DOE, Commerce Department Offer $1.3 Million for Energy Workforce

DOE and the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology ( NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program announced on February 16 up to $1.3 million for training programs. The programs provide commercial building professionals with critical skills needed to optimize building efficiency, reduce waste, and save money. The programs will help reach the Better Buildings Initiative goal of improving energy efficiency nationwide in commercial and industrial buildings by 20% by 2020, reducing energy costs by nearly $40 billion, and creating jobs.

The funding announced will support training centers targeted at improving energy performance in commercial buildings and manufacturing plants. To compete for the funding, universities, community and technical colleges, and trade associations across the country will partner with NIST's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers to create robust building efficiency training programs that leverage MEP’s efforts to help businesses create and retain jobs, increase profits, and save time and money. Training will be tailored to building operators, building managers, and energy service providers, and it will provide energy performance solutions that can save businesses 5%-20% on their energy bills. Applications are due March 30. See the DOE press release, the funding opportunity information, and the Energy Education and Workforce Development website.

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Drop in bio-fuels, you fly in Commerce City (Colorado)

Aerial view of the Rentech the pilot scale biofuels plant in Commerce City (Colorado).
Credit: Rentech

Developing a key to our efforts, U.S. to end dependence on foreign oil and to ensure a secure energy future is robust, even supporting biofuels industry. A decisive step in promoting a domestic biofuels industry is to establish nationally integrated biorefineries.

Bio-refineries oil refineries are similar in concept; However, instead of to oil and other fossil resources, bio-refineries using organic goods to a wide variety of fuels, organic products, chemicals, and heat and makes to produce.

The DOE Office of energy efficiency and renewable energy works in partnership with industry to develop, build, operate, and integrated biorefineries nationwide review at various levels (pilot, demonstration and commercial). Such a project, under the direction of ClearFuels Rentech, recently celebrated the completion of a pilot-scale bio-refinery in Commerce City (Colorado).

Built with funds from the American recovery and Reinvestment Act, the pilot-scale plant converts wood waste, agricultural residue, and bagasse - the unused portion of the sugar cane - in renewable diesel and kerosene. ClearFuels has developed a procedure to the thermochemically types convert a variety of feed stock - using a combination of heat and chemicals manufacture for fuel. The "drop" bio-fuels produced at the site is diesel a direct replacement based on crude oil and jet fuel, without any changes to existing fuel distribution networks or engines provide. This flexibility enables commercial and military aircraft for the transition to a clean, domestic fuel source, which reduces its effect not only on the environment, but also increases the national security by you them with an alternative offer. Read the energy blog post.

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