Federal News

March 12, 2010

Senator Introduces Solar Energy Legislation
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced legislation this week to encourage the installation of 10 million solar systems on the rooftops of homes and businesses over the next decade.  According to the New York State Department of Labor report from 2009, New York has nearly 75,000 jobs associated with solar manufacturing and installation in more than 7,000 New York companies.  Based on average wages, New York’s solar industry payroll is approximately $4.8 billion dollars.  The 10 Million Solar Roofs and 10 Million Gallons of Solar Hot Water Act would provide consumers and businesses with rebates of $3 per watt for systems up to 4 megawatts.  This would help consumers overcome a key barrier to expanded solar deployment.  Solar energy requires significant upfront expenditures for systems that are otherwise cost-effective over time.  This rebate program would complement existing federal and state incentives.

Senate Democrats Hit Agency on Energy Plan
Four (4) Senate Democrats have called for a suspension of the ITC Grants for Renewable Energy Projects under section 1603 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Concerns expressed by Senators, led by Senator Schumer (D-NY), are that more than $1 million in grant funds have been paid to foreign-owned companies.  The Senators announced a new initiative requiring the “Buy American” provision of the stimulus be applied to all programs under the legislation, not simply the government ones.  They are demanding the Obama Administration suspend the current program immediately and asking Treasury Department Secretary Geithner to halt payouts for the program until Congress can correct the law.  The Department of Energy has agreed to work with Congress to further improve the program, however believe that a suspension of the program would create an immediate negative effect on the American workforce.

U.S. Department of Labor Awards Funds to Support Green Jobs
The U.S. Department of Labor announced nearly $100 million in green jobs training grants through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.  This latest round of funding will support job training programs for dislocated workers and others to help them find jobs in green industries and related occupations.  Grants have been awarded to 25 projects.  Training programs will prepare workers for a range of careers that include solar panel installation.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Announces $100 Million in Innovative Research Projects
U.S. DOE Secretary Steven Chu announced its third round of funding under the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).  $100 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funding will be awarded for the acceleration of innovation in green technology, increase America’s competitiveness and create new jobs.  Three areas of focus in this funding opportunity are: 1) grid-scale rampable intermittent dispatchable storage (GRIDS), 2) agile delivery of electrical power technology (ADEPT), and 3) building energy efficiency through innovative thermodevices (BEET-IT).

Source: www.agt.com