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This quick-reference sheet provides a list of funding programs for the solid waste and wastewater sectors available at the national state levels. These funding programs are related to existing infrastructure improvements, as well as the development of new energy efficiency and renewable energy systems (including waste-to-energy).
This quick-reference sheet provides a list of funding programs for the solid waste and wastewater sectors available nationally and for select states (those with participating communities in the Waste-to-Energy Technical Assistance Program for Local Governments during FY21 and FY22).
As part of the SEIN Round 3 program, a diverse group of energy stakeholders in Texas set out to develop and pilot new pathways to increase rooftop solar adoption at no upfront cost to lowincome households. One potentially promising pathway we identified involved combining funding from existing utility and federal programs promoting weatherization and energy efficiency. Our objective was to demonstrate pilot projects that equitably deployed rooftop solar to properties owned or rented by families in disadvantaged communities. Our goal was to create a clear path for lowincome households to achieve electricity bill relief and to access clean energy by leveraging existing utility energy efficiency programs with existing federal resources, such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and/or U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) funding in Texas. This has been attempted in a few other states with varying degrees of success, but not yet in Texas.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is interested in combining community solar with weatherization programs for manufactured homes. To collect program strategies, EGLE made a request for technical assistance from the US Department of Energy’s National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP). Lawrence Berkeley National Lab developed this study in response. It briefly reviews issues relevant to the question, attempts to lay out a methodology for more in-depth analysis, and provides some recommendations for program design and implementation. While the research is specific to Michigan, the recommendations and methodologies could serve as an example for other states and regions. The paper first provides an overview of manufactured home communities in Michigan, with a discussion of demographics and energy issues they face. It then discusses weatherization opportunities for manufactured homes, opportunities for community solar, and opportunities for combining the two. The methodology proposed is intended to help EGLE: -Identify priority locations, -Set eligibility criteria for communities and households, and -Make the most of federal and other funding sources The paper concludes with recommendations for a program that combines community solar with efficient electrification of manufactured homes to reduce the burden of the largest source of energy expenditure in Michigan, winter heating bills. Specifically, it envisions community solar subscriptions for occupants of manufactured homes that have been converted to high-efficiency cold weather heat pumps. The combination can be managed to alleviate seasonal variations in both solar and heating bills, such as through an annualized “budget billing” program.
Geologic carbon storage (GCS) offers a way to capture and permanently store CO₂ from fossil fuel operations in underground geologic structures, aiding in the transition to a carbon-neutral energy economy. However, CO₂ injection sites can experience gas leakage through existing wells that penetrate storage reservoirs, making knowledge of well locations and characteristics crucial for permitting, infrastructure reusability, and risk assessment in GCS. Currently, public wellbore data from state, federal, and tribal entities are inconsistent and fragmented, with gaps and redundancies. To address this, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) developed CO2-Locate, an open-source, geospatial database and online application. CO2-Locate integrates over 50 data sources from federal, state, and tribal entities, creating a standardized national well database. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the database is publicly available through the Energy Data eXchange (EDX) and viewable via the CO2-Locate web mapping application. This tool allows users to query, filter, and visualize well data to support GCS planning, permitting, and risk assessments. This presentation covers the methods used to create CO2-Locate, including data acquisition, processing, attribute mapping, and integration, much of which is automated for future updates. The web mapping application and its role in GCS site selection will also be discussed.
The objective of the project is to develop and implement an advanced degree program (MS and MENG in Advanced Manufacturing for Energy Systems, AMES) responding to the long-term workforce and technology requirements of the nation’s advanced energy products manufacturing industry. The program provided an industry relevant research experience by leveraging existing energy (e.g. fuels, power electronics, electrochemical power sources) and advanced manufacturing (e.g. additive manufacturing, composites, sensing) research at UConn funded by federal and state agencies, and industry, as well as through our industry partnerships. The trainees have joined research teams, advised by faculty with relevant research interests and expertise and were co-advised by industrial mentors. The AMES program have developed a truly interdisciplinary curriculum, first graduate degree program at UConn School (now College) of Engineering not housed in an academic department, with concentrations focusing on various challenges in advanced manufacturing for energy systems, e.g. advanced materials and processing. The project also developed new courses focusing on common technical and professional skills, and integrated various components for an industry relevant training. The program has admitted 29 Master of Science (MS) students since inception in January 2019. Twenty six of these students were AMES fellows, who have received partial funding from DoE through this project. The program far exceeded the goal of admitting at least five new MS (with thesis) students. All students were required to complete a thesis (M.S.) or a capstone (M.Eng.) project that are defined in collaboration with industry partners to ensure industrial relevancy, addressing a current industrial challenges. Industrial mentors also participated in advising the students in their research. AMES fellows, in addition were also required to complete an industrial internship for further industrial experience.
This dataset contains detailed information on geothermal district heating (GDH) systems across the United States, including technical specifications, costs, energy usage, and funding sources. Data includes system details such as state, site, location, operational years, temperature, flow rate, capacity, energy use, load factor, costs (original, updated, and operational), funding sources, employment impact, and project status. Additionally included are contributions to GDH systems, including federal, state, and local grants, as well as loans from agencies such as USDA and USDOE. This dataset serves as a resource for analyzing the economic and technical landscape of geothermal district heating in the United States.
On March 2-3, 2021, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducted a virtual workshop to evaluate the status, potential development, and technical viability of AWE systems as a source of energy in the United States. Stakeholder input provided at the workshop will contribute to the report to Congress. This report summarizes key workshop findings, current technology research and development activities in the United States, and opportunities and potential modes of collaboration and coordination for future technology research and development activities. The workshop focused on U.S. stakeholders in AWE, with approximately 100 experts and industry stakeholders from AWE technology developers, operators, engineering firms, consultants, government, national laboratories, and university researchers. The workshop began with an explanation from DOE's Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) Technology Manager, Ben Hallissy, of the context and purpose of the workshop, including a request from Congress that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) deliver a "report on the potential for, and technical viability of, airborne wind energy systems to provide a significant source of energy in the United States, including a summary of research, development, demonstration, and commercialization needs, including an estimate of Federal funding requirements, to further examine and validate the technical and economic viability of airborne wind energy concepts over the 10-year period." The workshop began with brief introductions from attendees who explained their interest in AWE. Nicolas El Hayek of Planair summarized the proceedings from the AWE workshop held in September 2020 by the International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Task 11. This was followed by a presentation by Roland Schmehl of TU-Delft summarizing European AWE R&D efforts. Chris Vermillion of North Carolina State University and Jason Jonkman of NREL presented an overview of U.S. R&D efforts. Then five panelists discussed AWE markets, sizes of AWE systems, challenges, and opportunities. Panelists included: Cristina Archer, professor at the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment and associate director at the Center for Research in Wind (CReW) at the University of Delaware; Stephan Brabeck, chief technology officer at SkySails; Thierry Delahave, innovation and technology development lead at Saipem; Rob Creighton, founder and chief executive officer at WindLift; and David Schaefer, founder and chief executive officer at eWind Solutions. The second day of the workshop began with a brief overview of five key topics that are crucial to enabling AWE in the United States. These topics range from estimates of the U.S. wind resource, technical generation potential, economic analysis, environmental challenges, status of current technology and R&D activities, and needed activities to enable commercialization of AWE. This set the stage for a robust discussion in breakout groups where individuals could offer their opinions on the potential opportunities for AWE in the United States. The following topics were discussed in the breakout groups: resource potential and energy output, technical potential, social and environmental impacts, and permitting, techno-economic analysis and markets, technology assessment and upscaling and demonstration and commercialization needs. The second day concluded with reports by the NREL research team, communicating the key themes and outcomes from each of the breakout group discussions.
From April 2021 through March 2024, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) led a collaborative project to develop a free online clearinghouse of educational resources about solar photovoltaics (PV), energy storage systems (ESS), electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), and grid-interactive efficient building (GEB) technologies. Two websites—the Clean Energy Clearinghouse and CleanEnergyTraining.org—housed over 70 educational resources. Over the course of the three-year project, 154,272 unique visitors accessed the learning materials. Learner feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Even through the end of the project, there was sustained demand for education and communication. A primary innovation of the project was to drive multiple complementary audiences to the same place. Building owners, designers, installation contractors and developers, authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), and fire service personnel all benefit from a shared understanding of clean energy technologies, including safety and code-related requirements. When considering the impact on the target audience, the project team worked with partners and advisors to inform resource creation and delivery in such a way as to address key motivational factors of the target audience and compel each user to seek additional information on the topic and return to the Clean Energy Clearinghouse website as their central location for more information. Resources were intentionally developed to be concise—five to 15 minutes—and accessible, meaning not overly technical. Providing basic information demystified the technologies and invited the professional to explore additional learning opportunities. Awardee and partner collaboration was key to project success. IREC facilitated collaboration among the other Topic 2 awardees, Southface and New Buildings Institute (NBI). The three awardees shared relevant information gained through discovery and validation questionnaires that informed product development and reduced duplication of effort by coordinating the development of complementary, and not competing, educational resources. Inspired by this collaboration, IREC brought on additional partners even in the final year of the project. Five regional energy efficiency organizations were part of the project, which expanded the connection between efficiency and distributed energy resources. We also included resources on the Clearinghouse that were developed through other federally funded projects, such as the Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) program. The website was developed with the learner in mind, and not solely the funding source. Feedback from stakeholders throughout the project, and especially in its final year, indicated the need for continued education and facilitated communication among stakeholders to further the safe and widespread adoption of clean energy.
From the near-Earth solar wind to the intracluster medium of galaxy clusters, collisionless, high-beta, magnetized plasmas pervade our universe. Energy and momentum transport from large-scale fields and flows to small-scale motions of plasma particles is ubiquitous in these systems, but a full picture of the underlying physical mechanisms remains elusive. The transfer is often mediated by a turbulent cascade of Alfvénic fluctuations as well as a variety of kinetic instabilities; these processes tend to be multi-scale and/or multi-dimensional, which makes them difficult to study using spacecraft missions and numerical simulations alone. Meanwhile, existing laboratory devices struggle to produce the collisionless, high ion beta (β i ≳ 1), magnetized plasmas across the range of scales necessary to address these problems. As envisioned in recent community planning documents, it is therefore important to build a next generation laboratory facility to create a β i ≳ 1, collisionless, magnetized plasma in the laboratory for the first time. A working group has been formed and is actively defining the necessary technical requirements to move the facility towards a construction-ready state. Recent progress includes the development of target parameters and diagnostic requirements as well as the identification of a need for source-target device geometry. As the working group is already leading to new synergies across the community, we anticipate a broad community of users funded by a variety of federal agencies (including National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Energy and National Science Foundation) to make copious use of the future facility.
Despite the significant potential for community solar to reduce energy burdens and costs, it has largely remained out of reach for low-income households. While the U.S. community solar market has grown considerably over the last decade, as of December 2022 low to moderate-income (LMI) community solar represented just 2% of the overall market. Effective community solar policies and program decisions can help address this dynamic. State laws, policies, and program rules are critical to the development of community solar programs and projects that are affordable for and cater to the needs of LMI utility customers, who often face disproportionately high energy costs relative to their incomes. This report explores how two sets of state agencies in particular — State and Territory Energy Offices and State Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Agencies —can help to streamline and prioritize the delivery of affordable and accessible shared solar. State Energy Offices are often involved in community solar policy and program design from inception, whether by supporting the enactment of enabling legislation or informing the development of program rules and regulations. State Energy Offices may also be charged with administering or overseeing the implementation of statewide community solar programs and, through the U.S. State Energy Program and other sources of funding, can provide resources and loans that enhance community, developer, and utility confidence and capacity to build, host, and derive value from projects. Relatedly, as implementers of federal LIHEAP block grants, State LIHEAP Agencies have a deep understanding of the needs of lower-income households and can help inform the design and delivery of community solar programs.
State wildlife management agencies in the United States have depended on a “user-pay” funding model for conservation efforts that relies on revenue from hunting license sales and a federal excise tax on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment. Declines in hunting participation, however, jeopardize sustainability of the current funding model. Ensuring support among stakeholders for wildlife management and conservation may require expanding sources of funding and incorporating the perspectives and values of a diversifying constituency into decision making processes. We used a web-based survey of wildlife-associated recreationists in Michigan, USA to evaluate support for a range of conservation funding policies. Respondents self-identified primarily as hunters (n = 2,558) or wildlife watchers (n = 942). We used binary logistic regression to evaluate support for four conservation funding policy options: state sales tax, lottery proceeds, extractive industry revenue, and a user-based tax on outdoor gear (i.e., “backpack tax”). Determinants of support varied by type of policy and stakeholder characteristics. We found no statistically significant differences between hunters and wildlife watchers in their support for conservation funding policies when accounting for other variables such as wildlife value orientations, engagement in stewardship behaviors, age, and gender. The industry-based policy achieved the greatest level of approval, while the backpack tax had the lowest. Respondents were mixed in their support of the sales tax and lottery proceeds options. Cluster analysis revealed three homogenous groups related to conservation funding policies: “strong support,” “mixed/opposed,” and “anti-backpack tax.” Clusters differed in their support for conservation funding policies and on psychological and demographic variables. The “strong support” and “anti-backpack tax” groups differed in their levels of stewardship engagement, knowledge of conservation funding mechanisms, and support for the backpack tax option. The “mixed-opposed” group tended to be older, less educated, and less likely to be a member of a conservation organization. Results suggest support for conservation funding differs by policy type and social and psychological characteristics of stakeholders. Based on differences in policy support revealed in this study, we suggest a multi-tiered approach to funding conservation and building on support among wildlife stakeholders to mitigate the looming funding crisis for state wildlife agencies.
This report synthesizes forest inventory and spatial data from federal and state sources to present a snapshot of beetle-killed spruce across Southcentral and Interior Alaska. This natural resource is under investigation for use in cellulose-based products, particularly building insulation. Research funded by the Department of Energy's ARPA-E program, has successfully developed insulation - Celium - using beetle-killed spruce combined with mycelium, the root network of fungi. The resulting insulation product can be manufactured locally and used across all Alaskan climate zones for residential, commercial, and shipping applications. Removing standing dead wood also contributes to wildfire risk reduction and mitigates associated public health impacts. This Local Resource Assessment, funded by the Denali Commission, contextualizes and reconciles unaligned forestry data sources, establishing a pathway to refined, replicable analysis and, ultimately, presenting estimates of beetle-killed spruce biomass to inform the potential scale and development of a Celium industry.
M Gidden conducted this work prior to joining PNNL and no DOE OFFICE OF SCIENCE, OTHER DOE, OTHER FEDERAL, OR PNNL OVERHEAD FUNDING is being used. Stabilizing and then drawing down global temperature requires achieving net-negative CO2 emissions globally. Carbon removal is needed to offset “hard-to-abate” sectors that remain sources of emissions at net-zero and beyond. We argue the use of scarce carbon removal resources should be guided by the principles enshrined in the Paris Agreement.
For the characterization of radioactive waste packages (e.g. 200-L drums) with inhomogeneous activity and density distributions preferably non-destructive methods like segmented gamma scanning and transmission measurements are applied. While the first is used for identification of the radioactive inventory, both are necessary for a reliable activity quantification. Although at nuclear facilities, segmented gamma scanner are state-of-the-art and are mostly equipped with a vertically moveable transmission source the combining of this data and further a-priori information improving accuracy in data estimation giving realistic, reliable and traceable uncertainty estimations are improvable. This challenge is tackled by a R and D project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The boundary conditions for this project are (i) taking into account the typical instrumentation available at nuclear facilities, (ii) minimize the overall measurement time and (iii) combining data from emission and transmission measurements by Bayesian methods. For the R and D project, being still in its initial stage, the basic ideas, the data used for evaluation and the result of a preliminary investigation demonstrating the proof of principle are presented. Additionally, some first aspects on spatial resolution in emission and transmission measurements are addressed. (authors)
The transition to zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) in public transit has gained traction due to significant federal investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This needs assessment, commissioned by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation and conducted by researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory, explores the current state of electrification in transit agencies, identifying barriers to implementation, potential funding sources, and operational considerations necessary for a successful transition. The assessment involved qualitative interviews with representatives from 19 transit service providers across diverse geographic regions. Key findings highlight the challenges related to bus facilities and operations, which require careful planning for charging infrastructure and maintenance capabilities to accommodate battery electric buses (BEBs) and hydrogen fuel cell buses (HFCBs). Agencies reported operational hurdles due to the shorter range of BEBs compared to diesel buses, necessitating revised scheduling and routing strategies. Despite these challenges, many agencies expressed optimism about their capacity to adapt. Funding availability emerged as a critical factor influencing the transition to ZEVs. While agencies welcomed increased financial support, particularly from the Low or No Emission Grant Program (Lo-No), concerns about the sustainability of this funding and the ongoing operational costs were prevalent. The need for a comprehensive funding inventory was underscored to ensure transit agencies are aware of all available resources. Technological constraints were significant barriers to ZEV adoption. The limited range of BEBs was frequently cited as a concern, leading to operational challenges and reliability issues. Agencies reported difficulties in sourcing replacement parts, which exacerbated downtime and maintenance challenges. Workforce development and training were identified as pivotal for a successful transition. Many agencies rely heavily on manufacturers for technician training, highlighting the need for scalable training programs that equip staff with the necessary skills to maintain electric powertrains effectively. This assessment offers actionable recommendations for the Joint Office, including enhancing outreach to transit agencies, developing resources for effective utility partnerships, and facilitating comprehensive training programs. Establishing a zero-emission bus evaluation program to track performance metrics such as cost, range, and reliability could provide valuable insights for transit agencies. The needs assessment provides a detailed examination of the challenges and opportunities facing transit agencies in their transition to zero-emissions bus fleets. By addressing these issues through targeted support, stakeholders can collaboratively work towards a cleaner, more sustainable public transportation system that benefits all communities.
# 2024 University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez Civic Innovation Challenge Study The 2024 University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC) Study provided insight into the travel patterns and associated energy consumption of participants. Study results helped researchers identify opportunities for the development of shared mobility strategies—such as collaborative ride-sharing programs—that could address the mobility needs of rural communities in Puerto Rico. The Civic Innovation Challenge is a multiagency, federal government research and action competition that funds ready-to-implement, research-based pilot projects that have the potential for scalable, sustainable, and transferable impact on community-identified priorities. ## Data Collection Agency The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez conducted the study. ## Survey Methodology The study was conducted in Spanish. Data collection was enabled via the open-source [NREL OpenPATH platform](https://www.nrel.gov/transportation/openpath). The resulting dataset consists of partially automated travel diaries—combining sensed and surveyed data reflecting patterns of multimodal, end-to-end, individual human mobility—as well as demographic and socioeconomic information from the 31 participants. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 31 participants. The total number of trips was 1,373 and the total non-air-miles traveled was approximately 8,260.
# 2024 University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez Civic Innovation Challenge Study The 2024 University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC) Study provided insight into the travel patterns and associated energy consumption of participants. Study results helped researchers identify opportunities for the development of shared mobility strategies—such as collaborative ride-sharing programs—that could address the mobility needs of rural communities in Puerto Rico. The Civic Innovation Challenge is a multiagency, federal government research and action competition that funds ready-to-implement, research-based pilot projects that have the potential for scalable, sustainable, and transferable impact on community-identified priorities. ## Data Collection Agency The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez conducted the study. ## Survey Methodology The study was conducted in Spanish. Data collection was enabled via the open-source [NREL OpenPATH platform](https://www.nrel.gov/transportation/openpath). The resulting dataset consists of partially automated travel diaries—combining sensed and surveyed data reflecting patterns of multimodal, end-to-end, individual human mobility—as well as demographic and socioeconomic information from the 31 participants. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 31 participants. The total number of trips was 1,373 and the total non-air-miles traveled was approximately 8,260.