The U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) is hosting its next Semiannual Stakeholder Webinar. Staff and leadership will dive into current and future funding opportunities, how the office is working with partners across the country and beyond, and other accomplishments, news, and updates since the last retrospective stakeholder webinar in November.

Dive into the future of clean energy technologies with the inaugural session of our National Lab Discovery Series. This webinar will spotlight a groundbreaking technology developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) -- Polyphase Wireless Power Transfer Systems In this session, we will explore the innovative Polyphase Wireless Power Transfer technology, which has set new standards in the efficiency and speed of electric vehicle (EV) charging. Discover how this technology utilizes a rotating magnetic field to transfer over 50kW of power, enabling quicker and more efficient charging processes across a variety of applications.

Join us as we kick off Season 2 of the i2X Solution e-Xchange webinar series. We are incredibly happy to announce the release of the DOE Transmission Interconnection Roadmap. This Roadmap identifies solutions to enable renewable energy interconnection processes to meet the expected demand from the rapid, widespread energy transition. Produced by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Innovation Interconnection e-Xchange (i2X), this roadmap serves as guide to key actions that stakeholders could take, within the next five years and beyond, to implement solutions to bulk power system interconnection challenges. Over the course of five meetings, the i2X team will delve into the goal areas and solution sets identified in the roadmap. This kick-off meeting will feature Will Gorman from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and will provide an overview of the roadmap and lay the foundation for our future, deep-dive conversations.

The Innovative Grid Deployment Liftoff report is focused on identifying pathways to accelerate deployment of key commercially available but underutilized advanced grid solutions on the existing transmission and distribution system to address near-term hotspots and modernize the grid to prepare for a wide range of energy futures.

The Decarbonizing the U.S. Economy by 2050: A National Blueprint for the Buildings Sector, is a comprehensive plan to reduce GHG emissions from buildings by 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2050. DOE led the Blueprint's development in collaboration with the HUD, the EPA, and other federal agencies. The Blueprint is the first sector-wide strategy for building decarbonization developed by the federal government.

The 4th Annual multi-sector Facilities & Campus Energy Summit is designed to provide an interchange of in-depth knowledge and serve as a catalyst for collaboration across large built environments that do not necessarily engage one another on a daily basis but all share the common goals of: Improving strategic planning and technical operations to support decarbonization and electrification, and increasing overall energy efficiencies and cost savings, reliability, and resiliency, in a financially sustainable manner. These sectors include but are not limited to: Higher Education, Hospitals and Healthcare Systems, and Federal Facilities

DOE announced the second cohort of communities selected as part of the Communities Local Energy Action Program (Communities LEAP), a unique technical assistance initiative designed to help disadvantaged communities and those with historical ties to fossil fuel industries take direct control of their clean energy future. The 30 selected communities will receive a total of $18 million worth of technical assistance to create tailored community-wide action plans that reduce local air pollution, increase energy resilience, lower utility costs and energy burdens, and create good paying jobs.

This report describes the development of a method to assess battery energy storage system (BESS) performance that the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and others can use to evaluate performance of deployed BESS or solar photovoltaic (PV) plus BESS systems. The proposed method is based on actual battery charge and discharge metered data to be collected from BESS systems provided by federal agencies participating in FEMP's performance assessment initiatives. Long-term (e.g., at least 1 year) time series (e.g., hourly) charge and discharge data are analyzed to provide approximate estimates of key performance indicators (KPIs).

The EPA requested FEMP technical assistance to evaluate feasibility of on-site solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery storage to support cost savings and decarbonization goals. Through this technical assistance engagement, a team of experts used NREL's REopt? web tool to evaluate the techno-economic viability of these technologies at nine EPA facilities, including Ada, Athens, Cincinnati-AWBERC, Corvallis, Fort Meade, Gulf Breeze, Montgomery, Narragansett, and RTP Main & National Computer Center. The analysis considered multiple ownership models, including direct purchase and third-party ownership/financing, as well as energy goals such as minimizing energy costs and achieving 50% renewable electricity annually. This technical assistance initiative identified five facilities where solar PV and battery storage could be cost-effective. It also provided insights into optimal system sizing and economic feasibility for these installations. Encouraged by these findings, EPA is now awarding a feasibility study for solar PV and battery storage at the Narragansett facility.

The Department of Defense's National Defense Center for Energy and Environment (NDCEE) is excited to announce the opening of proposals for demonstrations of environmental, safety, occupational health, and energy technologies from March 1st to April 1st. They welcome submissions from all DoD Services, inviting innovative technologies, processes, and strategies that enhance energy security, Warfighter protection, military operations efficiency, or reduce environmental impacts. NDCEE wants your help shaping the future of defense through initiatives that bolster national security, safeguard our planet, and contribute to a more robust, greener, and secure tomorrow.

For the first time, Pollution Prevention and Source Reduction Assistance Grants (between 2011 and 2022) have topped the one-billion-pound mark for reductions in hazardous materials and pollutants. In addition, cost savings of $2.3 billion resulted from companies buying fewer hazardous materials and shipping less hazardous waste, reducing regulated air emissions, treating less wastewater and buying less water, fuel and energy. Further success from these grants includes 20.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions and 31.9 billion kilowatt hour savings achieved mostly through energy efficiency and reduced use of energy.

Funding from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Supports Energy Conservation Measures at 31 Facilities, Saving Taxpayers $29 Million in the First Year and Drastically Reducing the Federal Carbon Footprint. DOE announced $104 million for energy conservation and clean energy projects at 31 Federal facilities--the latest step in President Biden's strategy to reestablish the Federal Government as a sustainability leader. The funding represents the first of three disbursements from the historic $250 million in funding for the program in President's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The EPA is adopting the Department of Energy's (DOE) Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Categorical Exclusion (CE) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to use in EPA's program and funding opportunities administered by EPA.

Guidance for Federal agencies to select the most cost-effective and energy-efficient lighting systems available. Use the guide as a roadmap and reference to select the best lighting system for your facility.

The Federal Energy Management Program works closely with agencies and partner organizations to coordinate interagency working groups. These groups focus on federal energy management and compliance with federal laws and requirements.

DOE's Building Technologies Office (BTO) announced its Building Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) 2024 funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0003158). This funding opportunity will invest up to $30 million across nine topic areas to research, develop, and validate technologies with the potential to significantly advance building decarbonization. Since its inception in 2014, BTO has issued the BENEFIT funding opportunity announcement (FOA) to spur innovations that provide substantial improvements to building energy performance and occupant comfort. Technologies developed through BENEFIT 2024 will advance the state-of-the-art for HVAC equipment, lower the cost of building envelope and lighting retrofits, and make buildings more resilient to blackouts and extreme weather. Equitable decarbonization of the U.S. building stock is central to each topic in the BENEFIT 2024 FOA, emphasizing cost-effective, easy-to-deploy technology solutions, and community-oriented project partnerships.

The United States Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database (USPVDB) provides the locations and array boundaries of U.S. ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) facilities with capacity of 1 megawatt or more. It includes corresponding PV facility information, including panel type, site type, and initial year of operation.

This interactive training will educate learners about energy management best practices including the value of setting goals, developing a plan, identifying milestones, and documenting the tasks associated with those goals and milestones. During the training, you will discover why it's important to identify key stakeholders and core team members for each project or task and to get their support and buy-in.

The slide deck provides an overview of GSA's Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center's (RRBITC) National Deep Energy Retrofit (NDER) ESPC project. The presentation provides project details, the various ECMs and how the project will meet its goals of electrification and decarbonization.

The Renewable Energy Potential (reV) model is a first-of-its-kind detailed spatial-temporal modeling assessment tool that empowers users to calculate renewable energy capacity, generation, and cost based on geospatial intersection with grid infrastructure and land-use characteristics. More specifically, this open-source research and modeling assessment tool allows users to explore regional and statewide renewable energy supply possibilities, identify options for connecting those energy sources to the grid, and evaluate how much those solutions can cost.

This is a web-based tool that enables users to explore aggregate energy use data from more than 150,000 commercial and multi-family buildings in the United States. The new Data Explorer tool will help building managers unlock potential savings based on the data from ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®, the nation's largest energy benchmarking platform for commercial and multifamily buildings.

DOE published the "2023 Better Buildings Initiative Progress Report," which summarizes the achievements of DOE's Better Buildings public and private sector partners since the initiative's inception in 2011. The report shows that partnering entities, including more than 900 businesses, state and local governments, utilities, housing authorities, and other public and private organizations, to date have collectively saved $18.5 billion through efficiency improvements and cut harmful carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 190 million metric tons-- an amount roughly equivalent to combined annual emissions of 24 million homes. This report also includes the results of the Better Climate Challenge, an initiative that challenges major building portfolio owners and industrial partners to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 50% within 10 years. In year one of the Challenge, partners have reported on nearly 1 billion square feet of buildings and 1,500 industrial plants. Through the Better Buildings Initiative, DOE aims to improve energy efficiency in the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors and accelerate cost-effective decarbonization solutions across the economy--supporting the Administration's efforts to lower energy costs for American families and businesses while addressing the climate crisis.

A bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to reauthorize the diesel emissions reduction program. (Congressional Record: 13 September 2023 [House] Pages H4295-H4297)

DOE announced more than $6.3 million for six research and development projects to improve fish passage and protection technologies and reduce the environmental impacts of hydropower on species and ecosystems. Fish passage and protection technologies provide a way for fish to navigate barriers such as dams and impoundments and provide river connectivity by enabling fish movement and migrations. These selections support an increasingly important role for hydropower in providing grid reliability as the United States transitions to a clean energy system with more variable resources like wind and solar. These projects were selected as part of the Water Power Technologies Office's Advancing Fish Passage and Protection Technologies funding opportunity. Learn more about this and other water power funding opportunities.

GSA has reported progress toward key sustainability goals in recent years across its buildings portfolio. In this report GSA's aggregated buildings portfolio data show it exceeded prior goals for energy efficiency, water efficiency, emissions reduction, and renewable electricity share in fiscal year 2021, however GSA officials cited lack of access to capital as a challenge it faces in meeting future federal sustainability goals. GSA officials said the scale and scope of the projects needed to achieve net-zero building emissions by 2045 will require resources beyond what has historically been available.

The Carbon Pollution-Free Electricity (CFE) Program Availability Map is a searchable database of clean energy purchasing programs offered by vertically integrated utilities (i.e., those responsible for generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in their service territory). It is published by the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and is intended to assist federal stakeholders with identifying CFE options that meet E.O. 14057 requirements.

Registration is now open for FEMP 50, a special two-day celebration organized by the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) to commemorate 50 years of federal energy management. FEMP invite you to join them for a virtual training session on 12 and 13 September 2023. FEMP 50 is an opportunity for all energy and water management enthusiasts to come together, learn, collaborate, and celebrate the remarkable achievements made in the realm of federal energy management over the past five decades. This event will feature engaging training sessions, insightful discussions, and the chance to interact with leaders from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and FEMP.

DOE unlocked billions of dollars in private capital to improve the efficiency and sustainability of federal facilities. DOE competitively awarded contracts to 20 energy service companies (ESCOs) to provide Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) for federal agencies, marking the fourth generation of such contracts awarded by DOE since 1998. Energy and water infrastructure projects financed through DOE's ESPC indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract offer guaranteed cost savings for federal sites. With a ceiling of $5 billion per ESCO contract, they require no upfront government funding and are designed to pay for themselves over time. Federal agencies interested in initiating their next ESPC project are encouraged to contact the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) to get started. Stakeholders, including federal agencies, ESCOs, and the public can visit FEMP's ESPC program page to view the awarded contracts and access further information about ESPCs

The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) released the new Climate Smart Building Initiative (CSBI) Tool to support data-driven plans and progress towards greenhouse gas emission reduction targets across an agency's portfolio of covered facilities using performance contracting (utility energy service contract (UESC), energy savings performance contract (ESPC), and ESPC ENABLE). The CSBI Tool is an Excel-based workbook that works with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Buildings Workbook and leverages FEMP DOE ESPC Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) program award data. The CSBI Tool helps agencies in planning performance contracts, estimating annual energy use reductions, scope 1 and 2 emission reductions, and project investment. The CSBI Tool supports Section 205 of Executive Order 14057 Achieving Net-Zero Emissions Buildings, Campuses, and Installations, and the Executive Order 14057 Implementing Instructions, specifically on leveraging performance contracting.

DOE proudly announced the third round of signatories to the Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), demonstrating the ongoing commitment and collaboration between the public and private sectors in fostering innovative vehicle technologies.

Leading organizations share their experiences, successes, and challenges in their pursuit of low carbon emission strategies; partners focused on two or more buildings/plants over the course of two years. The design, implementation, and completion of the Better Buildings Low Carbon Pilot were instrumental in understanding the pathways being taken to reduce emissions from building and manufacturing operations.

The DOE has updated its organizational structure and changed certain titles and reporting duties within the Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security. This final rule updates certain DOE health, safety and security regulations to reflect the new titles and organizational names. Additionally, the final rule makes further minor updates to these regulations to improve clarity and delete obsolete references. This rule is effective 26 June 2023. POC is Mr. James Dillard, DOE, Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security, Mailstop EHSS–11, 1000 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20585, Tele: (301) 903–1165, or Email: james.dillard@hq.doe.gov. (Federal Register 26 June 2023 [Rule] Pages 41289-41295)

EPA issued a final rule under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program that establishes the biofuel volume requirements for 2023 to 2025. This final rule builds on the RFS program's progress over the previous two years and reflects the Administration's commitment to strengthen the nation's energy independence, advance low-carbon fuels, and support agricultural communities. The final rule strengthens U.S. energy security by reducing reliance on foreign sources of oil by roughly 130,000 to 140,000 barrels of oil per day over the time frame of the final rule, 2023–2025. The final rule also discusses EPA's intent to monitor the ongoing implementation of the RFS program and its impacts on domestic refineries, which have a critical role to play in our energy security. The Set Rule establishes the biofuel volume requirements and associated percentage standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel (BBD), advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel for 2023–2025. It also completes EPA's response to a court remand of the 2016 annual rule by establishing a supplemental volume requirement of 250 million gallons of renewable fuel for 2023.

GSA announced plans to use $975 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding to upgrade federal buildings across the country with emerging and sustainable technologies. These plans will include electrifying the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center – one of the largest in GSA's portfolio – through up to $13.5 million that will use clean energy technologies to lower energy costs, create good-paying local jobs, and reduce harmful carbon pollution. The Administration is leading by example to tackle the climate crisis through the Federal Sustainability Plan, which establishes an ambitious path to achieve net-zero emissions from federal buildings by 2045.

A bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Secretary of Energy to create a plan for research, development, and commercialization projects capable of making significant reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions or carbon intensity of qualified fuel production facilities. (Congressional Record: 10 May 2023 [House] Pages H2243-H2245)

A bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to update the Federal purchase requirement to ensure the use of 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. [Congressional Record: April 19, 2023 [House] Pages H1885-H1887)

The EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) ecolabel now includes criteria focused on reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses from the supply chain for solar panel production. EPEAT was developed using a grant from EPA and is owned and managed by the Global Electronics Council. It is the first global ecolabel to set threshold criteria for embodied carbon in photovoltaics. Embodied carbon refers to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, production, transport and manufacturing of materials.

A bill to require applicable Federal agencies to take action on applications for Federal energy authorizations. (Congressional Record 14 March 2023 [Senate] Pages S771-S772)

The Administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), announced $250 million in funding from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help federal agencies implement net-zero building projects and set an example in sustainability as the nation works to transition to clean energy and combat climate change. More energy efficient buildings will also save taxpayers money. The funding program--Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT)--is part of the Administration's Investing in America agenda that is addressing the climate crisis in a way that creates good-paying jobs, grows industries, and makes the country more economically competitive.

The FEMP Facility Evaluation (Audit) Decision Tree 2.0 is a resource to identify suitable facility evaluation (audit) approaches to meet the federal comprehensive energy and water evaluation requirements codified in 42 United States Code 8253(f)(3)(A) and enacted by the Energy Act of 2020 Section 1002, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 Section 432, and earlier laws. This resource contains criteria and interactive features for selecting an appropriate type of evaluation (audit) for covered facilities. The Audit Decision Tree 2.0 is intended to be used in conjunction with the FEMP Audit Definitions, the FEMP Consolidated Facility Management Guidance (update in progress), and the best practices and expert judgment implemented by agencies to complete comprehensive energy and water evaluations and incorporate contracts (i.e., energy savings performance contracts or utility energy service contracts) at covered facilities.

This case study report describes a grid-interactive efficient building (GEB) renovation project at the General Services Administration's (GSA's) Oklahoma City (OKC) Federal Building, and demonstrates that GEB-ready strategies and technologies can be deployed across buildings with minimal investment. The case study showcases a leading example of a GEB project in the federal buildings space and provides key information on the project roles, processes, costs, and benefits. The findings from this successful GEB project can be used to help pave the way for additional GEB-ready retrofits in the future.

The Federal sustainability community is cordially invited to attend the 2023 Federal Environmental Symposium, a hybrid event to be attended October 23-27, 2023 either virtually or in-person. This year's theme for the Symposium "Environment: A Mission Asset" focuses on the sharing of best practices, success stories, partnerships, and challenges and achievements of the federal practitioner community as they apply to your Agency's mission. The event schedule, registration instructions, call for presentation abstracts and continuous updates to the event can be found on the Symposium website at https://www.fedcenter.gov/fes2023.

Checklist provides federal agencies with a standard set of tasks, questions, and reference points to assist in the early stages of battery energy storage systems (BESS) project development. The checklist items contained within are intended for use in procurement of commercial scale lithium-ion BESS, although they may be used more generally for other BESS technologies.

Metering for solar photovoltaics is critical for operations & maintenance, and systems without metering could present life-safety concerns. The new Metering for Federal Solar PV in Remote Locations resource highlights key considerations for remote sites, presents seven potential metering options, and provides information about how to identify the optimal option for a given site.

This edition highlights proactively considering the environment and acting accordingly, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #2. Content includes commentary from Mr. Edward Belk, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Director of Civil Works, sharing how the Civil Works mission is being advanced through environmental considerations and partnerships. This issue also features initiatives from across the Army environmental community that proactively consider the environment to shape a sustainable future for current and future generations.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a report discussing their analysis quantifying the potential of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) as a widespread renewable energy option in the United States.

This webinar series is part of the DOE EVGrid Assist: Accelerating the Transition initiative. It aims to support decision makers by providing timely information on a wide range of topics important to the integration of electric vehicles and the grid.

Every Wednesday at 12:00 PM (Eastern) join this live webinar to ask their questions directly to EPA experts in an open forum. Want to talk to a "real" person? Have a question about how Portfolio Manager calculates your score? Want to learn more about entering Green Power? Join the webinar, and EPA will answer all your questions about ENERGY STAR's Portfolio Manager in this public forum.

This guidebook provides clear descriptions of the law's tax incentives and funding programs to build a clean energy economy, lower energy costs, tackle climate change, and reduce harmful pollution. The Guidebook will help users better understand how they can benefit from these investments and unlock the full potential of the law. The Guidebook walks through the law program-by-program and provides background on each program's purpose, eligibility requirements, period of availability, and other key details.

DOE is publishing a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking SNOPR to establish revised energy performance standards for the construction of new Federal buildings, including commercial buildings, multi-family high-rise residential buildings, and low-rise residential buildings per the ECPA, as amended by the EISA of 2007. This document presents an updated proposal with a new focus that accounts for the needs of Federal agencies and the goals of the Administration and responds to comments received on prior NOPR and SNOPR documents. Consistent with the requirements of ECPA and EISA, this document presents revised Federal building energy performance standards that would require reductions in Federal agencies' on-site use of fossil fuels (which include coal, petroleum, natural gas, oil shales, bitumens, tar sands, and heavy oils) consistent with the targets of ECPA and EISA and provides processes by which agencies can petition DOE for the downward adjustment of said targets for buildings. DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this SNOPR no later than 21 February 2023. POC is Mr. Jeremy Williams, U.S. DOE, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Office, EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Email: Jeremy.Williams@ee.doe.gov. (Federal Register: 21 December 2022 [Proposed Rule] Pages 78382-78436).

This free web-based energy modeling tool Sketchbox™ enables organizations to conduct energy analysis for new construction and major retrofits of commercial buildings. The tool allows for early energy simulation to inform building design and improve building performance without adding cost.

This fact sheet lays out the Biden-Harris Administration's agenda to make equitable and efficient electric options available for everyone. The Administration goals are to reduce America's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50-52% by 2030, to achieve a carbon pollution-free electricity grid by 2035, and to reach net-zero GHG emissions by no later than 2050.

This slide deck from the ISWG provides a recapped the carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) goals of EO 14057, as well as the four strategies for sourcing CFE to comply with the EO Implementing Instructions. Additionally, the slide deck provides links to FEMP's extensive CFE-related resources for federal agencies.

The Administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), announced a new proposed rule to electrify and cut emissions from new or newly renovated federal buildings. Beginning in 2025, these facilities will be required to reduce their on-site emissions associated with the energy consumption of the building by 90% relative to 2003 levels. In 2030, the standard will fully decarbonize the on-site emissions in new federal buildings and major renovations. These measures will help advance the adoption of cleaner technologies for buildings that are necessary to achieving President Biden's goal of net-zero emissions in all federal buildings by 2045.

The Administration announced the first-ever Federal Building Performance Standard, setting an ambitious goal to cut energy use and electrify equipment and appliances in 30 percent of the building space owned by the Federal government by 2030. This action is the latest step forward in pursuit of President Biden's goal of achieving net-zero emissions in all Federal buildings by 2045. Federal Building Performance Standard requires agencies to cut energy use and electrify equipment and appliances to achieve zero scope 1 emissions in 30 percent of their buildings by square footage by 2030. To reach that mark, agencies will be buying American-made products such as heat pumps, electric water heaters, and other energy efficiency and building system technologies supported by the Inflation Reduction Act.

The goal of the Federal BPS is to eliminate scope 1 emissions from standard building operations for applicable facilities. The Federal BPS supports multiple goals and requirements of E.O. 14057, including reducing agency scope 1 GHG emissions (Sec. 202); achieving net-zero emissions across each agency's portfolio of buildings, campuses, and installations by 2045 (Sec. 205); and reducing facility GHG emissions by 50 percent by 2032, prioritizing improvement of energy efficiency and elimination of on-site fossil fuel use (Sec. 205). The Federal BPS provides guidance on deep energy retrofits and strategic equipment replacement in existing buildings, campuses, and installations to meet emission and energy reduction goals.

The November 2022 edition of The Corps Environment is now available and can be accessed online at: https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/65712. This edition highlights providing environmental and economic benefits, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #3. Content includes commentary from Col. Matthew F. Kelly, commander of U.S. Army Environmental Command (USAEC), sharing his impressions after taking command and his focus on building upon USAEC's legacy. This issue also features initiatives from across the Army environmental community that are providing enduring environmental benefits around the globe.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has approved an exemption that would relieve federal agencies from the historic preservation review requirements under the National Historic Preservation Act regarding the effects of the installation of certain electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) on historic properties. The exemption goes into effect on 26 October 2022. POC is Jaime Loichinger, tele: (202) 517-0219, email: jloichinger@achp.gov. (Federal Register 2 November 2022 [Notice] Pages 66201-66204).

Federal agencies have discovered many effective practices to make their buildings sustainable. Many share policies, strategies, case studies and tools through the Interagency Sustainability Working Group (ISWG). This website provides a repository for casestudies of specific practices and projects that agencies have actually employed.

Federal agencies have discovered many effective practices to make their buildings sustainable. Many share policies, strategies, case studies and tools through the Interagency Sustainability Working Group (ISWG). This website provides a repository for broad policies and strategies covering the whole government or entire agencies, services or bureaus, which set the context for achievements in Federal high-performance buildings.

Federal agencies have discovered many effective practices to make their buildings sustainable. Many share policies, strategies, case studies and tools through the Interagency Sustainability Working Group (ISWG). This website covers and links to systems, methods, databases, calculators, checklists, etc. designed to help Federal officials and their partners achieve their high-performance building goals.

The proper operation of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system within a commercial building is essential to providing a comfortable and healthy indoor environment for occupants. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that organizations can save 5-20% annually on energy bills simply by following operations & maintenance (O&M) best practices. This collection of resources can help building operators properly maintain HVAC systems to improve performance, save energy, and prolong the life of commercial HVAC equipment.

The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service successfully deployed a solar-powered EV charging station at the Wolf Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center to serve its five-vehicle fleet. The Job Corps Center is a residential campus situated in the remote Umpqua National Forest in Oregon's Cascade Range, which provides free education and job training programs for young adults. Due to the high financial cost of installing electric infrastructure in remote areas with limited access to the grid, the Forest Service chose to purchase a charging system that requires no grid connection..

This course provides foundational information that will help agencies understand the fundamental characteristics of the utility industry in the United States. With this information and understanding, federal agencies will be better prepared to meet the 100% carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) goals by 2030 as outlined in Executive Order 14057. This training provides attendees with an overview of the utility industry, and a suggested approach for assessing, strategizing, and implementing plans for increasing consumption of CFE.

The Federal Energy and Water Management Awards recognize individuals, groups, and agencies for their outstanding contributions in the areas of energy and water efficiency, resilience, and technology achievements; distributed energy; cybersecurity; and fleet management at federal facilities.

The study, done in partnership with the DOE and with funding support from the Office of EERE, is an initial exploration of the transition to a 100% clean electricity power system by 2035--and helps to advance understanding of both the opportunities and challenges of achieving the ambitious goal. Overall, NREL finds multiple pathways to 100% clean electricity by 2035 that would produce significant benefits, but the exact technology mix and costs will be determined by research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and infrastructure investment decisions over the next decade.

Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the winners of its 2022 Housing Innovation Awards, the highest honor builders can receive for constructing Zero Energy Ready Homes. These high-performance homes are so energy efficient--often 40 to 50% more efficient than typical new homes--that they can offset most or all the energy they consume with a renewable energy system. The Housing Innovation Awards recognize top builders of homes certified to DOE's Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) specifications, which set the federal government's highest bar for energy and environmental performance in new residential construction. This year's awards featured 26 homes across 18 states.

The Administration is launching coordinated actions to develop new floating offshore wind platforms, an emerging clean energy technology that will help the United States lead on offshore wind. This action will position the U.S. to lead the world on floating offshore wind technology. Globally, only 0.1 GW of floating offshore wind has been deployed to date, compared with over 50 GW of fixed-bottom offshore wind. America will seize this opportunity to be a frontrunner on floating offshore wind technologies, as part of President Biden's plan for a clean energy economy built by American workers.

This web tool helps federal facility managers and resilience planners understand the cost of an electric grid outage. Users enter site characteristics and critical load information into the tool, then estimate the types of outage costs they may incur--from immediate losses to costs that accumulate each hour the power is out. The FEMP-sponsored CDF Calculator provides essential data for those tasked with justifying the benefit of resilience investments for their facilities. The calculation baselines the cost of inaction to help facility managers understand the value of resilience solutions, such as redundant systems or enhanced energy security.

Implementation of the Energy and Infrastructure Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
September 12, 2022
This EO lists the administration's eight goals to guide implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and authorizes the new White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation to coordinate that process.

This EO lists the administration's eight goals to guide implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and authorizes the new White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation to coordinate that process.

This FEMP webpage provides information about on-site electricity contracts, including contract options, benefits, limitations, and sample documents. The page also provides background information on how to understand if this type of contract is right for a given site and how to get started.

The Naval Facilities Command (NAVFAC) is partnering with the REopt analysis team and Electric Vehicle (EV) Tiger Team developed under FEMP direction to plan for 233 EV charging ports and 12 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation. NREL is providing technical assistance to help NAVFAC design a smart charge management approach to align zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) charging with PV generation at Camp Blaz. Currently under construction on the island of Guam, Camp Blaz is scheduled to open in 2027, the same year that E.O. 14057 requires all light-duty vehicle fleet acquisitions to be ZEVs. As the DoD base of the future, Camp Blaz will benefit from a system aligning its ZEV charging with times that up to $150k PV would otherwise be curtailed and wasted annually.

The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan underscores the DOE's commitment to creating a workplace that celebrates Americans of all backgrounds. The plan outlines Departmental actions to sustain an inclusive and accessible work environment by strengthening recruitment, retention and promotion, while removing inequitable barriers to advancement and development opportunities. The plan represents the culmination of months of work at DOE to support President Biden's Executive Order 14035, which reaffirms that the American workforce is at its strongest when it reflects the diverse communities it serves.

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory along with other federal partners has conducted a muli-year assessment on the effects of climate change on water available for hydropower at federal facilities and the marketing of power. This website contains the results of these studies along with assessments published in 2012, 2016, and 2022.

A DOE website providing information about decarbonization and steps on implementing a successful decarbonization strategy.

This toolkit contains resources to help HVAC contractors and service companies work with their customers through a step-by-step method of evaluating and managing their inventory of RTUs and how to make the business case for high-efficiency replacements.

(Washington, August 31, 2022) Today, the Biden Administration took a major step forward in achieving the goals of President Biden's Federal Sustainability Plan and Executive Order (E.O.) 14057 Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability by issuing E.O. 14057 Implementing Instructions to Federal agencies.

Through President Biden's historic Executive Order 14057 Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability the U.S. Federal Government leads the world by example again – transforming how it builds, buys, and manages to help make America's economy cleaner, more efficient, and more sustainable.

The August 2022 edition of The Corps Environment is now available and can be accessed online at: https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/64976. This edition highlights employing an open and transparent process, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #7. Content within this issue recognizes our U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) environmental and sustainability champions and features initiatives from across the Army environmental community that are providing environmental benefits across the globe.

The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) provides this tool to federal agencies seeking to procure solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with a customizable set of technical specifications. Select the plus sign in the rows below for more information about each specification.

The Administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), launched new initiatives to connect families to more reliable clean energy, lower electricity bills, and create good-paying jobs in the domestic solar industry. DOE, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), announced that five states and Washington, D.C. will support the pilot of the Community Solar Subscription Platform to connect families to solar energy and lower electricity bills through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and other low-income assistance programs. DOE also announced $10 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to jump-start solar energy careers in underserved communities.

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation announced a $1.5 million award to National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) that will foster collaboration in the development and deployment of a national electric vehicle (EV) charging network that will benefit all Americans. The partnership will convene stakeholders across local, state, and federal government to ensure that EV charging station infrastructure investments are made in a strategic, coordinated, efficient, and equitable manner with public and private-sector partners. The work will be critical to the Joint Office's role in EV infrastructure investments made under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

This webpage connects federal agencies to Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) resources and provides information to increase federal agency understanding of on-site and off-site CFE options.

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation announced it is accepting nominations for committee members that will make up the Federal Advisory Committee Act Electric Vehicle (EV) Working Group, which aims to make recommendations regarding EV development, adoption, and integration across the United States. The office seeks nominations for individuals representing EV manufacturers, labor organizations, public utilities and regulators, tribal governments, the trucking industry, and other groups. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law authorized the creation of the EV Working Group to make recommendations on a broad range of EV topics including how the federal, state, and local governments and industry can prepare the U.S. workforce for more EVs on the road; supporting U.S. competitiveness in EV charging and infrastructure; and ensuring sustainable EV integration into the electric grid.

The DOE selected 19 projects, with a total funding of $6 million, that will pursue innovative, targeted, early-stage ideas in solar energy research and development. These projects, representing 13 different U.S. states, will support President Biden's goal of addressing the climate crisis by driving innovation and speeding clean energy deployment to achieve a carbon-free electricity sector by 2035 and net-zero emissions energy sector by 2050. The projects were selected through the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) Small Innovative Projects in Solar (SIPS) 2022 Funding Program. SIPS projects focus on novel, high-risk, or high impact ideas that can produce significant results within the first year of performance, quickly validating new concepts and laying the foundation for continued research. SIPS is an ongoing SETO program that has funded more than 100 projects since it began in 2015.

The Biden-Harris Administration is authorizing the use of the Defense Production Act (DPA) to accelerate domestic production of clean energy technologies. Specifically, the President is authorizing the Department of Energy to use the DPA to rapidly expand American manufacturing of five critical clean energy technologies: Solar panel parts like photovoltaic modules and module components; Building insulation; Heat pumps, which heat and cool buildings super efficiently; Equipment for making and using clean electricity-generated fuels, including electrolyzers, fuel cells, and related platinum group metals; and Critical power grid infrastructure like transformers.

DPA Invocation Will Boost American Production of the Critical Technologies Necessary to Lower Energy Costs, Support the Clean Energy Economy, and Strengthen National Security. President Biden today issued presidential determinations providing the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with the authority to utilize the Defense Production Act (DPA) to accelerate domestic production of five key energy technologies: (1) solar; (2) transformers and electric grid components; (3) heat pumps; (4) insulation; and (5) electrolyzers, fuel cells, and platinum group metals. The DPA determinations are part of the Biden-Harris Administration's plan to lower energy costs for families, strengthen national security, and achieve lasting American energy independence that reduces demand for fossil fuels and bolsters our clean energy economy.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced $8 million in funding to support projects that will improve the flexibility of the U.S. hydropower fleet and enhance electric grid reliability. Hydropower is a flexible resource, meaning it can supply electricity immediately or store it to meet real-time demand. By improving flexibility, these projects will strengthen hydropower's ability to support an evolving electric grid that includes an increasing amount of variable renewable energy sources.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today selected Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to receive up to $6?million to help expand the deployment of geothermal heating and cooling technology at federal sites. The federal government is the nation’s largest energy user, consuming nearly 1% of all end-use energy in the United States. Installing these carbon-free heating and cooling systems at federal sites will support President Biden’s goal to make the federal government carbon-neutral and help demonstrate the benefits and potential of this technology.

The DOE awarded $3.6 million to 18 groups and organizations through the Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize -- a first-of-its-kind competition designed to support entrepreneurship and innovation in communities historically underserved in federal climate and energy technology funding. The selected projects are helping develop the next wave of diverse clean energy business owners, executives and workforce that are creating bottom-up solutions for sustainable development. The Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize supports the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 initiative to put environmental and economic justice at the center of America's transition to a net-zero economy by 2050.

GSA's Green Building Advisory Committee is a group of private and public sector experts which advises the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings on how best to achieve the transition to sustainable federal buildings. The Committee recently approved two new Advice Letters on: Environmental Justice & Equity in Federal Sustainable Buildings, and Federal Building Decarbonization.

This edition highlights protecting and preserving our environment, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #4. Content includes commentary from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Environmental Community of Practice leadership, discussing how our actions are directly connected to the environment and shaping a sustainable future. This issue also features initiatives from across the Army environmental community that are protecting and preserving our environment for current and future generations.
Included in this issue:
– U.S. Army Environmental Command highlights the recipients of the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of Defense environmental awards.
– USACE Honolulu District shares how they removed thousands of unexploded ordnances in Saipan.
– USACE St. Paul District discusses progress being made under the Upper Mississippi River Restoration program.
– USACE Charleston District highlights a day in the life of a USACE regulatory project manager.
– U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center shares how they are working to address energy and water resiliency.
– USACE Far East District discusses how their stormwater pollution prevention measures are keeping waterways clean.

This DOE Building Technologies Office slide deck provides guidance and strategies for federal buildings to decarbonize to help agencies meet the targets established in E.O 14057.

This presentation provides an overview of the updates in 10 CFR 433 (Baseline Energy Efficiency Standards Update for New Federal Commercial and Multi-Family High-Rise Residential Buildings) and 10 CFR 435 (Energy Efficiency Standards for the Design and Construction of New Federal Low-Rise Residential Buildings Baseline Standards Update).

The Distributed Wind Energy Futures Study, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Energy Technologies Office, used highly detailed data and new modeling techniques to identify locations with the highest potential for distributed wind energy of all forms. The study focused on the impact of wind technology cost and performance, policy, and siting conditions on economic potential. NREL also modeled opportunities for distributed wind in disadvantaged communities.

EPA and DOE announced the winners of the 2022 ENERGY STAR Awards. These 210 organizations, which represent the top ENERGY STAR partners, are making important contributions in support of America's clean energy transition.

The DOE Building Technologies Office (BTO) has issued a request for information from the public that will inform the program development and execution of Section 40511 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This provision makes $225 million available to states, local governments, and partnerships through grants to help them drive the cost-effective implementation of building energy codes for improved efficiency and resilience. The positive impacts from the advancement and effective implementation of energy codes and related building energy policies in states and localities throughout the United States are significant. Model energy codes are projected to deliver $138 billion energy cost savings, 900 MMT of avoided CO2 emissions and 13.5 quads of energy in cumulative benefits to residents across the country from 2010 to 2040. Funding provided through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will help ensure the benefits of energy codes and adjacent building energy policies are realized by American homes and businesses.

REMINDER: Registration to attend the 2022 Federal Environmental Symposium is now open! Federal employees and sponsored contractors are invited to attend the Symposium, hosted by NIH as a virtual event on March 28-31, 2022. The theme of this year's event is "Mission, Environment and Our Community". The event is FREE and registration will end Friday, March 18, 2022, so mark your calendar and register now. For more information, please see the Symposium website at https://www.fedcenter.gov/fes2022.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the Deploying Solar with Wildlife and Ecosystem Services Benefits (SolWEB) funding opportunity, which will award $10 million for innovative solutions and strategies that maximize benefits and minimize impacts to wildlife and ecosystems from solar energy infrastructure. DOE is interested in projects?that will produce results with broad relevance to solar stakeholders by establishing methods, technologies, models, best management practices, or resources that facilitate ground-mounted photovoltaic energy generation, including utility-scale and community solar or concentrating solar-thermal power that is compatible with surrounding wildlife. DOE is also interested in assessing and optimizing ecosystem benefits that solar energy facilities can provide, such as soil formation, pollination of food crops, and carbon sequestration.

This edition highlights fostering sustainability as a way of life, in support of Environmental Operating Principle #1. Content includes commentary from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Director of Military Programs, Dr. Christine Altendorf, and USACE Director of Civil Works, Mr. Al Lee, discussing our collective climate change adaption and mitigation efforts. This issue also features initiatives from across the Army environmental community that are helping to shape a sustainable environment for current and future generations.

Content includes:

• USACE Charleston District shares how they are restoring prime nesting grounds for shorebirds and seabirds using dredged material.
• USACE Alaska District discusses how they are promoting sustainable construction practices on the Last Frontier.
• U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center highlights how their ongoing partnership is working to re-establish Gulf oyster habitat.
• USACE New York District shares how construction of the West Point Elementary School is supporting STEAM education for students.
• U.S. Army Environmental Command discusses how a project seeks to treat contaminated groundwater using a novel bioaugmented adsorption treatment system.

The February 2022 issue can be found here.