ASERTTI News
Record Attendance for the
State Energy Technology and Policy Outlook
Conference in Washington, DC
The Association of State Energy Research and
Technology Transfer Institutions (ASERTTI) and the
National Association of State Energy Officials
(NASEO) co-hosted the State Energy Policy and
Technology Outlook Conference in Washington, DC from
February 1-4, 2010, with nearly 300 state officials
and energy experts in attendance.
Over the course of four days, attendees heard the
latest on state and federal efforts to create green
jobs, increase the nation’s energy efficiency and
use of renewable energy, and American Reinvestment
and Recovery Act (ARRA)-related progress and
expectation issues as well as updates on vehicle
electrification, the Net Zero Energy Commercial
Buildings Consortium, ARPA-E, and more. The
conference agenda also included an offsite meeting
with Secretary Chu for the state energy offices, a
presentation from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Administrator, Lisa P. Jackson, and a special
keynote address from Congressman Paul Tonko. The
core conference agenda was complimented by
pre-meeting ARRA and committee sessions and an
important post-conference ARRA-related building
codes workshop.
Keynote speakers from the U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) including Kathleen Hogan, Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and
Jacques Beaudry-Losique, Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Renewable Energy, provided an update on DOE
activities and discussed how conference attendees
can assist in meeting shared federal public policy
goals and Scott Blake Harris, DOE General Counsel,
provided the most recent guidance on the Davis-Bacon
Act, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
and Buy American provisions. The National Renewable
Energy Laboratory (NREL) Director, Dan E. Arvizu,
provided an overview of the NREL activities and
discussed the potential for collaborative approaches
with State Energy Offices and State Energy
Technology Institutions aimed at speeding technology
transfer and deployment and Arun Majumdar, Director,
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E),
discussed what the new program model offers energy
innovators, and how states can assist DOE in
advancing clean energy innovation. For access to
the full agenda and online links to speaker
presentations, please
click here.
The platinum sponsor of the 2010 NASEO/ASERTTI
State Energy Policy and Technology Outlook
Conference was Eaton Corporation. Silver sponsors
included Chevron Energy Solutions, 4tell Solutions,
LLC, Johnson Controls, and Sentech, Inc. ICF
International was a bronze sponsor.
President's Energy
Budget Invests in Innovation, Clean Energy, and
National Security Priorities
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu detailed
President Barack Obama’s $28.4 billion Fiscal Year
2011 budget request for the Department of Energy,
highlighting the Administration’s commitment to
create jobs with the development of a clean energy
economy, invest in advanced science, research and
innovation, maintain a strong nuclear deterrent and
secure nuclear materials both at home and abroad,
and improve energy efficiency to help curb
greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate
change. The FY 2011 budget request also places an
emphasis on DOE improving fiscal performance with
the proposed creation of a new initiative on
Management Reform. For the full press release with
additional budget detail and a link to the
Administration’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposal
for the Department of Energy, please
click here.
Top R&D Achievements
Honored at DOE Solid-State Lighting Workshop
Nine research and development project teams were
honored at "Transformations in Lighting," the
seventh annual U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Solid-State Lighting (SSL) R&D Workshop, held this
year in Raleigh, North Carolina. The three-day event
brought together more than 350 researchers,
manufacturers, and other industry insiders and
observers interested in keeping up to date on the
latest solid-state lighting technology
developments. Please
click here for a link to the full story and the
organizations that were recognized by DOE for
significant breakthroughs and achievements in 2009,
representing research in light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) conducted
at large and small companies, universities, and
research institutions.
Obama Announces Steps to
Boost Biofuels, Clean Coal
President Barack Obama announced a series of
steps that his Administration is taking as part of
its comprehensive strategy to enhance American
energy independence while building a foundation for
a new clean energy economy, and its promise of new
industries and millions of jobs. At a meeting with
a bipartisan group of governors from around the
country, the President laid out three measures that
will work in concert to boost biofuels production
and reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
finalized a rule to implement the long-term
renewable fuels standard of 36 billion gallons by
2022 established by Congress. The U.S. Department of
Agriculture has proposed a rule on the Biomass Crop
Assistance Program (BCAP) that would provide
financing to increase the conversion of biomass to
bioenergy. The President’s Biofuels Interagency
Working Group released its first report – Growing
America’s Fuel. The report, authored by group
co-chairs, Secretaries Vilsack and Chu, and
Administrator Jackson, lays out a strategy to
advance the development and commercialization of a
sustainable biofuels industry to meet or exceed the
nation’s biofuels targets. In addition, President
Obama announced a Presidential Memorandum creating
an Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and
Storage to develop a comprehensive and coordinated
federal strategy to speed the development and
deployment of clean coal technologies. Please
click here for the full press release.
Compressed Air
Challenge - Fundamentals of Compressed Air Systems
WE (web-edition)
The Compressed Air Challenge (CAC) is pleased to
announce the launch of Fundamentals of Compressed
Air Systems WE (web-edition) on February 22, 2010.
This web-based version of the popular Fundamentals
of Compressed Air Systems training uses an
interactive format that enables the instructor to
diagram examples, give pop quizzes and answer
students’ questions in real time. The course will
launch on February 22, 2010, with subsequent classes
on March 1, March 8, and March 15. The classes will
begin at 11 AM eastern and will last approximately 2
hours each. Please
click here for additional information and to
register online.
DOE Announces Inaugural ARPA-E
Energy Innovation Summit
U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced
that the inaugural "ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit"
will take place March 1-3, 2010, at the Gaylord
National Hotel and Convention Center in Washington,
D.C. The event, hosted by the U.S. Department of
Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
(ARPA-E) and organized by the Clean Technology and
Sustainable Industries Organization (CTSI), with key
support from the National Venture Capital
Association (NVCA) and the Kauffman Foundation, will
serve as a forum for the nation's energy leaders to
share ideas, collaborate, and identify key
technology opportunities and challenges. Summit
participants will include members of the scientific
and research communities, investors, technology
entrepreneurs, corporations with an interest in
clean energy technologies, policymakers, and
government officials. For more information and a
link to the Summit website, please
click here. |
