Scientists all over the world are racing to create energy without damaging the earth, renewable energies uses natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished. Though most renewable energy sources do not produce pollution directly, the materials, industrial processes, and construction equipment used to create them may generate waste and pollution. While there are many large-scale renewable energy projects, there are also many myths surrounding those renewable technologies.

The Smart Grid Collaborative has submitted this set of proposed funding criteria to the Department of Energy (DOE) as it prepares to disburse billions of dollars available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The guidelines are “a consensus among 19 states and FERC” on the best way to fund projects. The criteria are broken down into eight categories, including preconditions, technologies, redesigns, and regulatory issues.

This is a Webinar presentation by the California Energy Commission and the California Department of Community Services and Development regarding the federal funding available via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Estimating that California could receive more than $50 billion for a wide variety of statewide programs, officials have formed FEST, the Federal Energy Stimulus Team, to coordinate the response to the stimulus bill and find ways to attract much-needed funds.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA, P.L. 111-5) emphasizes jobs, economic recovery, and assistance to those most impacted by the recession. It also stresses investments in technology, transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure and proposes strategies to stabilize state and local government budgets. Energy provisions are a featured part of ARRA. More than $42 billion is provided in appropriations for energy programs, mainly for energy efficiency and renewable energy. ARRA also provides more than $21 billion in energy tax incentives, primarily for energy efficiency and renewable energy. This summary of those provisions was prepared by the Congressional Research Service.

This document contains the full and short versions of our first pass at a Stimulus Scorecard for cataloging and comparing the benefits of competing proposals for federal funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. No one proposal will score high in every category – every real world project has tradeoffs. But the Scorecard identifies the broad set of “value drivers.” And, unlike many Smart Grid discussions, it starts with consumers. We will incorporate the best ideas from readers into the final version that we present to governors, PUCs, utilities, the DOE and other interested parties. Working together, we may be able to craft stimulus projects that provide not just a short-term boost, but also a lasting legacy that can be our platform for prosperity for many years to come.