Energy Policy Update Energy and Environmental News NOVEMBER 28, 2011

This newsletter is published by the Governor’s Office of Energy Policy and is provided free of charge to the public. It contains verbatim excerpts from international and domestic energy and environment-related publications reviewed by the Education and Community Outreach personnel. For inquiries, call (602) 771-1143 or toll free (800) 352-5499. Compiled and edited by Gloria Castro, Special Projects Coordinator. To register to receive this newsletter electronically or to unsubscribe, email Gloria Castro.

CONTENTS

ARIZONA–RELATED ALTERNATIVE ENERGY AND EFFICIENCY ENERGY/GENERAL INDUSTRIES AND TECHNOLOGIES LEGISLATION AND REGULATION WESTERN POWER STATE INCENTIVES/POLICIES GRANTS

For your convenience, Arizona-related titles are highlighted in blue. ARIZONA APS to Build Solar Plant in East Yuma [Yuma Sun, Nov. 22] Arizona Public Service plans to develop a new solar plant in Yuma that will provide 17 megawatts of power, enough for 4,250 homes. APS Vice President of Energy Delivery Daniel Froetzcher said while in Yuma Tuesday that APS is seeking proposals from solar developers and installers to build a solar photovoltaic facility. “We are soliciting bids. Once developed, the developer will turnkey it over to APS.” The plant site will be in east Yuma on property provided by the utility company. It consists of 357 acres, with about 200 acres designated for development of the 17-megawatt facility. Such a facility is appropriate for Yuma, according to APS officials. “Yuma is an important load pocket,” said Andrea Bereznak, APS southwest community relations manager. In monitoring the community's growth, APS foresees a need for additional capacity.

Arizona Highway Agency Tests Solar-Powered Lights [Associated Press, Nov. 22] Phoenix - State transportation officials are looking at solar power as a way to allow highway maintenance vehicles to turn off their engines while still keeping their emergency lights running for safety reasons. The Department of Transportation says having vehicles idle while crews are working along highways wastes fuel and emits pollution. But maintenance vehicles leave their emergency lights running to alert motorists that workers are along the highway. The department says it is testing solar powered lights on 37 vehicles to see if they can run properly in different weather conditions.

EnviroMission Engages Terracon to Provide Initial Geotechnical Engineering Services for Solar Tower Project [PR Web, Nov. 21] Olathe, KS - Terracon has been engaged by EnviroMission to provide initial geotechnical engineering analysis, geo-seismic analysis and geotechnical consulting services for the Solar Tower power station development in Arizona. Terracon’s reports will inform and support Solar Tower front end engineering and design (FEED). EnviroMission plans to build a major infrastructure power station that will use air heated by the sun to drive turbines to generate enough renewable energy to power 150,000 homes in Arizona and California. The iconic design will have a vast greenhouse with a tall central tower structure that will be almost twice as tall as the Empire State Building. The proposed Solar Tower will offset 1 million metric tons of greenhouse gases per year and will abate the use of up to 1 billion gallons of potable water annually.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY AND EFFICIENCY Cable TV Industry Launches Energy Efficiency Initiative [SustainableBusiness.com News, Nov. 22] Those cable boxes that sit on top of (or under) your TV are about to get a lot more energy efficient. Cable TV operators that provide service to 85% of US customers have pledged to make 90% of all new cable boxes Energy Star 3.0 by the end of 2013. Like computers, cable boxes will go to "sleep" when not in use, greatly reducing energy consumption. U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) challenged the industry to develop more energy efficient devices. Many people aren't aware that the innocent cable box is an energy hog. Two cable boxes consume more electricity than a new refrigerator - the appliance that uses the most energy - roughly 500 kilowatt hours a year. Energy Star-rated cable boxes use less than half the energy of standard ones. The change is part of a U.S. cable industry energy efficiency initiative, launched by its trade association, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association.

Concentrating Solar Power Simplified in Spain [EarthTechling.com, Nov. 23] Engineering, procurement and construction firm ABB has launched a new concentrating solar power (CSP) technology that the company says uses considerably less material, land and water than other CSP plants. Plus, it says, plants using the new technology are extremely easy to build and operate. Instead of the curved mirrors of a parabolic trough, ABB-Novatec Solar’s patented “Fresnel-based CSP technology” uses flat glass mirrors to reflect solar energy into a water-filled receiver tube, super-heating the water to 500 degrees Celsius to generate steam. ABB says that the technology uses 70 percent less material, requires 40 percent less land and consumes 80 percent less water per megawatt (MW) of power than parabolic trough designs. By using components such as sheet plates and glass mirrors, which can be easily mass-produced locally, the cost of building and operating the plants is further reduced, the company says. ABB-Novatec’s 1.4-MW Puerto Errado 1 demonstration plant in Murcia, Spain, has been generating power for the Spanish power grid since 2009. The company is also currently building Puerto Errado 2, the first commercial power plant to use the technology. With 28 rows of mirrors, the 30-MW power plant covers an area of 650,000 square meters and will produce about 50 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year—enough to power about 12,000 households. The technology can also be used in a hybrid system to increase the fuel efficiency of conventional power plants, in desalination and district cooling plants, or in any industrial process that requires steam. ABB said its 9-MW array in Liddell, Australia, will be the world’s first use of solar thermal technology to provide supplemental power to a gas power plant.

Seattle Dives Deeper Into Energy Efficiency of Its Buildings [SustainableBusiness.com News, Nov. 21] This week, the owners of 8000 buildings will receive letters informing them about Seattle's new building energy efficiency program. Those letters will go to building owners and managers of non-residential buildings larger than 10,000 square feet and multifamily buildings with five or more units. They will be required to benchmark and report on their building energy performance by April 1, 2012. It will affect a wide range of building types - offices, schools, restaurants, retail outlets - which constitute a significant portion of Seattle's building stock. Benchmarking how much energy their building uses - and wastes - will help them identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency and increase savings. This is the second phase of Seattle's Building Energy Benchmarking and Reporting Program, which until now, has applied only to nonresidential buildings over 50,000 sq. ft. The City is working to ensure that all buildings are benchmarked on an annual basis, and that building energy use information is available to potential tenants, buyers and lenders during real estate transactions. That way, building owners, businesses and residents can make more informed, cost-conscious decisions when upgrading, buying or renting property.

Solar Powered KB Homes Offer Big Savings Opportunity for Homebuyers [Energy Trend.com, Nov. 23] KB Home (NYSE: KBH), one of the nation’s premier homebuilders, announced that it is significantly expanding its popular solar initiative by making solar power systems a standard feature of homes in nearly all of its communities across Southern California. Including the high-efficiency SunPower® solar power systems – now available at 28 communities – with a new KB home can help KB homeowners reduce their monthly energy bills by as much as 80% and lower their cost of homeownership for years to come. “Consumers who buy a Built to Order™ KB home get the value of a custom home-like experience plus the tremendous energy efficiency of our latest advanced building techniques. And now, having solar included is like having the sun help pay their energy bills,” said Jeffrey Mezger, president and chief executive officer of KB Home. “The response to our solar initiative has been overwhelmingly positive and we are excited to expand our program so that many more homebuyers in Southern California can take advantage of this unique opportunity.” To illustrate the potential benefit of solar power systems and the many other energy-efficient features of its homes, KB Home provides consumers with its Energy Performance Guide® (EPG®), which shows an estimate of monthly energy costs for each home as designed. For example, at KB Home’s Newbury at the Enclave in Eastvale, Calif., a one-story, four bedroom home without a solar power system has an estimated monthly electric and gas bill of $108. With the expansion of KB Home’s solar power initiative, this home will now include a 3.15kWp system as a standard feature and the estimated monthly electric and gas bill will be $27. Compared to a typical resale home, this new KB home is estimated to save a homeowner about $2,000 annually on energy costs.

ENERGY/GENERAL A Bright Idea: Energy-Saving Apps [Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 21]It's possible that Tanya Morris has become something of a pest. And she delights in it. Wherever she goes, she's likely to whip out her iPad and open her favorite app: the Light Bulb Finder. Give her half a chance and she'll persuade you to roam your house with her so she can log the incandescent bulbs and use the app to find more efficient versions. "I love it!" said Morris, who has ample reason to champion energy efficiency. She's the communications and outreach coordinator for Energy Coordinating Agency, a Philadelphia nonprofit whose mission is to help people save energy. The finder is among a barrage of green apps hitting the nation's smart phones and tablets. Last week, it won a green-app competition sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, besting 37 other submissions. Even those in the industry know of no master list or clearinghouse for green apps, but they say that with increasing amounts of data from government agencies being made public, apps taking advantage of them are rolling out one after another. A white paper released last week by Brighter Planet, a provider of carbon and energy calculations, noted that the world's data volume is doubling every 18 months. In the past, said Andy Rossmeissl, cofounder of Brighter Planet, people had to rely pretty much on rules of thumb to make their sustainability decisions. But in an increasingly complex world, rules of thumb don't always work. So, "either you make every single person in the world a climate scientist, or you use apps," said Rossmeissl. "Me, I don't have enough legal pads." Apps based on reams of data can give individualized advice. Brighter Planet developed a travel app called Hootroot, which got the runner-up award in the EPA contest.

INDUSTRIES AND TECHNOLOGIES Advance Could Challenge China's Solar Dominance New technology could tip the balance back in favor of some solar-panel manufacturers outside China. [MIT Tech Review, Nov. 21] Chinese solar-panel manufacturers dominate the industry, but a new way of making an exotic type of crystalline silicon might benefit solar companies outside of China that have designs that take advantage of the material. GT Advanced Technologies, one of world's biggest suppliers of furnaces for turning silicon into large crystalline cubes that can then be sliced to make wafers for solar cells, recently announced two advanced technologies for making crystalline silicon. The new approaches significantly lower the cost of making high-end crystalline silicon for highly efficient solar cells. The first technology, which GT calls Monocast, can be applied as a retrofit to existing furnaces, making it possible to produce monocrystalline silicon using the same equipment now used to make lower quality multicrystalline silicon. It will be available early next year. Several other manufacturers are developing similar technology. It's the second technology, which the company calls HiCz, that could have a bigger long-term impact. It cuts the cost of making a type of monocrystalline silicon that is leavened with trace amounts of phosphorous, which further boosts a panel's efficiency. This type of silicon is currently used in only 10 percent of solar panels because of its high cost, but could gain a bigger share of the market as a result of the cost savings (up to 40 percent) from GT's technology. The technology will be available next year.

European Investment Bank to Fund World’s Largest Operational Offshore Wind Farm [OceanPowerMagazine.net, Nov. 23] The European Investment Bank has agreed to provide GBP150m of long-term funding to Vattenfall for the Thanet Offshore Wind Farm. With 100 wind turbines, each 115m tall, and a generating capacity of 300MW this is the largest offshore wind farm operating anywhere in the world. The wind farm, inaugurated in September 2010, is an important step in enabling the United Kingdom to achieve renewable energy targets and generating 15% of energy needs from renewable sources by 2020. “The Thanet Offshore wind farm demonstrates how offshore wind can achieve economies of scale and make a significant contribution to renewable energy supply. The European Investment Bank is committed to supporting expansion of the offshore sector to increase experience and drive commercialisation of cutting edge technology.” said Simon Brooks, European Investment Bank Vice President for the United Kingdom.

Google Pulls Plug on Renewable Energy Plan Search giant quitting non-core projects, including solar power [Reuters, Nov. 22] San Francisco, CA - Google Inc. has abandoned an ambitious project to make renewable energy cheaper than coal, the latest target of Chief Executive Larry Page's moves to focus the Internet giant on fewer efforts. Google said on Tuesday that it was pulling the plug on seven projects, including Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal as well as a Wikipedia-like online encyclopedia service known as Knol. The plans, which Google announced on its corporate blog, represent the third so-called "spring cleaning" announcement that Google has made since Google co-founder Page took the reins in April. The changes come as Google is facing stiff competition in mobile computing and social networking from Apple Inc and Facebook, and as some investors have groused about rising spending at the world's No.1 Internet search company.

In Search of the Ideal Grid Battery Researchers at Stanford make an electrode that can be recharged 40,000 times without losing much capacity. · [MIT Tech Review, Nov. 22] Energy utilities are increasingly looking for batteries that can help stabilize the grid. By quickly storing and delivering charge, batteries could accommodate fluctuations in supply and demand, and help to incorporate variable sources of power such as wind and solar. However, currently available battery technologies are either too expensive or don't last for enough charge cycles to be practical. Researchers at Stanford University have now demonstrated a high-efficiency new nanomaterial battery electrode that lasts for 40,000 charge cycles without significantly losing its charge-holding capacity. The work was led by Yi Cui, a materials science and engineering professor at Stanford University. Cui says the electrode is a first step toward a new type of low-cost battery suitable for storing large amounts of electricity within the power grid.

Renewable Energy Becoming Cost Competitive, IEA Says [Reuters, Nov. 23] Renewable energy technology is becoming increasingly cost competitive and growth rates are in line to meet levels required of a sustainable energy future, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report on Wednesday. The report also said subsidies in green energy technologies that were not yet competitive are justified in order to give an incentive to investing into technologies with clear environmental and energy security benefits. The renewable electricity sector has grown rapidly in the past five years and now provides nearly 20 percent of the world's power generation, the IEA said during the presentation of the report titled Deploying Renewables 2011. The IEA's report disagreed with claims that renewable energy technologies are only viable through costly subsidies and not able to produce energy reliably to meet demand. "A portfolio of renewable energy ( RE ) technologies is becoming cost-competitive in an increasingly broad range of circumstances, in some cases providing investment opportunities without the need for specific economic support," the IEA said, and added that "cost reductions in critical technologies, such as wind and solar, are set to continue." "The portfolio of RE technologies, which includes established hydro power, geothermal and bioenergy technologies is now, therefore, cost-competitive in an increasingly broad range of circumstances, providing investment opportunities without the need for specific economic support." But the IEA also defended subsidies in renewable energy technology as a necessary means to create a clean and independent energy supply system. In the past, the IEA has been criticized by environmental groups for underplaying the role of renewable energy technologies in favor of nuclear and fossil-fuels.

LEGISLATION AND REGULATION 6 States Pull Out of Western Climate Initiative, Move toward America 2050 [SustainableBusiness.com News, Nov. 22] After the Northeast carbon trading program reported on its great success last week, generating $1.6 billion for the region's economy, 6 states pulled out of a similar initiative planned for the western part of the US. New Mexico, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Montana and Utah all formally declined to participate in the Western Climate Initiative, leaving only California and four Canadian provinces - British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. Instead, the states say they will join a new national program, the America 2050 Initiative, which gives states much wider choice as to how they will reduce emissions and deal with environmental issues.

China Bends to U.S. Complaint on Solar Panels but Plans Retaliation [New York Times, Nov. 21] HONG KONG — Chinese solar panel makers plan to shift some of their production to South Korea, Taiwan and the United States in hopes of defusing a trade case pending against them in Washington, according to industry executives. But at the same time, the Chinese industry is considering retaliating by filing a trade case of its own with China’s Commerce Ministry. The most likely target would be American exports to China of polysilicon — a prime ingredient in solar panels — Chinese industry executives and officials said on Monday. American manufacturers exported about $873 million of polysilicon to China last year, nearly as much in dollar terms as the value of the solar panels that China shipped to the United States. The Chinese moves come after the United States Commerce Department opened a trade case against China’s solar panel makers earlier this month, at the request of SolarWorld Industries America and six other American solar companies.

Electric Vehicle Advocates See Threat to Progress from Keystone Xl Pipeline City and county officials think the pipeline would undermine federal policy and their local efforts to move to clean vehicles and alternate fuels. [InsideClimateNews.org, Nov. 23] A new group has chimed in to oppose the Keystone XL pipeline project that would carry oil from Canada to Texas: local officials who advocate for electric vehicles and alternative fuels. The officials say the $7 billion project would steer investment and interest away from their efforts to clean up county fleets and get residents off gasoline. And they're speaking out now because they want their opposition heard as the Obama administration continues to deliberate the project. "Clean vehicle manufacturing and infrastructure development really do create jobs," Efren Carrillo, who chairs the board of supervisors in California's Sonoma County, told InsideClimate News. "My concern is that there is a potential to put these investments at risk if this pipeline were approved." Carrillo is part of a national network of more than 500 local government officials, called the Climate Communities coalition, which is concerned that the pipeline's approval would undermine their efforts to advance clean transportation initiatives at the local, state and national levels. The four-year-old organization aims to educate federal policymakers about the key role that local governments play in shaping energy and climate policies.

Livestock Farmers Warn Ethanol Industry’s Demand for Corn Could Lead to Meat Shortages [Associated Press, Nov. 23] Des Moines, IA - Livestock farmers are demanding a change in the nation’s ethanol policy, claiming current rules could lead to spikes in meat prices and even shortages at supermarkets if corn growers have a bad year. The amount of corn consumed by the ethanol industry combined with continued demand from overseas has cattle and hog farmers worried that if corn production drops due to drought or another natural disaster, the cost of feed could skyrocket, leaving them little choice but to reduce the size of their herds. A smaller supply could, in turn, mean higher meat prices and less selection at the grocery store. The ethanol industry argues such scenarios are unlikely, but farmers have the backing of food manufacturers, who also fear that a federal mandate to increase production of ethanol will protect that industry from any kind of rationing amid a corn shortage. The subject of debate is the Renewable Fuel Standard, a 2005 law requiring the nation to produce 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2012. The standard was changed in 2007 to gradually increase the requirement to 36 billion gallons by 2022. While a $5 billion-a-year federal ethanol subsidy is scheduled to expire this year, the production requirement will remain, unless it’s changed by Congress.

US Renewable Energy Needs New Money, Investors and Finance Models The US renewable energy sector must attract new investors and make use of unique tax-based financing structures in the next 18 months or risk a sharp drop in new project builds, according to a Bloomberg New Energy Finance report commissioned by Reznick Group. [RenewableEnergyFocus.com, Nov. 23] The US renewable energy industry has received over US$65 billion in tax credits, grants and soft loans under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. However, unless the private sector steps into the breach with substantial new investment, project development will slow. The cash-based incentive programme is due to expire at the end of 2011, and tax credits are likely to again become the most important Federal subsidies supporting renewable project development in the US. These incentives propelled the sector’s growth for much of the past decade, particularly in the run-up to the financial crisis. The report, The Return – and Returns – of Tax Equity for US Renewable Projects, delivers two major findings about tax credits: first, that the economics of ‘tax equity’ – the part of a renewable project’s financing structure used to take advantage of tax credits – can provide attractive returns for parties involved in these transactions; but second, that the US renewable sector will require new sources of tax equity if it is to meet market demand for project finance.

WESTERN POWER California Solar Reaches 1-GW Milestone [Energy Prospects West, Nov. 22] The amount of grid-connected solar in California reached 1 GW this month, according to a report by the Environment California Research & Policy Center, and the state is on pace to meet its goal of installing 3 GW of solar capacity by 2016. The report, "Building a Brighter Future: California's Progress Toward a Million Solar Roofs," says that nearly 800 MW of solar-photovoltaic power has been installed in the state following the CPUC's adoption of the California Solar Initiative and the passage of SB 1 -- the Million Solar Roofs bill -- by the Legislature. The policies took effect in 2007. The report notes that state initiatives have helped drive down the cost of solar, though the goal of cutting the cost in half has yet to be realized. Since 2007, the total installed cost of residential solar-energy systems in California has fallen 25 percent, and the cost of commercial- scale systems has dropped more than 40 percent. Since 2007, residential systems have fallen about $2.40/watt to $7.60/watt.

Solar Market Darkens for Colorado's San Luis Valley [Energy Prospects West, Nov. 22] A drop in electricity demand in Colorado may have cast a dark cloud over the San Luis Valley's hopes for a solar-development boom. Earlier this month, Xcel Energy announced it had "suspended indefinitely" plans to build the controversial Southern Colorado Transmission Improvement Project (SCTIP), a 140-mile transmission line that would have linked the sun-drenched valley with a substation near Pueblo, giving the valley's solar projects access to the Denver market. Study: New Mexico, Arizona Transmission Project to Bring Jobs [Associated Press, Nov. 22] An effort to build 500 miles of high-voltage transmission lines between New Mexico and Arizona would create thousands of construction jobs and result in $1.5 billion in capital investment. Those are the findings of a joint study conducted by New Mexico State University and the University of Arizona for SunZia Transmission LLC. The company announced the findings Tuesday. Researchers looked at the construction and operation of the transmission lines and electrical substations as well as the construction of renewable energy projects that could sprout as a result of the SunZia project. They say SunZia will create an estimated 6,200 construction jobs and more than 120 permanent jobs. Spin-off generation projects could result in more than 480 permanent jobs. The study’s authors say the economies of Arizona and New Mexico’s rural communities stand to benefit.

ARIZONA STATE INCENTIVES/POLICIES Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) Angel Investment Tax Credit Program The main objective of the Angel Investment program is to expand early stage investments in targeted Arizona small businesses. The program accomplishes this goal by providing tax credits to investors who make capital investment in small businesses certified by the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA). To view the list of businesses that have been certified under this program please click here.

Income Tax Credit Provisions An investor seeking an income tax credit must document to the ACA the investment was made in either a qualified rural or bioscience company or any other qualified small business. For a qualified bioscience or rural company, the tax credit may total up to 35% of the investment amount over three years; for any other qualified business, the tax credit may total up to 30% over three years. If the tax credits exceed the investor’s income tax liability, any unused tax credit amount may be carried forward for up to three taxable years as long as the investor timely claims the credits with Revenue.

The ACA may authorize up to $20 million in tax credits to qualified investors beginning July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2016. The tax credits will be authorized on a first come, first served basis, which is established by the date and time the investor files an application with the ACA. Download the Angel Tax Credit Allocation Table Angel Tax Credit Allocation Table to view the remaining amount of tax credits available. For more detailed information please see below or direct questions to the Program Manager.

Job Training Program offers job specific reimbursable grants for employers creating new jobs or increasing the skill and wage level of their current employees. Deadline: Year Round

Quality Jobs Tax Credit Program Beginning July 1, 2011, this new program provides Arizona income tax credits for companies creating new jobs and investing in Arizona. The credit is valued at up to $9,000 over a 3-year period per each new employee and offers a 5-year carry forward provision for any unused tax credits. Eligibility qualifications are different for rural and metro areas

Renewable Energy Tax Incentive Program offers a refundable income tax credit and property tax reduction to companies in solar, wind, geothermal and other renewable energy industries who are expanding or locating a manufacturing or headquarters operation in Arizona. The tax credit is up to 10% of the total qualified investment amount and the property tax benefit can reduce a company’s property taxes by up to 75%. Deadline: Year Round

Research and Development Tax Credit is an Arizona income tax credit for increased research and development activities conducted in this state. Starting in 2010, a qualifying company may be eligible to claim a partial refund of its current year excess R&D credit. Applicants may apply at the end of their tax year but prior to filing a tax return with Revenue.

Commercial/Industrial Solar Energy Tax Credit Program - The primary goal of the Commercial/Industrial Solar Energy Tax Credit Program is to stimulate the production and use of solar energy in commercial and industrial applications by subsidizing the initial cost of solar energy devices. The program achieves this goal by providing an Arizona income tax credit for the installation of solar energy devices in Arizona business facilities. For more detailed information please see below or direct questions to the Program Manager.

Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) · Arizona Incentives/Policies · Federal Incentives/Policies · Solar Policy News - DSIRE provides summaries of current solar policy developments and an archive of past solar policy developments. Current solar news appears below the news archive, which is searchable by several criteria.

GRANTS The RFPs created or supplemented as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) are identified in the RFP titles.

The following solicitations are now available:

Sustainability Research Networks The National Science Foundation requests proposals for the Sustainability Research Networks Competition. Through this competition, NSF, in partnership with other agencies, international efforts, and the private sector, aims to support members of the academic research community for projects which produce discoveries and knowledge that will inform decisions leading to environmental, energy, social and cultural sustainability. $36 million expected to be available, up to 4 awards anticipated. Preliminary proposals due 12/1/11, final proposals due 4/1/12. For more info, including contacts, go to: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf11574. Refer to NSF 11- 574. (Grants.gov 8/25/11)

Undergraduate Environmental Fellowships The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requests proposals from undergraduate bachelor level students in environmental fields of study for the Greater Research Opportunities Fellowships Program. Areas of interest include: Natural and Life Sciences; Environmental Sciences and Interdisciplinary Programs; Engineering; Social Sciences; Physical Sciences and Earth Sciences; and Mathematics and Computer Science. $1.956 million expected to be available, up to 40 awards anticipated. Individual awards NTE $48.9K. Responses due 12/12/11. For more info, contact Georgette Boddie at [email protected] or go to: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2012/2012_gro_undergrad.html. Each area of interest has a different RFP number. (Grants.gov 8/23/11)

Solid State Lighting Manufacturing The U.S. Department of Energy requests proposals for Solid State Lighting Manufacturing Research and Development - Round 3. This RFP will support R&D to achieve cost reduction of solid-state lighting for general illumination through improvements in manufacturing equipment, processes, or techniques. $10 million expected to be available, up to 4 awards anticipated. Responses due 12/15/11. For more info, contact [email protected] or go to: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/. Refer to Sol# DE-FOA-0000561. (Grants.gov 9/26/11)

People, Prosperity and the Planet The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requests proposals for the National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3). The P3 Awards program was developed to foster progress toward sustainability by achieving the mutual goals of economic prosperity, protection of the planet, and improved quality of life for its people. Areas of interest include: Energy; Built Environment; Materials and Chemicals; Water; Agriculture; Green Infrastructure; and Clean Cookstoves. $1.05 million expected to be available, up to 45 awards anticipated. Responses due 12/22/11. For more info, contact Cynthia Nolt-Helms at nolt- [email protected] or go to: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2012/2012_p3.html. Refer to EPA-G2012-P3. (Grant.gov 10/2/11)

Broad R&D Announcement The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center has issued a Broad Agency Announcement for various R&D topic areas. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Energy, facilities maintenance, materials and structures, engineering processes, environmental processes, land and heritage conservation, and ecological processes. Up to 10 awards anticipated. Responses due 1/31/12. For more info, contact Allison Hudson at [email protected] or go to: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=63113. Refer to Sol# W912HZ11BAA02. (Grants.gov 1/11/11)

Sustainable Energy Pathways The National Science Foundation requests proposals for Sustainable Energy Pathways. This RFP will support interdisciplinary efforts by teams of researchers to address the challenges of developing efficient pathways towards a sustainable energy future. $34 million expected to be available. Responses due 2/1/12. For more info, including agency contacts, go to: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf11590. Refer to Sol# 11-590. (Grants.gov 9/22/11)

Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers The National Science Foundation requests proposals for Fundamental Research Program for Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Energy and Environment; Advanced Manufacturing; Biotechnology; Advanced Materials; and Fabrication and Process Technology. $1.6 million expected to be available, up to 10 awards anticipated. Responses due 2/1/12. For more info, contact Rathindra DasGupta at [email protected] or go to: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf11570. Refer to NSF 11-570. (Grants.gov 8/10/11)

Environmental Engineering The National Science Foundation requests proposals for Environmental Engineering. The goal of this program is to encourage transformative research which applies scientific principles to minimize solid, liquid, and gaseous discharges into land, inland and coastal waters, and air that result from human activity, and to evaluate adverse impacts of these discharges on human health and environmental quality. $9.4 million expected to be available, up to 44 awards anticipated. Responses due 2/17/12. For more info, contact Paul Bishop at [email protected] or go to: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501029. Refer to Sol# PD-12-1440. (Grants.gov 6/8/11)

Thermal Transport The National Science Foundation requests proposals for Thermal Transport Processes. This program supports engineering research aimed at gaining a basic understanding of the microscopic and macroscopic levels of thermal transport phenomena. $10.1 million expected to be available, up to 32 awards anticipated. Responses due 2/17/12. For more info, contact Sumanta Acharya at [email protected] or go to: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13367. Refer to Sol# PD-12-1406. (Grants.gov 6/8/11)

Energy for Sustainability The National Science Foundation requests proposals for Energy for Sustainability. This program supports fundamental research and education in energy production, conversion, and storage and is focused on energy sources that are environmentally friendly and renewable. Sources of sustainable energy include: Sunlight, Wind/Wave, Biomass, and Geothermal. $9.2 million expected to be available, up to 42 awards anticipated. Responses due 2/17/12. For more info, contact Gregory Rorrer at [email protected] or go to: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501026. Refer to Sol# PD-12-7644. (Grants.gov 6/8/11)

Environmental Sustainability The National Science Foundation requests proposals for Environmental Sustainability. This program supports engineering research with the goal of promoting sustainable engineered systems that support human well-being and that are also compatible with sustaining natural systems. $5.4 million expected to be available, up to 45 awards anticipated. Responses due 2/17/12. For more info, contact Bruce Hamilton at [email protected] or go to: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501027. Refer to Sol# PD-12-7643. (Grants.gov 6/8/11)

K-12 Environmental Projects Siemens Foundation and Discovery Education Launch request applications for the We Can Change the World Challenge for K-12 Students. Through this Challenge, Siemens invites students to team up with classmates under teacher/mentors to solve environmental problems in their school, community, and world. $250K expected to be available, responses due 3/15/12. For more info, go to: http://www.wecanchange.com/. (RFP Bulletin 9/16/11)

U.S. Navy Energy Conservation Projects The Naval Surface Warfare Center has issued a Broad Agency Announcement for White Papers that address Energy Conservation Applications for the U.S. Navy. This BAA solicits innovative concepts for Navy shipboard energy conservation and carbon footprint reduction with the potential for rapid transition to Fleet operation. The target segment of the Fleet is the ships operated by Military Sealift Command. Responses accepted to 10/31/12. The selection of one or more sources for full proposals and potential contract award will be based on responses to the BAA and the peer review process. For more info, contact Jamie Mattern at [email protected] or go to: https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=f4ea9da536f0413f20b80d9f02707b7e&tab=core&_cview=0. Refer to BAA# N00167-11-BAA-01. (FBO 11/3/10)

Office of Science The U.S. Department of Energy announces its continuing interest in receiving applications for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Basic Energy Sciences and Biological and Environmental Research, and Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists. Subtopics include Solar Photochemistry Research, and Climate Sciences. $400 million expected to be available, multiple awards anticipated. Responses due 9/30/12. For more info, contact Kimberlie Laing at [email protected] or go to: https://www.fedconnect.net/fedconnect/?doc=DE-FOA-0000660&agency=DOE. Refer to Sol# DE-FOA- 0000600. (Grants.gov 9/30/11)

Agriculture and Food Research - Climate Change The U.S. Department of Agriculture requests proposals for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) - Climate Change. The AFRI Climate Change Program will fund projects focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon sequestration in agricultural and forest production systems and preparing the nation’s agriculture and forests to adapt to changing climates. The RFP is posted at: http://nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/afri_rfa.html. Refer to Sol# USDA-NIFA-AFRI-003038. (Grants.gov 3/22/10)

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Bioenergy The U.S. Department of Agriculture requests proposals for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) – Sustainable Bioenergy. This program will support projects that target the development of regional systems for the sustainable production of bioenergy and biobased products that: contribute significantly to reducing dependence on foreign oil; have net positive social, environmental, and rural economic impacts; and are compatible with existing agricultural systems. The RFP is posted at: http://nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/afri_rfa.html. Refer to Sol# USDA-NIFA-AFRI-003042. (Grants.gov 3/22/10)

Agriculture & Food Research Initiative - Foundational Programs The U.S. Department of Agriculture requests proposals for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Foundational Programs. The Foundation Programs support research, education, and extension as well integrated programs that address key problems of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of agriculture. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Renewable energy, natural resources, and environment; Agriculture systems and technology; and Agriculture economics and rural communities. $78 million expected to be available, up to 420 awards anticipated. Contact info and due dates vary by subject area. For more info, go to: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/afri_rfa.html. Refer to Sol# USDA-NIFA-AFRI-003397. (Grants.gov 1/7/11)

Special thanks to the Washington State University Extension Energy Program for collecting this information.