March 12, 2013—In an effort to help address the array of energy challenges facing the country, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), the University of Maryland, and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) have developed 'Energy 101', a unique, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary model framework born out of DOE's desire to introduce college students to energy literacy and sustainability and to encourage them to pursue energy careers. The partners will offer a webinar on April 10, 2013, for faculty, administrators and other interested parties to learn about the 'Energy 101' framework and how it uses group projects, DOE's Energy Literacy Principles (essential energy concepts for all citizens, from K-to-Gray), and educational modules to help students make informed choices about energy production, energy use, and sustainable development. Webinar participants will be able to ask questions at the end of the presentation.

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February 12, 2013—In tonight's State of the Union speech, President Barack Obama emphasized the need to keep the economy on the right track as it regains its strength and creates new jobs. He also reiterated the critical need to address climate change, after a year which saw record heat, drought, and weather extremes in the United States: "For the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change."

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Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org) is the largest charity evaluator in America and its website attracts more visitors than all other charity rating groups combined.

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The pilot was launched in 2011 by the Central Electric Power Cooperative, the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, and eight South Carolina co-ops, with technical and policy support from EESI. The comprehensive energy retrofit approach is projected to yield an average energy savings of more than 11,000 kWh/year per home. Though the average loan was for $7,200 over a 10-year term, the net financial benefits are expected to be immediate, particularly during energy-intensive summer and winter months. The 35 percent projected energy savings from this meter-based on-bill financing pilot is substantially higher than the savings achieved by many traditional utility rebate-based residential retrofit programs. Further, 96 percent of interviewed participants said that they were satisfied with the program and found their homes to be more comfortable. The pilot homes are undergoing a yearlong measurement phase to confirm projections. In conjunction with these preliminary results, EESI has released fact sheets about the pilot program and a general overview of on-bill financing.

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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP) are pleased to announce the release of their joint report, Climate Adaptation & Transportation: Identifying Information and Assistance Needs (view the report's summary here).

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EnergySource LLC received the award for its Hudson Ranch 1 project in Imperial Valley, CA. The Hudson Ranch 1 power plant is designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 30 percent compared to an average geothermal plant and set a new standard in minimized water use. The company has also been actively engaged in the protection of biological resources. Where burrowing owls have been impacted by the construction of Hudson Ranch 1, EnergySource has used proven passive relocation techniques and is monitoring the owls until nearby construction ends.

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“It’s our duty as an association to highlight the efforts of companies and individuals that are advancing geothermal energy by leading the innovation, development and promotion of the industry through community engagement, education, and job creation,” said GEA’s Kathy Kent. “We look forward to honoring all of these nominees at our awards dinner at the GEA National Geothermal Summit.”

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UPDATE: The deadline for nominations has been extended to July 1, 2011. The award will be presented at the National Geothermal Summit in Reno on August 17, 2011.

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Blum is the president and chief executive officer of the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA), a trade association for energy efficient insulation manufacturers and suppliers. During his tenure at PIMA, the organization has received two awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for climate and ozone protection. Blum has developed award-winning governmental affairs and technical educational programs, and has become a nationally recognized leader on such critical issues as energy efficiency, sustainable construction, and atmospheric environmental initiatives. He also is a member of the Board for the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) and the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC), and previously served as counsel to a Member of Congress and the Federal Trade Commission.

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Washington, DC – A partnership announced today will implement an innovative program to finance energy efficiency improvements for rural homes with low-cost loans that are repaid through customers’ electric bills (aka “on-bill financing”). The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), a nonprofit policy education and outreach organization, will work with electric cooperatives in South Carolina to design and implement the pilot project for a “Rural Energy Savings Program” that will serve as a model for similar programs in other states, and a pending national program. The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina (ECSC), the state association of electric cooperatives, and Central Electric Power Cooperative, the state’s generation and transmission co-op, will be EESI’s lead partners in this effort. The collaboration between the co-ops and EESI to design and implement this pilot project is being supported by a $225,000 grant to EESI from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

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