$119M to Support Energy Efforts in Alabama, American Samoa, DC, Illinois, Maryland, North Dakota, and Wyoming

Providing a boost for local economies, the Energy Department announced another round of State Energy Program (SEP) awards on Aug. 14. The states of Alabama, Illinois, Maryland, North Dakota, and Wyoming will share $119 million in Recovery Act funds with America Samoa and the District of Columbia.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu noted the awards move the country further toward energy independence. “It reflects our commitment to support innovative state and local strategies to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy while insisting that taxpayer dollars be spent responsibly,” Chu said in announcing the awards.

Activities eligible for State Energy Program funding include energy audits; building retrofits; education and training efforts; transportation programs to increase the use of alternative fuels and hybrid vehicles; and new financing mechanisms to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy investments.

Here’s a brief look at how the recipients intend to use the money:

·         Alabama - $22,228,000: The SEP funding will promote energy efficiency of businesses, schools, and correctional facilities and develop renewable energy resources in the state. Alabama will work closely with the automotive supplier industry to improve the energy efficiency of their processes. The state will also establish a new energy revolving loan fund to stimulate the creation and retention of jobs and increase the generation of renewable energy by providing low-interest loans for new and existing industries in the state.

·         American Samoa - $7,420,000: Money will go to expanding the use of renewable energy across the territory, as well as supplement weatherization funds to improve home energy efficiency for low-income residents. The territory will install a 1,000 kW photovoltaic solar-energy array near the Tafuna Power Station, nineteen smaller 28 kW solar arrays on the roofs of government and other buildings, and a solar water heating system at the LBJ Tropical Medical Center. American Samoa is also interested in expanding its use of wind power, and will use Recovery Act funds to set up eight anemometers to measure and quantify the territory's wind potential.

·         District of Columbia - $8,808,800: SEP money will help improve energy efficiency in government buildings and support numerous public energy education initiatives. The money will also enable the District of Columbia to replace existing mechanical and electrical equipment at various DC properties with new energy efficient equipment and controls.

·         Illinois - $40,528,400: The state will use its award for energy efficiency retrofits and the biofuels industry. The state will provide grants to support new biomass manufacturing capacity or retrofits to existing facilities that will help reduce operating expenses and the environmental impact of biofuels manufacturing.

·         Maryland - $20,708,880: The state intends to use its SEP money to promote clean and efficient energy usage in the transportation, residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. To advance sustainability in transportation, Maryland will fund initiatives designed to boost consumer awareness, increase the availability of alternative fuels, and facilitate the deployment of hybrid electric and all-electric vehicles.  In the housing market for low- and moderate-income families, Maryland will provide grants to support cost-effective and environmentally responsible building retrofits.

·         North Dakota - $9,834,000: The state plans to promote various energy efficiency and conservation efforts, including providing energy education resources for North Dakota's agricultural and industrial sectors that will help farmers, ranchers, contractors, and building tradesmen reduce their energy use. North Dakota will offer training, technical assistance, and marketing and outreach support to promote the adoption of energy efficient construction practices and agricultural technologies, conservation techniques, and the use of clean renewable energy sources.

·         Wyoming - $9,976,400: The SEP money will go toward promoting energy efficiency in buildings and homes across Wyoming. The state will make grants to governmental and tribal entities, nonprofit organizations, and others for the purpose of retrofitting existing facilities to improve their energy efficiency by a minimum of 25%. The program will provide sufficient funding for nearly every community and county in Wyoming to fund an energy efficiency project.

The states have now received 50% of their SEP allotments. After demonstrating successful implementation of their plans, they will receive the remaining 50%.