Join the First-Ever 50001 Ready Wastewater Cohort

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State & Local Spotlight

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Nov. 23, 2021

News

Join the First-Ever 50001 Ready Wastewater Cohort

An aerial view of a wastewater facility.

Wastewater treatment facilities are invited to join the first-ever 50001 Ready Wastewater Cohort, which is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) 50001 Ready Program. This cohort will learn how to implement a robust energy management system based on the global ISO 50001 energy management system standard.

Each cohort will be tailored to meet the needs of participating partners and includes 6-12 months of support from national ISO 50001 experts. Support will be delivered through

  • Monthly cohort group training webinars.
  • Monthly virtual coaching sessions with each site.
  • On-demand guidance on the use of 50001 Ready tools and resources.
  • Opportunities for peer-to-peer learning.

Organizations that complete implementation can receive 50001 Ready Recognition from DOE, which includes

  • A project showcase and article across DOE websites and social media to amplify your success.
  • A profile on DOE's recognition webpage.
  • The right to display the 50001 Ready mark for as long as your annual recognition remains up to date.

Join the 23,000-plus sites worldwide benefiting from 50001 and get on a path toward deeper and more sustained energy and cost savings!

If your facility is interested in joining the cohort, please contact stateandlocal@ee.doe.gov.

New Resource for Energy Savings Performance Contracting Customers

DOE has a new resource, An Ally in Your Corner: Benefits of Using Owner's Representatives, produced in collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). This short document provides the business case for retaining an owner's representative (i.e., a third-party technical consultant that protects customer's interests) for oversight on Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) projects.

The resource offers specific areas of competency and qualifications for customers to prioritize, examples of owner's representatives maximizing ESPC project value, and a summary of resources to help customers find or solicit owner's representative services. This document is a valuable resource for municipal and state governments, universities and colleges, schools, and hospitals looking to reduce risk and verify savings for their ESPC projects.

Download the new ESPC resource.

DOE Sets New Community Solar Goal

On Oct. 8, 2021, DOE announced a new goal to enable community solar systems to power the equivalent of 5 million households by 2025 and create $1 billion in energy bill savings. To support this goal, the National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) has identified barriers to increasing access to equitable solar energy and will distribute $2 million in technical assistance to organizations, governments, and businesses who are working to expand access to affordable community solar to all American households.

Join NCSP and learn how to receive free technical assistance to accelerate implementation and improve the performance of your community solar program or project.

New 'On the Go' Podcast Brings Clean Transportation Conversations to Life

Clean Cities Podcast

A new podcast produced by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in partnership with the Clean Cities Coalition Network presents a fresh way to highlight how to bring more affordable, accessible, and sustainable transportation to the streets today, while exploring strategies to improve the mobility options of tomorrow. On the Go: An On-Road Transportation Podcast with Clean Cities gives listeners insight into the U.S. transportation sector and how the deployment of emerging transportation technologies is transforming the current mobility landscape. On the Go is available for free on most podcasting and music streaming apps, including Apple PodcastsGoogle Podcasts, and Spotify.

Visit the Clean Cities website to stay up to date on new episodes. Read more about the podcast.

Communities LEAP (Local Energy Action Program) Pilot Applications are Now Open

Communities LEAP

Recently, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm introduced the Communities LEAP (Local Energy Action Program) Pilot which aims to facilitate sustained community-wide economic and environmental benefits primarily through the Department of Energy's clean energy deployment work. This opportunity is specifically open to low-income, energy-burdened communities that are also experiencing either direct environmental justice impacts or direct economic impacts from a shift away from historical reliance on fossil fuels.  

Under the Communities LEAP Pilot, DOE will provide supportive services valued at up to $16 million for community-driven clean energy transitions.

The registration deadline is Dec. 15, 2021, at 5 p.m. ET and the application deadline is Dec. 17, 2021, at 5 p.m. ET. All applicants must register before they can apply.

Register and apply for the opportunity. For any questions, please read the opportunity announcement or contact CommunitiesLEAPInfo@hq.doe.gov.

Sign up for Communities LEAP updates.


Events

Upcoming SLOPE Webinar Will Preview New Scenario Planning Features

Nov. 30, 2021, 2–3 p.m. ET

The State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) Platform integrates and delivers data on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable transportation into an easy-to-access online platform to enable data-driven state and local energy planning. By the end of the year, SLOPE will include a new planning tool that will visualize energy, system costs, and CO2 emissions impacts of various energy scenarios. Users will be able to select and explore decarbonization, electrification, and other energy pathways at the state and county-levels in isolation and in combination to showcase how different scenarios compare.

Join the SLOPE webinar on Nov. 30, 2021, for a preview of the platform's forthcoming scenario planning capabilities and provide input to help finalize this new enhancement.

Register for the SLOPE webinar.

Put Your Money on It: Investing in Energy Efficiency Lending Webinar

Nov. 30, 2021, 3–4 p.m. ET

Many financial institutions require long-term performance data before investing in products or projects—energy efficiency lending is no exception.

Join this Better Buildings webinar to find out how financial institutions can market energy efficiency to their customers and lend them the money they need at low risk, all while creating a more efficient U.S. building stock. This webinar previews a forthcoming report from LBNL that will provide a first-of-its-kind analysis of the long-term performance of four energy efficiency financing programs.

Sign up for the webinar.

LEAD Tool for Tribes Webinar

LEAD tool

Nov. 30, 2021, 3:30–5 p.m. ET

This webinar will introduce the Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool. The LEAD Tool is intended to allow stakeholders to understand housing energy characteristics and now includes tribal boundaries.

The webinar will provide an overview of the LEAD Tool and demonstrate how the charts, graphs, and data from the tool can be used to compare tribal information to other geographic regions, such as states, counties, other tribal areas, or the entire United States.

Register for the LEAD Tool webinar.

Energy Data Management Webinar Series

Dec. 2, 2021, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET

DOE is hosting the final session of a 3-part webinar series that takes you through the Energy Data Management Guide, a web-based resource that provides public-sector organizations with a seven-step approach to establish a robust and sustainable energy data management program. The webinar series examines each of the guide's seven steps; highlights case studies, resources, and tools associated with each step; and features public-sector speakers sharing proven energy data management practices.

Register for the final part of the webinar series, Part 3: Hardwire Energy Data Management into Your Organization.

This webinar series is targeted to public-sector officials from states, local governments, and K–12 school districts who are responsible for managing energy and/or energy-using assets in their organizations.

Watch the recordings from parts one and two in the webinar series.

Free eProject eXpress Training

eProject eXpress

Dec. 13, 2021, 1–2 p.m. ET

DOE and LBNL recently released eProject eXpress (ePX), a streamlined tool to help state and local governments implement ESPC and reap the benefits of energy efficiency. ePX unlocks new capabilities to meet the unique data management and reporting needs of the municipal and state governments, universities and colleges, schools, and hospitals market. Using ePX can significantly reduce customers' costs and staff time associated with tracking project data and contract agreements and clearly demonstrate the success of energy efficiency programs.

DOE and LBNL are providing a free, one-hour webinar designed to guide interested users through ePX operation so they can start using ePX to strengthen their ESPC projects and programs.

Register for the ePX training webinar.

In addition to the upcoming trainings, a recording of the July 2021 ePX launch event is now available on the Better Buildings Solution Center website.


State and Local Leaders in the News

Colorado Weatherization Assistance Program Transitions Mobile Homes to Fully Electric Power

The Colorado Energy Office recently announced the renovation of five mobile homes in Eagle County through its Weatherization Assistance Program resulting in successful transitions from propane to fully electric heating and cooking, such as electric heat pump water heaters and high efficiency electric induction cooktops. This transition to a fully electric home, known as beneficial electrification, can reduce energy use significantly, improve health and safety, and enhance an occupant's quality of life. These improvements are especially important for Colorado's low-income residents who spend a large portion of household income on energy costs and are at high risk for health and safety concerns from outdated propane appliances.

$52.5 Million Available for Community Solar Projects Supporting Underserved New Yorkers

Over the summer, New York announced the launch of the Inclusive Community Solar Adder program that makes $52.5 million available for community solar projects that support underserved New Yorkers and disadvantaged communities. Projects funded through the program are expected to serve up to 50,000 low-to-moderate income households, affordable housing providers, and facilities serving disadvantaged communities, which will receive energy bill savings from the clean, renewable energy generated by community solar.


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Available Grants and Funding Opportunities

Learn about what types of EERE funding are available for state and local governments. To view all open funding opportunity announcements, access:

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