnerFund assists businesses with both facility improvements and recycling projects.

Offering loans ranging from $25,000 to $200,000, the ConserFund supports Energy Bank Partnership efforts to help state agencies, local governments, school districts, and non-profit organizations make facility improvements that reduce energy costs. ConserFund borrowers may arrange loan terms to match the payback period of a project up to ten years. Interest rates vary with the term of the loan and are below market.

ConserFund expands the project financing options for public agencies. The SC Energy Office will continue to assist state agencies to finance energy projects through the State Treasurer's Office Installment Purchase and Master Lease Purchase Programs. The Energy Office also works with school districts and local governments to obtain third-party lease purchase financing for energy equipment.

EnerFund, a business loan program, provides highly secured, low interest loans for energy conservation measures at commercial and industrial facilities (EnerFund A) and for recycling market development projects (EnerFund B). Loans range from $100,000 to $500,000, with terms to ten years (EnerFund A) and 15 years (EnerFund B). While interest rates vary with loan maturity, all rates are considered below market. Both ConserFund and EnerFund loans are made from Petroleum Violation Escrow funds authorized by the U.S. Department of Energy under the State Energy Program. Federal guidelines require that each financed project meet energy efficiency criteria. The SC Energy Office conducts both technical and credit reviews of loan applications.

Contact: Kevin Kibler, (803) 737-8030

CONSERVATION UPDATE is a free monthly publication prepared by the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet, Division of Energy, with funding from the United States Department of Energy, to facilitate the transfer of current State Energy Program (SEP) and technical information among the states and territories. Please submit short articles that describe successful programs, solicit ideas, share reports, studies or evaluations, or announce new publications, personnel changes, office address changes, conferences, seminars and workshops. Submittals are due by the seventh of each month. Please send submittals, address corrections, or name changes to: CONSERVATION UPDATE, Division of Energy, 663 Teton Trail, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, phone (502) 564-7192, facsimile (502) 564-7484, email: landry@nrepc.nr.state.ky.us. Past issues are available upon request. For more information, contact Karen W. Landry, Editor, or John M. Stapleton, Director.

Visit the Division's Web site at www.nr.state.ky.us/nrepc/dnr/energy/dnrdoe.html

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