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Department of Energy Releases New Report on Economic Impact of Recovery Act Advanced Vehicle Investments

Ahead of President Obama’s trip to Holland, Michigan tomorrow for the official groundbreaking of the new Compact Power plant, the Department of Energy today released a new report on the economic impact of Recovery Act investments in advanced batteries and vehicles. The report, “Recovery Act Investments: Transforming America’s Transportation Sector,” documents how Recovery Act funds are being matched with private capital to create new jobs, construct new plants, add new manufacturing lines, install electric vehicle charging stations across the country and help build the emerging domestic electric vehicle industry from the ground up.

Read the battery and electric vehicle report.

Among the key highlights of the report:

  • For every dollar of the $2.4 billion in seed money the government provided through the Recovery Act advanced battery and electric vehicle grants, the companies have matched it at minimum dollar for dollar.
  • Pre-Recovery Act, the U.S. produced just 2% of the world’s batteries for advanced vehicles, but due to Recovery Act investments, the U.S. will have the capacity to produce 20% of these batteries by 2012 and up to 40% by 2015—that’s a jump from 2% to 40% in a span of just five years.
  • Nine of the nine new battery plants opening as a result of Recovery Act investments will have started construction by Thursday – and four of those will be operational by the end of the year. In addition, twenty-one other plants will make battery or electric vehicle components with the help of Recovery Act grants.
  • Before the Recovery Act, high battery costs meant a car with a 100 mile range would need a battery that cost $33,000. But because of the higher-volume domestic manufacturing the Recovery Act is spurring, the cost of such a battery could come down to $16,000 by the end of 2013 and $10,000 by the end of 2015, dramatically driving down the cost of an electric vehicle and greatly expanding the domestic market.
  • Before the Recovery Act, there were less than 500 electric vehicle charging locations in the U.S., but as a result of Recovery Act investments, there will be over 20,000 by 2012.

Compact Power is the ninth of nine new advanced battery plants that will open as a result of the $2.4 billion in Recovery Act advanced battery and electric vehicle awards President Obama announced last August. Before the Recovery Act, there were no domestic factories doing high-volume manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles, but due to Recovery Act investments, the U.S. will have the capacity to produce up to 40% of the world’s batteries by 2015. The $151 million Recovery Act grant awarded to Compact Power last August has been matched more than dollar-for-dollar by the company. As a result of this public-private partnership, the Compact project is expected to create and save hundreds of construction jobs in Holland and put hundreds of Michigan workers on the job at the new Compact Power plant once it is fully operational. The Compact Power plant in Holland will manufacture batteries to support 52,000 Chevy Volts a year and will also supply batteries for the new electric Ford Focus.

EPA Launches National Water Conservation Campaign

EPA’s WaterSense program helps consumers save money and water

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense program today is kicking off its national “We’re for Water” campaign to encourage Americans to make simple choices that save water.  The program, in collaboration with its partner, American Water, will spread the word about saving water by traveling cross-country, stopping at national landmarks and educating consumers about WaterSense labeled products.  WaterSense products use about 20 percent less water than standard models.

“Whether by replacing an old, inefficient plumbing fixture with a WaterSense labeled product or adopting more water-efficient behaviors, together we can help save water for future generations,” said Peter Silva, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Water.  “WaterSense offers consumers simple tips that can help the environment and keep money in their pockets.”

Consumers can start saving water today with three simple steps: check, twist and replace.

  • Check toilets for silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank; if the color shows up in the bowl indicating a leak, fixing it may be as simple as replacing the toilet’s flapper.
  • Twist on a WaterSense labeled bathroom faucet aerator to use 30 percent less water without a noticeable difference in flow.
  • Replace a showerhead with a WaterSense labeled model that uses less water and energy, but still has all the power of a water-hogging model.

 

WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes and services. In 2009, EPA’s WaterSense program helped consumers save more than 36 billion gallons of water and $267 million on their water and sewer bills.

More information on the We’re for Water road trip:  http://www.epa.gov/watersense/wereforwater

To take the “I’m for Water pledge:”  http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pledge

To learn about water-saving tips: http://www.facebook.com/EPAWatersense

TAPPED – What the Bottled Water Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know…..

Award winning documentary on drinking water being screened in the Tahoe area all summer!

Hosted by the Squaw Valley Institute

The Reno/Tahoe community has the opportunity to view TAPPED, an award winning documentary on the issues surrounding bottled water versus tap water. These screenings are presented by the Tahoe Water Suppliers Association (TWSA).  The events are free and open to the public.   

Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right or a commodity that should be bought and sold like any other article of commerce? Stephanie Soechtig’s award winning feature film, TAPPED is an unflinching examination of the business of the billion dollar bottled water industry. From the producers of Who Killed the Electric Car and I.O.U.U.S.A. this timely  documentary is a behind the scenes look at the unregulated and unseen works of an industry that aims to privatize and sell back one resource that ought never become a commodity, our water.  From the plastic production to the ocean where so many of these bottles end up, this inspiring documentary trails the path of the bottled water industry, and the communities that were unwitting chips on the table. A powerful portrait of the lives affected by the bottled water industry, this revelatory film features those caught in the intersection of big business and the public’s right to water. 

–from the website: www.tappedthemovie.com

These screenings are presented by the Tahoe Water Suppliers Association (TWSA) in partnership with the Great Basin Institute, Squaw Valley Institute, Tahoe City PUD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Martis Creek Lake. 

For more information:

  • Madonna Dunbar

IVGID Resource Conservationist & Executive Director, Tahoe Water Suppliers Association

(775) 832-1212 / email: mod@ivgid.org / website: www.tahoeh2o.org

TAPPED – What the Bottled Water Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know…..

Award winning documentary on drinking water being screened in the Tahoe area all summer!

Hosted by Tahoe City PUD

The Reno/Tahoe community has the opportunity to view TAPPED, an award winning documentary on the issues surrounding bottled water versus tap water. These screenings are presented by the Tahoe Water Suppliers Association (TWSA).  The events are free and open to the public.   

Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right or a commodity that should be bought and sold like any other article of commerce? Stephanie Soechtig’s award winning feature film, TAPPED is an unflinching examination of the business of the billion dollar bottled water industry. From the producers of Who Killed the Electric Car and I.O.U.U.S.A. this timely  documentary is a behind the scenes look at the unregulated and unseen works of an industry that aims to privatize and sell back one resource that ought never become a commodity, our water.  From the plastic production to the ocean where so many of these bottles end up, this inspiring documentary trails the path of the bottled water industry, and the communities that were unwitting chips on the table. A powerful portrait of the lives affected by the bottled water industry, this revelatory film features those caught in the intersection of big business and the public’s right to water. 

–from the website: www.tappedthemovie.com

These screenings are presented by the Tahoe Water Suppliers Association (TWSA) in partnership with the Great Basin Institute, Squaw Valley Institute, Tahoe City PUD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Martis Creek Lake. 

For more information:

  • Madonna Dunbar

IVGID Resource Conservationist & Executive Director, Tahoe Water Suppliers Association

(775) 832-1212 / email: mod@ivgid.org / website: www.tahoeh2o.org

TAPPED – What the Bottled Water Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know…..

Award winning documentary on drinking water being screened in the Tahoe area all summer!

Hosted by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Martis Creek Lake

The Reno/Tahoe community has the opportunity to view TAPPED, an award winning documentary on the issues surrounding bottled water versus tap water. These screenings are presented by the Tahoe Water Suppliers Association (TWSA).  The events are free and open to the public.   

Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right or a commodity that should be bought and sold like any other article of commerce? Stephanie Soechtig’s award winning feature film, TAPPED is an unflinching examination of the business of the billion dollar bottled water industry. From the producers of Who Killed the Electric Car and I.O.U.U.S.A. this timely  documentary is a behind the scenes look at the unregulated and unseen works of an industry that aims to privatize and sell back one resource that ought never become a commodity, our water.  From the plastic production to the ocean where so many of these bottles end up, this inspiring documentary trails the path of the bottled water industry, and the communities that were unwitting chips on the table. A powerful portrait of the lives affected by the bottled water industry, this revelatory film features those caught in the intersection of big business and the public’s right to water. 

–from the website: www.tappedthemovie.com

These screenings are presented by the Tahoe Water Suppliers Association (TWSA) in partnership with the Great Basin Institute, Squaw Valley Institute, Tahoe City PUD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Martis Creek Lake. 

For more information:

  • Madonna Dunbar

IVGID Resource Conservationist & Executive Director, Tahoe Water Suppliers Association

(775) 832-1212 / email: mod@ivgid.org / website: www.tahoeh2o.org

TAPPED – What the Bottled Water Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know…..

Award winning documentary on drinking water being screened in the Tahoe area all summer!

 Hosted by the Great Basin Institute (rescheduled from original date of June 11)

The Reno/Tahoe community has the opportunity to view TAPPED, an award winning documentary on the issues surrounding bottled water versus tap water. These screenings are presented by the Tahoe Water Suppliers Association (TWSA).  The events are free and open to the public.   

Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right or a commodity that should be bought and sold like any other article of commerce? Stephanie Soechtig’s award winning feature film, TAPPED is an unflinching examination of the business of the billion dollar bottled water industry. From the producers of Who Killed the Electric Car and I.O.U.U.S.A. this timely  documentary is a behind the scenes look at the unregulated and unseen works of an industry that aims to privatize and sell back one resource that ought never become a commodity, our water.  From the plastic production to the ocean where so many of these bottles end up, this inspiring documentary trails the path of the bottled water industry, and the communities that were unwitting chips on the table. A powerful portrait of the lives affected by the bottled water industry, this revelatory film features those caught in the intersection of big business and the public’s right to water. 

–from the website: www.tappedthemovie.com

These screenings are presented by the Tahoe Water Suppliers Association (TWSA) in partnership with the Great Basin Institute, Squaw Valley Institute, Tahoe City PUD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Martis Creek Lake. 

For more information:

  • Madonna Dunbar

IVGID Resource Conservationist & Executive Director, Tahoe Water Suppliers Association

(775) 832-1212 / email: mod@ivgid.org / website: www.tahoeh2o.org

DOE Announces Technical Assistance Program to Support Recovery Act Projects

The Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the launch of a technical assistance program that will support projects funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through DOE’s State Energy Program (SEP) and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG). Funded with up to $25 million under the Recovery Act, the program will provide states, cities, and tribes with the tools and resources they need to implement successful and sustainable renewable energy projects, such as wind farms and solar systems, and deploy cost-effective, clean, and reliable energy-saving technologies in buildings and infrastructure nationwide. The Technical Assistance Program (TAP)—which is jointly-funded with EECBG and SEP Recovery Act funds—will accelerate project execution, improve program performance, and increase the return on Recovery Act investments. This effort is another way that the Department is creating green jobs, making homes and businesses more energy efficient, and installing renewable energy systems across America.

Full story

Gov Contractors Must Track Emissions or Risk Losing Contracts

Contractors for the federal government that do not track their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could risk losing their contracts, according to a report in the Federal Times about new rules by the General Services Administration (GSA).

The new rules are a part of the GSA’s response to an executive order by the Obama administration issued in October which directed federal agencies to find ways to reduce their GHG emissions. Potentially, the new rules could have far-reaching consequences through the entire economy, not just government contractors.

Once the new rules go into effect, preference will be given to suppliers that are tracking and reducing their GHG emissions. Third-party accreditation and reductions in supply chain emissions would also be taken into effect when the GSA decides on awarding contracts.

Currently, few companies, including government contractors, track their emissions. Threatening suppliers with the potential loss of lucrative government contracts could create a sea-change among American companies as they try to conform to federal demands for carbon accounting.

Read the complete story at Environmental Leader