A $1.3 million stimulus grant to University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences will help Georgians reduce their energy bills and carbon footprint, and create jobs in Georgia.
Jorge H. Atiles, extension professor of housing and FCS associate dean, received the grant from the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority. The authority manages federal stimulus funds from the U.S. Department of Energy for the Georgia Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program.
Weatherization assistance is provided directly by Community Action agencies and similar energy assistance agencies in the state to reduce infiltration and improve energy performance in homes of those on limited-incomes. The $1.3 million grant will fund the first seven months of a UGA Cooperative Extension program that will monitor weatherization activities and provide energy conservation education across the state to Georgians receiving weatherization assistance.
Atiles said the grant will create a sustainable weatherization program that aims to ensure that after homes are weatherized, their occupants will be in the best position to realize energy savings and reduce their carbon footprint. The project will help Georgians meet the Governor´s Energy Challenge to reduce energy bills by 15 percent by 2020.
The current contract is eligible for an additional two-year funding renewal that could exceed $4.5 million for this sustainable weatherization monitoring and education program.
"Through this grant, UGA Cooperative Extension will be able to save at least five jobs and fund 20 new positions reaching every Extension district in the state. We are realizing one of the many goals of the federal stimulus package: the creation and preservation of jobs," Atiles said.
UGA Extension is a partnership between UGA colleges of Family and Consumer Sciences and Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
By Mandi Colson
University of Georgia
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Showing posts with label stimulus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stimulus. Show all posts
Monday, October 26, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Chrysler Celebrates Earth Day by Revealing All-New Electric Minivan Concepts to U.S. Postal Service
/PRNewswire/ -- Chrysler invented the minivan 25 years ago. More than 12 million minivan sales later, Chrysler today showed off four all-electric Chrysler Town & Country minivan concepts to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as part of the USPS Earth Day celebration.
Chrysler LLC, in conjunction with the USPS and select energy service providers, also announced that the company intends to apply for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DoE) Transportation Electrification stimulus program for a federal grant, which would enable Chrysler to establish a nationwide demonstration fleet of zero-emission electric minivans that could be used by the U.S. Postal Service for mail delivery.
"With more than a 40 percent market share, our Chrysler and Dodge minivans continue to lead the segment we created more than 25 years ago," said Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President--Product Development, Chrysler LLC. "Our ENVI electric minivan concepts illustrate Chrysler's innovation with electric vehicle technology and show what the future could hold."
Chrysler's ENVI group leveraged the flexibility of its electric-vehicle strategy to demonstrate an all-electric version of its best-selling minivan. These electric minivan concepts are targeted specifically for use by the U.S. Postal Service for mail delivery.
"We continue to look for energy-efficient replacement vehicles for our aging fleet as we explore ways to reduce our transportation-related carbon emissions," said Sam Pulcrano, Vice President--Sustainability, U.S. Postal Service.
"Chrysler and the Postal Service have an established relationship as there are more than 10,000 of our minivans in the Postal Service fleet," said Lou Rhodes, Vice President--Advance Vehicle Engineering and President of ENVI, Chrysler LLC. "The Postal Service is a recognized environmental innovator and leader, and we are excited at the prospect of continuing our relationship by working to deliver alternative energy postal delivery vehicles in the future."
Because robust grid integration is essential for widespread customer acceptance of electric vehicles, Chrysler has enlisted the involvement of key utility partners, including Duke, ConEd and DTE. Each has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Chrysler to equip post offices in strategically selected regions of the United States with a charging infrastructure for the envisioned program. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) also has signed an LOI to provide USPS integration tools.
"Our partnership is structured to easily expand into additional regions of the country as the scope of the project increases," added Rhodes.
Earlier this month, Chrysler announced A123Systems as one of its strategic partners and production battery supplier for the company's initial production electric vehicles. Chrysler LLC and A123Systems signed an agreement stating that A123Systems will supply energy storage systems for Chrysler's first-generation ENVI Range-extended Electric Vehicles and battery-only Electric Vehicles. Based in Watertown, Massachusetts, A123Systems has announced plans for a Michigan-based production facility. A123Systems will manufacture Nanophosphate Lithium ion prismatic battery cells, modules and battery packs for Chrysler LLC. Advanced lithium-ion battery chemistry has the capability of meeting consumer demands for performance, driving range and durability.
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Chrysler LLC, in conjunction with the USPS and select energy service providers, also announced that the company intends to apply for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DoE) Transportation Electrification stimulus program for a federal grant, which would enable Chrysler to establish a nationwide demonstration fleet of zero-emission electric minivans that could be used by the U.S. Postal Service for mail delivery.
"With more than a 40 percent market share, our Chrysler and Dodge minivans continue to lead the segment we created more than 25 years ago," said Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President--Product Development, Chrysler LLC. "Our ENVI electric minivan concepts illustrate Chrysler's innovation with electric vehicle technology and show what the future could hold."
Chrysler's ENVI group leveraged the flexibility of its electric-vehicle strategy to demonstrate an all-electric version of its best-selling minivan. These electric minivan concepts are targeted specifically for use by the U.S. Postal Service for mail delivery.
"We continue to look for energy-efficient replacement vehicles for our aging fleet as we explore ways to reduce our transportation-related carbon emissions," said Sam Pulcrano, Vice President--Sustainability, U.S. Postal Service.
"Chrysler and the Postal Service have an established relationship as there are more than 10,000 of our minivans in the Postal Service fleet," said Lou Rhodes, Vice President--Advance Vehicle Engineering and President of ENVI, Chrysler LLC. "The Postal Service is a recognized environmental innovator and leader, and we are excited at the prospect of continuing our relationship by working to deliver alternative energy postal delivery vehicles in the future."
Because robust grid integration is essential for widespread customer acceptance of electric vehicles, Chrysler has enlisted the involvement of key utility partners, including Duke, ConEd and DTE. Each has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Chrysler to equip post offices in strategically selected regions of the United States with a charging infrastructure for the envisioned program. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) also has signed an LOI to provide USPS integration tools.
"Our partnership is structured to easily expand into additional regions of the country as the scope of the project increases," added Rhodes.
Earlier this month, Chrysler announced A123Systems as one of its strategic partners and production battery supplier for the company's initial production electric vehicles. Chrysler LLC and A123Systems signed an agreement stating that A123Systems will supply energy storage systems for Chrysler's first-generation ENVI Range-extended Electric Vehicles and battery-only Electric Vehicles. Based in Watertown, Massachusetts, A123Systems has announced plans for a Michigan-based production facility. A123Systems will manufacture Nanophosphate Lithium ion prismatic battery cells, modules and battery packs for Chrysler LLC. Advanced lithium-ion battery chemistry has the capability of meeting consumer demands for performance, driving range and durability.
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Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Pres. Obama to Nation - Our Economic Recovery 'Begins With Energy'
/PRNewswire/ -- President Obama's first speech to a Joint Session of Congress last night was almost entirely devoted to the troubled economy. Amid a deepening recession Obama described the $787 Billion stimulus as one of the bold steps his five week old administration is implementing to turn the US economy around.
In the speech, Obama vowed to spend $15 billion a year to develop renewable energy. "We know the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century," he said. The administration's Secretary of Energy, Stephen Chu, announced on Monday an immediate fast-tracking of all applications from wind and solar companies for stimulus dollars to kick-start the construction of more projects.
Assuming wind companies receive the lion's share of stimulus dollars (wind power accounted for 95% of the renewable energy built over the last five years), the stimulus is expected to lead to the construction of 30,000-megawatts of additional capacity, according to Hugh Wynne, an analyst at Bernstein Research - enough new wind power to supply 9 million American homes.
Wind farm developer NACEL Energy (OTC:NCEN) (BULLETIN BOARD: NCEN) CEO Brian Lavery said, "We ran the numbers and the impact as we understand the new stimulus incentives for wind power are really quite significant." NACEL has four wind power projects underway in the Texas Panhandle. Advisory Research has a positive rating on NACEL and a $3.07 valuation.
Accelerating construction of wind farms is also expected to lead to a recovery in the turbine market in the second half of 2009. In recent months manufacturers General Electric (NYSE:GE) and Vestas (Pink Sheets: VWDRY), as well as companies which supply the carbon fiber for turbine blades such as Hexcel (NYSE:HXL) and Zoltek (NASDAQ:ZOLT) , have all experienced slowing demand. Yesterday KeyBanc Capital Markets announced a new buy rating on Hexcel and a $10 valuation.
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In the speech, Obama vowed to spend $15 billion a year to develop renewable energy. "We know the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century," he said. The administration's Secretary of Energy, Stephen Chu, announced on Monday an immediate fast-tracking of all applications from wind and solar companies for stimulus dollars to kick-start the construction of more projects.
Assuming wind companies receive the lion's share of stimulus dollars (wind power accounted for 95% of the renewable energy built over the last five years), the stimulus is expected to lead to the construction of 30,000-megawatts of additional capacity, according to Hugh Wynne, an analyst at Bernstein Research - enough new wind power to supply 9 million American homes.
Wind farm developer NACEL Energy (OTC:NCEN) (BULLETIN BOARD: NCEN) CEO Brian Lavery said, "We ran the numbers and the impact as we understand the new stimulus incentives for wind power are really quite significant." NACEL has four wind power projects underway in the Texas Panhandle. Advisory Research has a positive rating on NACEL and a $3.07 valuation.
Accelerating construction of wind farms is also expected to lead to a recovery in the turbine market in the second half of 2009. In recent months manufacturers General Electric (NYSE:GE) and Vestas (Pink Sheets: VWDRY), as well as companies which supply the carbon fiber for turbine blades such as Hexcel (NYSE:HXL) and Zoltek (NASDAQ:ZOLT) , have all experienced slowing demand. Yesterday KeyBanc Capital Markets announced a new buy rating on Hexcel and a $10 valuation.
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Monday, February 2, 2009
John W. Rich, Jr: OPEC Plot Could Siphon 15-20% of Stimulus Dollars to Offshore Oil Suppliers' Bank Accounts
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congress's trillion dollar economic stimulus plan fails to address one of the primary threats to our future economic stability: OPEC's plan to push oil prices up which will siphon hundreds of millions of stimulus dollars to the offshore oil producers, according to John W. Rich, Jr., a leader in the waste coals to liquid transportation fuels field.
"Just recently, OPEC announced plans to cut production by 4.2 million barrels a day and has stated its goal is to get oil prices back to $75 per barrel. If OPEC succeeds in getting oil prices back up, that could mean that more than 15 or 20% of the new stimulus dollars would simply be exported to foreign oil producers' bank accounts which will further diminish, not stimulate, our economy," said John W. Rich, Jr. "Congress should not ignore the problem with OPEC and prepare a stimulus bill that could essentially be a direct deposit of billions of dollars into foreign oil suppliers' pockets."
Oil spiked to $147 per barrel last summer, driving gas prices to nearly $5 per gallon and crippling our economy. If OPEC succeeds in driving the $30 per barrel price ($300 million per day) of a month ago to $75 per barrel, that would mean the U.S. would be exporting another $450 million per day for a total of $750 million per day to the offshore oil suppliers.
John W. Rich, Jr. has been a leader in the energy sector for decades and he is the CEO of WMPI PTY, LLC in Gilberton, PA. For over a decade his company has been leading the drive to build a waste coal to liquid transportation fuels industry in the United States. Rich is proposing utilizing new technology for the gasification of existing waste coal intermingled with traditional biomass feedstock to produce an abundant supply of domestic liquid transportation fuels that will displace the foreign oil we are importing.
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"Just recently, OPEC announced plans to cut production by 4.2 million barrels a day and has stated its goal is to get oil prices back to $75 per barrel. If OPEC succeeds in getting oil prices back up, that could mean that more than 15 or 20% of the new stimulus dollars would simply be exported to foreign oil producers' bank accounts which will further diminish, not stimulate, our economy," said John W. Rich, Jr. "Congress should not ignore the problem with OPEC and prepare a stimulus bill that could essentially be a direct deposit of billions of dollars into foreign oil suppliers' pockets."
Oil spiked to $147 per barrel last summer, driving gas prices to nearly $5 per gallon and crippling our economy. If OPEC succeeds in driving the $30 per barrel price ($300 million per day) of a month ago to $75 per barrel, that would mean the U.S. would be exporting another $450 million per day for a total of $750 million per day to the offshore oil suppliers.
John W. Rich, Jr. has been a leader in the energy sector for decades and he is the CEO of WMPI PTY, LLC in Gilberton, PA. For over a decade his company has been leading the drive to build a waste coal to liquid transportation fuels industry in the United States. Rich is proposing utilizing new technology for the gasification of existing waste coal intermingled with traditional biomass feedstock to produce an abundant supply of domestic liquid transportation fuels that will displace the foreign oil we are importing.
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Thursday, January 15, 2009
Obama Stimulus Package to Include $25 Billion for Renewable Energy
/PRNewswire/ -- Congressional leaders together with Barack Obama's new Cabinet are planning a $25 Billion stimulus package in order to meet the President-elect's goal of doubling renewable energy production in the next three years, according to a report in Sunday's Washington Post.
President-elect Obama's Cabinet favors an $8.6 billion extension of the Federal Production Tax Credit, a program that speeds-up the building of new wind power generation projects. In addition, a bi-partisan initiative first backed by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) for a National Clean Energy Lending Authority, is likely to be approved by the Obama team. The new agency could receive as much as $10 billion to extend low-interest loans, grants or guarantees to wind, solar and other renewable energy projects.
In the wind sector, most turbine manufacturers are foreign owned and not likely to qualify for stimulus dollars. Analysts expect U.S. based wind power project builders, to be big winners. New Jersey's NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG) which just completed its second wind project in the Texas Panhandle, has received a buy recommendation from UBS. Another wind power company with two projects underway in the Texas Panhandle is Denver based Nacel Energy (OTC Bulletin Board: NCEN). CNBC guest analyst Francis Gaskins has a $4 price target on the company. Nacel Energy closed yesterday at $1.15.
There are even more U.S. companies to like in the solar sector. Analysts at Stanford Capital have issued a buy on Evergreen Solar (NASDAQ:ESLR) with a $3.70 target. Evergreen is based in Marlboro, MA, and is a leading manufacturer of integrated solar modules. Needham and Co. has a buy on New Mexico's Emcore (NASDAQ:EMKR) and a $2 price target. Both Emcore's semiconductors and Evergreen's solar modules expected to benefit from increasing demand as the Obama stimulus plan is implemented over the coming months.
A Before the Bell(TM) renewable energy update.
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President-elect Obama's Cabinet favors an $8.6 billion extension of the Federal Production Tax Credit, a program that speeds-up the building of new wind power generation projects. In addition, a bi-partisan initiative first backed by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) for a National Clean Energy Lending Authority, is likely to be approved by the Obama team. The new agency could receive as much as $10 billion to extend low-interest loans, grants or guarantees to wind, solar and other renewable energy projects.
In the wind sector, most turbine manufacturers are foreign owned and not likely to qualify for stimulus dollars. Analysts expect U.S. based wind power project builders, to be big winners. New Jersey's NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG) which just completed its second wind project in the Texas Panhandle, has received a buy recommendation from UBS. Another wind power company with two projects underway in the Texas Panhandle is Denver based Nacel Energy (OTC Bulletin Board: NCEN). CNBC guest analyst Francis Gaskins has a $4 price target on the company. Nacel Energy closed yesterday at $1.15.
There are even more U.S. companies to like in the solar sector. Analysts at Stanford Capital have issued a buy on Evergreen Solar (NASDAQ:ESLR) with a $3.70 target. Evergreen is based in Marlboro, MA, and is a leading manufacturer of integrated solar modules. Needham and Co. has a buy on New Mexico's Emcore (NASDAQ:EMKR) and a $2 price target. Both Emcore's semiconductors and Evergreen's solar modules expected to benefit from increasing demand as the Obama stimulus plan is implemented over the coming months.
A Before the Bell(TM) renewable energy update.
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