BIL/IRA Implementation Digest — March 25, 2024

by Joe Cullen

Mar 25, 2024 | BIL/IRA Implementation Digest

Upcoming BIL/IRA Deadlines/Webinars

March 2024 – EPA will notify applicants for the $7 billion Solar for All Fund Competition, the $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator and the $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund competition of awards and start contractual negotiations.

March 29, 2024 – Deadline – Applications Due – for DOE’s $70 million WAP Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers (SERC) program.

March 31, 2024 – Application Deadline – USDA Rural Energy For America Program (REAP) – (with additional funding rounds going forward).

April 1, 2024 – Applications Due – State & Local (MSAs) for the EPA’s $5 billion – Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program.

April 1, 2024 @ 1:00PM – WEBINAR – Interagency Working Group on Coal & Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Energy Communities IWG) will hold a Webinar highlighting various DOE funding opportunities including: 1) funding & tax credits related to capacity building, manufacturing, clean energy, and economic development in energy communities; 2) information on the DOE application process; and 3) relevant resources to support potential applicants. Register here. In case you missed it: the IWG’s Getting Started: Meeting Communities Where They Are Webinar is Here.

April 2, 2024 @ 11:00AM – PRESS CONFERENCE – PA DEP will join the Ohio River Valley Institute, Moms Clean Air Force, local elected officials, community, climate, and labor leaders, and Evergreen Action, in Allegheny Co. to highlight the potential impact of RISE PA, PA DEP’s ambitious second phase application to secure up to $475 million for  investments under the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program. The location will be at the IUPAT DC 57’s Union Hall at 101 Ewing Road in Carnegie, PA.

April 3, 2024 @ 2:00 – 3:00PM – Webinar – Atlas Public Policy – The Monthly: 101 on Direct Pay & Financing Clean Energy Projects – the Sabin Center/Atlas will present on direct pay (aka elective pay) in the Inflation Reduction Act.

April 5, 2024 – Deadline – Concept Paper Due – for DOE’s $90 million Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation (RECI) program.

April 10, 2024 – Deadline – Applications Due – DOE’s Energy Future Grants (EFG) – $27 million in financial & technical assistance to support local/state innovation partnerships.

April 12, 2024 – DOE Webinar – DOE will host a virtual fireside chat and webinar featuring senior DOE leaders to explore the “Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Next-Generation Geothermal Power” report. Please register here.

April 12, 2024 – Application Deadline – Finance Action Organizers Network’s – Spring 2024 IRA Pathways Cohort: Clean Energy Finance Campaigns – free five-week program to provide the opportunity to walk away with a draft “campaign in a box” and follow-up navigation support as needed. Application information is HERE.
April 16, 2024 – Webinar – Clean Energy Manufacturing Summit/Reimagine Appalachia In Person Event – Energy Innovation Center in Pittsburgh. The summit will be a dynamic platform for sharing insights, best practices, and innovative solutions. Register here.

April 17, 2024 – Deadline – Applications Due – DOE’s $10.5 billion – GRIP (Grid Resilience & Innovation Partnerships) – Submission Deadline for Full Grid Innovation Program grants.

April 17, 2024 – Deadline – Concept Papers – DOE’s Solar and Wind Interconnection for Future Transmission program – new $10 million in grants available.

April 25, 2024 – Applications Due – US DOT Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Low or No Emission and Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Programs FY2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity – opportunity to apply for $1.1 Billion in competitive grants under the Low or No Emission Grant Program (Low-No Program) and $390 Million under the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program (Buses and Bus Facilities Program). The FTA Low-No Program will help transit agencies replace aging buses, reduce air pollution, provide good-paying jobs, and improve reliability. This funding opportunity gives priority consideration to projects advancing environmental justice.

April 25, 2024 @ 3:00-4:00PM – WEBINAR – DOE’s National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) will hold its second annual update webinar to share progress on the partnership’s impacts in 2023. NCSP members and community solar stakeholders can join for updates on efforts to reach the NCSP target to enable community solar to power 5 million homes by 2025, generating $1 billion in electricity bill savings for subscribers. Register Here.

May 2, 2024 – Application Deadline – Concept Note for GitLab Foundation’s Green Jobs for Economic Opportunity Fund – This $3 million program is designed to support early-stage and innovative ideas that will help drive new climate careers while filling a gap in the funding ecosystem. Grants are flexible, from $250k for individual orgs and $500k for partnerships. Full applications are due June 14, 2024 – More INFO HERE.

April 30, 2024 – End of Rolling Award Period – DOE’s $200 million Home EE Contractor Training (TREC) program. TREC makes $200 million available to state energy offices so they can train, test, and certify residential energy efficiency and electrification contractors.

April 30, 2024 – Deadline – Applications Due – DOE’s $530 million Building Codes Competitive Funding grants.

May 31, 2024 @ COB – Application Deadline – DOE’s Communities Sparking Investments in Transformative Energy (C-SITE) program – awarding $18 million to implement local government high-impact clean energy projects in disadvantaged communities, energy communities & small cities and towns. The program focuses on delivering funding to support projects and programs at the local level that reduce energy use, create local jobs, and focus on benefits to disadvantaged communities. More DOE C-SITE INFO HERE.

 

New Federal BIL/IRA Reports and Announcements

DOE Releases New Pathways to Commercial Liftoff for Geothermal Power

As part of the “Pathways to Commercial Liftoff“ series, DOE has released a Next-Generation Geothermal Power Liftoff Report focused on how advanced geothermal technology could increase US geothermal energy production twenty-fold or more by 2050. On April 12, 2024, DOE will host a Webinar to explore the “Pathways to Next-Generation Geothermal Power” Report. Please register here. Findings include:

  • Increased job opportunities:The existing oil and gas workforce of 300,000 can potentially transition and use their existing skills to advance geothermal power.
  • Sustainable Production: Next-generation geothermal has unique advantages due to highly transferrable and existing technology, supply chains, and workforces.
  • Access to sustainable resources: Next-generation geothermal technology can engineer geothermal resources & making heat resources accessible nationwide.
  • Lower Costs: Competitive pricing models can position next-generation geothermal power to be as cost effective as other energy sources.

 

DOE – Industrial Demonstrations Program Selections for Award Negotiations -DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) – DOE selected 33 projects for award negotiations with a total anticipated federal cost share of up to $6 billion – March 22, 2024.

Clean Energy Demonstration Program on Current & Former Mine Land Selections for Award Negotiations DOE OCED – $90 million for Clearfield Co. demonstration project.

 

DOE released Home Energy Rebates: Education & Outreach Plan Required Elements to help state energy offices (SEOs) apply for and implement the Home Energy Rebate Program. DOE has posted a fact sheet to help consumers understand the types of incentives available to them under the Home Energy Rebate Program.

 

DOE & the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) on March 19, 2024 launched the pilot of the Clean Energy Connector, a tool that connects families to solar energy through HHS’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). After announcing the development of the software in 2022, this pilot will enable as many as 40,000 LIHEAP-eligible households in the two pilot states, plus Washington, D.C., to have access to available community solar projects. Successfully enrolled participants could see meaningful electricity bill savings, in alignment with the National Community Solar Partnership goal of 20% household savings, equal to $370 per household annually.

 

DOE announced $425 million for the Advanced Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program on March 8, 2024 to reduce industrial emissions and advance clean energy manufacturing essential to the U.S. energy supply chain. These grants of will help strengthen America’s energy security, create good paying jobs, cut climate pollution, and help ensure that the communities that powered our nation for generations reap the economic benefits of the clean economy. These grants will support small and medium-sized manufacturers in current and former coal communities that are focused on producing and recycling clean energy products, as well as investing in decarbonization at their facilities. DOE invested $275 million in 2023 on projects across seven states.  In this round of funding, DOE will be prioritizing: (1) Clean Energy Manufacturing & Recycling and (2) Industrial Decarbonization. DOE has a rolling application deadline for grants.

 

DOE Announces Funding and Technical Assistance to Support Community-Led Clean Energy Transitions – On March 19, 2024, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) program funding and in-depth technical assistance. This opportunity is offered to connect local governments, electric utilities, & community-based groups with innovative modeling and testing tools. Teams comprising a local government, electric utility, and community-based organizations can prepare to apply for a multi-year partnership with experts from to DOE’s national laboratory experts. Awards up to $3.5 million. Due date: 6/14/24.

 

Secretary of Energy Appoints New Members to Federal Advisory Committee to Reduce Emissions Across the Industrial Sector – February 27, 2024 – DOE appointed 18 science, business, academic, and industry leaders to the Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee (ITIAC) to help decarbonize America’s industrial sector. The ITIAC will be charged with developing a comprehensive strategy to accelerate the development of technologies and processes that will reduce emissions across the U.S. industrial sector.

Members are listed here: Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee.

 

DOE Solar Power Highlight – Federal officials will spend $475 million to fund five clean energy projects on current or former mining lands across the country, including $90 million for Pennsylvania’s Clearfield County, where a former coal mining area is slated to become a 402 MW solar field. March 21, 2024 – DOE Press Release & WHYY

EPA announces over $1 billion to start new cleanup projects and continue work at 100 Superfund sites across the country – February 27, 2024 – Thanks to this third and final wave of investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is funding all the construction work that is ready to begin at Superfund sites nationwide.

 

Department of Housing and Urban Development – FY2023 Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP): Elements – $140 million funding announcement. GRRP is the first HUD program to simultaneously invest in energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, energy generation, green and healthy housing, and climate resilience strategies specifically in HUD-assisted multifamily housing.

 

DOE Invests $44 Million to Advance a Clean, Reliable Electric Grid – March 19, 2024

DOE announced the selection of eleven projects to receive $34 million for tools to advance a clean, reliable electricity grid powered by wind and solar energy. DOE also announced a new $10 million Solar and Wind Interconnection for Future Transmission (SWIFTR) funding opportunity to streamline interconnections of clean energy to the grid. These initiatives will enable grid planners, operators, & utility companies to connect and manage clean energy and battery storage resources on the grid. This funding will also help cut wait times for projects to connect to the grid & help accelerate deployment of clean energy resources (See PJM’s Report Card immediately below). In 2023, i2X released a draft roadmap that outlines goals, solutions, and metrics for the interconnection process and complements the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s rule to reform interconnection procedures. Concept Papers due: 4/17/2024 & Full Application Due: 6/28/2024.

 

New Non-Profit Organization Reports on BIL/IRA

Advanced Energy United’s Generator Interconnection Report Card for electric grid managers – Feb. 26, 2024. A new, first-of-its-kind scorecard from Advanced Energy evaluates & grades the seven U.S. regional transmission organizations on their generator interconnection processes. The scorecard, authored by Grid Strategies & The Brattle Group, shows that interconnection faces serious deficiencies in several regions. The PJM grid received an overall D- Grade with two F Grades for specific areas of evaluation.

See New scorecard rates nation’s grid managers on connecting renewables, by Robert Zullo, March 15, 2024, Maryland Matters.

 

Advanced Energy United’s Generator Interconnection Scorecard Grades

Visit – advancedenergyunited.org/scorecard

 

Clean Energy States Alliance – Empowering Tomorrow: A Preview of States’ Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Solar for All Programs. This report summarizes trends & calculates the potential impact of the EPA’s $7 billion Solar for All competition. The report provides a review of range of state proposals that have been submitted in response to this competition. It can help states prepare for a massive & historic influx of LMI solar funding.

Calculating potential impact of EPA’s $7 billion Solar for All program – by Anne Fischer, PV Magazine – February 29, 2024

 

Clean Energy States Alliance – Directory of Solar Energy Technical Assistance Available to Community-Based Organizations – Community-based organizations (CBOs) pursuing solar energy projects may need additional resources and information to help them achieve their desired clean energy and community-building outcomes. Fortunately, technical assistance opportunities are now available through federal agencies, states, and nonprofits. CESA’s Directory has compiled currently available technical assistance opportunities for CBOs pursuing solar energy – by identifying who is providing the technical assistance, the program location, who is eligible, and more.

 

Clean Economy Tracker (CET) from Atlas Public Policy, tracks private-led investments and jobs in clean energy and technology manufacturing as well as non-manufacturing, commercial scale deployment projects in the United States. The CET is a one-stop shop for information on clean technology industries – 328,000 announced jobs, $231 billion in announced private sector investments by state & Congressional District.

 

New BIL/IRA Funding Guides on Urban Farms & Local Econ. Development   

BIL/IRA Notes from the USDA Urban Service Center in Philadelphia

USDA Grant List – compiled by Urban farmers in Reading, PA

Third Party Grant (and other resources) Assistance for Farmers:

Climate Smart Funding through Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Youth Loans through Farm Service Agency.

USDA Local and Regional Food Systems Resource Guide (pdf)

National Resources Conservation Service – USDA Programs:

·      Environmental Quality Incentives Program

·      Conservation Stewardship Program

·      Agricultural Management Assistance

Deadlines in April/May 2024

Reimagine Appalachia’s Local Economic Development Resources

 

·       EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers Program – Map to find out which EPA District you’re in.

  • Map from Blue Green Alliance to learn if you’re in an energy community or qualify for other special consideration.

 

Recent BIL/IRA Funding Announcements in PA

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced the creation of an Appalachian Sustainable Finance Hub with the Steel Valley Authority, partnering with the Ohio River Valley Institute (ORVI), Reimagine Appalachia, and Keystone Research Center. The Steel Valley Authority Finance Hub was awarded $500,000 through a Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) grant. BIL funded ARISE projects also included:

Sustainable Pittsburgh Selected As 1 Of 10 Nationally To Advance To Phase 2 Of Quality Green Jobs Training Regional Challenge – PA ENV News – February 22, 2024

Jobs for the Future and the Ares Charitable Foundation have chosen Sustainable Pittsburgh as one of ten organizations across the United States to advance to Phase 2 of the Quality Green Jobs Regional Challenge.

 

Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) Update

EPA: PA One Of 45 States, MSAs To Submit Priority Climate Action Plans As Part Of $5 Billion Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program – March 12, 2024 – PA EN News

The race heats up for massive IRA state and local climate funding program – by Kari Lydersen – March 1, 2024 – Energy Network News – The CPRG program will award $4.6 billion to states & metro areas this year to implement aspects of local climate action plans.

EPA climate program: Sneak peek at 2028 Democratic primary – by Adam Aton, 3/22/24 – A little-known IRA provision (CPRG) has sparked competition among the party’s rising stars.

Priority Climate Action Plans for States, MSAs, Tribes, & Territories – EPA Link to All Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs), filed on or before March 1, 2024. Four PA Plans:

 

Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Background

EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program – provides $5 billion from the IRA in grants to states & local govts. to develop & implement GHG emissions reductions.

What Happened: March 1, 2024 – Deadline for states & MSAs to submit PCAPs.

What Happens Next: April 1, 2024 – Deadline for CPRG Implementation Grant Program 

$4.6 billion in new competitive grants to fund projects that cut climate pollution, advance environmental justice, pursue innovative policies, and deploy clean energy technologies.

What Happens After That – EPA CPRG awards to be announced in July 2024.

EPA Criteria – EPA will prioritize measures that achieve the greatest amount of GHG emissions reductions & can be replicated in other states & MSAs.

CPRG Grant Size – PA DEP will apply for the maximum grant of $500 million (Tier A). SPC, DVRPC & LVPC are TBD with anticipated ranges of $10 million to $100 million (Tiers C & D).

PA DEP’s Re-Grant Approach – No final decisions have been announced yet, but on December 30, 2023 PA DEP published a draft Reducing Industrial Sector Emission in Pennsylvania Grant Program that would re-grant $440 million to PA projects that achieve 20% emission reductions, deliver community benefits and provide prevailing wages.

PA PCAP Goals (Table 5, on Page 25) Top PA Carbon Reduction Measures & Sectors 

  1. Industrial Electrification, Efficiency, and Process Emissions – Industrial
  2. Low Carbon Fuels – Industrial
  3. On-Site Renewable Energy – Industrial/Buildings
  4. Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage – Industrial
  5. Fugitive Emissions Reduction- Industrial/Agricultural/Waste
  6. Net-Zero Electricity Grid – Power
  7. Building Electrification and Efficiency – Buildings
  8. Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicles – Transportation
  9. Public and Active Transportation – Transportation

CPRG is a PA Turbocharge program for Transportation and Power/Industrial Strategic Plans. Stay tuned for an analysis of the 4 PA PCAPs & 2024 Strategic Planning Goals.

 

Update on Green Banks 

Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA) News

Board Meeting/Briefing Materials (PA Board of Directors Meeting Slides) Feb. 2024

Governor’s Office of Critical Investments Report on BIL/IRA Implementation

  • PA Gov’s Office Invitation to Present Clean Energy Projects (PDF pages 8-19)

Current Focus is schools & municipal assets – but other projects are eligible.

Description of Inaugural Energy Accelerator Programs (EAP) (PDF pages 20-23)

Note: EAP is PEDA’s term for Green Bank.

  • PEDA’s EAP Product #1 & EAP Product #2 are expected to total $10 million and $15 million, respectively.
  • PEDA hopes to receive EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund funding:
    • $250 million under the Solar for All program
    • Additional funding through the National Clean Investment Fund/Clean Communities Investment Accelerator
  • PEDA is exploring a $100 million loan guaranteed by the Department of Energy to facilitate seed funding for a Solar for Schools Program

National Energy Improvement Fund’s (NEIF) Description of PA KEEP Home Energy Loan Program “EAP Product #1” (PDF pages 24-35)

PA DEP Description of Municipal Opportunities for Retrofits and Energy Efficiency Proposal “EAP Product #2” (PDF pages 36-45)

PA DEP Description of PA Solar for All Application and Program (PDF pages 46-47)

Background on EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

NEW RESOURCES COMING IN 2024

Current Timeline – Important Dates:

                  March 2024 – Anticipated Notification of Selections

                  July 2024 – Anticipated Awards

EPA’s Inflation Reduction Act Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds:

  • National Clean Investment Fund – $14 billion
  • The Clean Communities Investment Accelerator competition – $6 billion*

·      Solar for All competition – $7 billion*

*    All funds must be targeted towards underserved communities. 

Bottom Line: PEDA will roll out more than $375 million in seed money & Green Bank financing in 2024-2025.

 

PA News Clips on Gov. Shapiro’s Cap & Invest Plan – PACER & PRESS

Gov. Shapiro Unveils Cap-And-Invest PA Climate Emissions Reduction Initiative To Reduce Carbon Pollution From Power Plants; Update Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards To Diversify Electric Generation, Improve Reliability

·      Gov. Josh Shapiro is proposing a state-based alternative to a cap-and-trade program to fight climate change, & boost to clean energy standards. Spotlight, by Wyatt Massey, March 20, 2024. Also, Potential impacts on Penn State.

·      Energy Week – “Inaction is Not an Option“– Gov. Shapiro’s energy plan creates a stark contrast with fossil opponents, by Robert Routh, NRDC – March 22, 2024.

·      Senate Republicans Reject Gov. Shapiro’s Offer to Work On Legislation To Make The Electric Grid More Reliable, Diversify Our Energy Sources, Lower Energy Costs For Ratepayers, Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Dave Hess Blog Post by Dave Hess – March 13, 2024

·      AP: PA Gov. Shapiro Backs New Plan To Make Power Plants Pay For GHG emissions.

 

Co-Sponsorship Memos for the PACER & PRESS legislative proposals

Press Release from PA Senate Democrats

Senator Comitta – PACER Bill Co-Sponsorship Memo
Rep. Abney – PACER Bill Co-Sponsorship Memo

Sen. Santarsiero – PRESS Bill Co-Sponsorship Memo

Rep. Otten – PRESS Bill Co-Sponsorship Memo

PA BIL/IRA and Related News Clips

 

Oil & Gas Well Plugging & Related Methane Gas Issues

Shapiro Marks Plugging 200th Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Well – March 12, 2024 – PA EN News.

DEP Set To Receive $2 Billion+ In Federal Funds Over Next Decade+ For Oil & Gas Well Plugging, Clean Energy, Climate Resiliency, Clean Water – PA DEP’s (Louie Krak’s) Feb. 21, 2024 briefing for DEP’s Environmental Justice Advisory Board on more than $2 billion in federal funding the agency expects to receive over the next decade to address legacy pollution problems like oil & gas well plugging, clean energy & climate resiliency projects.

Federal money has supercharged PA’s dangerous well plugging, but critics want more oversight  – by Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA, Feb. 26, 2024: With millions in federal funding, PA has plugged more oil & gas wells in the last 1 & ½ years than it did in the past decade.

Pa. gains new abandoned gas wells as it sets records capping old ones – by Rachel McDevitt – StateImpact February 23, 2024 – Federal money helped Pennsylvania plug 139 abandoned oil and gas wells last year. That’s more than in the eight years before that.

Despite the state awarding more than $23 million in contracts to plug those wells in 2023, the number of abandoned wells continues to grow.

New Demands to Measure Emissions Raise Cautious Hopes in Pennsylvania Among  Environmental Sleuths Who Monitor Fracking Sites – By Jake Bolster, February 25, 2024, Inside Climate News – The new EPA rules govern wells as well as wastewater tanks, which can emit substantial amounts of methane and volatile organic compounds.

The Rising Cost of the Oil Industry’s Slow Death – By Mark Olalde, ProPublica, and Nick Bowlin, Capital & Main – Feb. 22, 2024 – Unplugged oil and gas wells accelerate climate change, threaten public health & risk hitting taxpayers’ pocketbooks. ProPublica/Capital & Main found that funds set aside to fix the problem falls far short of the cost. In the past 165 years, the industry has punched millions of holes in the earth. Now, those wells are running dry, and a generational bill is coming due. The estimated cost to plug those wells is at least $151.3 billion, according to the state data & the actual price tag will certainly be higher.

Gas export pause could scramble Biden’s chances in Pennsylvania  by Josh Siegel – 02/26/2024, Politico – Sens. Casey & Fetterman argued the pause could hurt their state.

Jason Altmire: Crippling LNG would be a political blunder Biden can’t afford in Pa. – Trib Live – March 19, 2024

LNG Exports Are a Rotten Deal for Appalachians – by Joanne Kilgour, ORVI – Mar 17, 2024

Exploring the Impact of LNG Exports on Pennsylvania Families, 03/15/2024

Recording of Pennsylvania Utility Law Project Webinar

 

PA Commentary on Gov. Shapiro’s Economic Development Plan 

Groups criticize Shapiro’s economic plan for ignoring climate change – by Rachel McDevitt, February 21, 2024 – The Allegheny Front – More than 100 advocacy groups say Gov. Josh Shapiro’s new 10-year economic development plan is not sustainable.

Pennsylvania Needs a Sustainable, Inclusive Economic Development Plan – PennFuture – February 14, 2024

Other PA BIL/IRA and Related News Clips

 

Reconsidering the reckoning over RGGI – by Harrison Cann – February 26, 2024 – City & State PA – As both sides dig in ever deeper over the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, fault lines and strategies become clearer, even as its future remains up in the air.

The lower court decision “took far longer than anyone anticipated,” and “I think it’s going to be quite some time before we see any movement.” Reference: Prospects for PA as a RGGI Member – Resources for the Future (RFF) & Kleinman Center (April 2023)

Special Report on the Future of Energy – February 26, 2024 – City & State PA – Various articles and Interviews.

A Q&A with state Sen. Gene Yaw, chair of the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee – By Justin Sweitzer, February 26, 2024 – City & State PA – As chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee, state Sen. Gene Yaw plays a major role in determining the direction the state Senate takes on energy policy.

Pittsburgh’s Climate Emissions Aren’t Falling Fast Enough To Meet 2030 Climate by Oliver Morrison – March 19, 2024 – WESA

Up To 58 GW Of Power Generation In PJM Faces Retirement By 2030 Without Replacement Capacity In Sight – by Ethan Howland- March 18, 2024 – Utility Dive

A grid for all: How to assemble an army of energy soldiers through virtual power plants – Anya Litvak – March 12, 2024 – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

State Rep. promotes solar projects through school visit – By Matt Churella, Altoona Mirror, March 14, 2024, Rep. Fiedler tours Central Cambria as district looks to save money

PA Solar Center Hosts March 22 Webinar Unpacking Solar Energy Interconnection With Electric Grid In PA – March 23, 2024 PA EN News

Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to spend $80M to attack Pennsylvania’s housing crisis. Here’s how. – by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA and Charlotte Keith, Spotlight PA, March 18, 2024 – Shapiro also wants to direct $50 million to a popular state program that helps homeowners pay for essential repairs. The money can also be used to make units accessible for people with disabilities, improve energy efficiency, and provide construction-related workforce training.

New ‘Hub’ to help local governments in southwestern Pa. bring in historic clean energy funds – Julie Grant February 14, 2024 – Allegheny Front

Making electric charging stations more available – by Mackenzie Aucker WNEP-TV News, February 22, 2024 – Most places in Pennsylvania don’t have charging stations–including rural areas. WNEP-TV covers how state officials are trying to change that.

DEP Recommends 6 Major Legislative Proposals Be Adopted As Part Of 2024 PA Climate Action Plan – PA ENV News – February 21, 2024 – PA DEP presented six major legislative proposals to the Climate Change Advisory Committee on 3/20/24 that it would like to see adopted to implement the 2024 PA Climate Action Plan.

 

National BIL/IRA and Related News Clips

DOE: US energy storage pipeline up 300% since Inflation Reduction Act passed – by Cameron Murray, Energy Storage News – March 21, 2024

Why Mainers Are Falling Hard for Heat Pumps – By Cara Buckley, March 2, 2024, New York Times – The percentage of households burning home heating oil is the highest in the country. Yet no other state is adopting climate-friendly heat pumps as fast. According to Efficiency Maine, an independent agency that runs energy efficiency programs, replacing heating oil and propane with heat pumps saves a household over a thousand dollars a year.

John Fetterman introduces federal Whole-Home Repairs legislation – The bipartisan bill mirrors the home improvement bill passed in Pennsylvania in 2022 – by Harrison Cann – March 5, 2024 – City & State PA – U.S. Sen John Fetterman introduced a federal version of the Whole-Home Repairs program, which provides grants and forgivable loans to homeowners and small landlords looking to repair and weatherize their properties.

Car shoppers aren’t electrified by electric vehicles – EV growth slows as consumers look to hybrids & plug-ins – by Jeanne Whalen – Feb. 24, 2024 – The Washington Post

China’s Electric Vehicles Are Going to Hit Detroit Like a Wrecking Ball

by Robinson Meyer – February  27, 2024 – New York Times

U.S. Gas Producers Are Racing to Sell to Asia. And Mexico Is Key. – By Max Bearak

February 13, 2024 – New York Times – By next year, American natural gas will start flowing across Mexico to a major export terminal on the Pacific, reflecting a global energy landscape transformed by U.S. dominance in gas.

Biden vs. Trump on electric vehicles and China’s threat – by Glenn Kessler – The Fact Checker – January 30, 2024 – The Washington Post

The secret both parties want to keep about U.S. energy – by Catherine Rampell

January 25, 2024 – The Washington Post

The News About the News Business Is Getting Grimmer – by Michael M. Grynbaum, John Koblin, Benjamin Mullin and Katie Robertson – January 24, 2024 – The New York Times – Mass layoffs, closures and reader fatigue are afflicting news organizations as Americans prepare for a consequential election year.

The Zombies of the U.S. Tax Code: Why Fossil Fuels Subsidies Seem Impossible to Kill

by Lisa Friedman – March 18, 2024 – New York Times – For the fourth year in a row, President Biden is trying to eliminate federal tax breaks for coal, oil and gas companies. But fossil fuel subsidies have proven difficult to stop.

Biden Vows to ‘Save the Planet From the Climate Crisis’ – By Lisa Friedman The New York Times – March 8, 2024 – President Biden spoke about global warming in stark terms during the State of the Union address Thursday night, ditching the more sterile term “climate change” to instead refer twice to the climate “crisis.”

Getting off fossil fuels is hard, but this city is doing it — building by building

By Jeff Brady, March 4, 2024 – NPR NEWS – Ithaca, N.Y., wants to eliminate greenhouse gasses by 2030 — 20 years faster than the rest of the country. But even in this liberal city meeting climate targets is harder than expected.

Our Green Transition May Leave Black People Behind – by Rhiana Gunn-Wright, Hammer & Hope – I’m an architect of the Green New Deal, and I’m worried the racism in the biggest climate law endangers our ability to get off fossil fuels.

The False Promise of Carbon Capture as a Climate Solution – By Naomi Oreskes &

Peter Coy, March 1, 2024 – Scientific American – Fossil-fuel companies use captured carbon dioxide to extract more fossil fuels, leading to a net increase in atmospheric CO2.

Why Don’t We Just Ban Fossil Fuels? – Per Coy, Feb. 16, 2024 – New York Times

A Battery Company CEO on the ‘Massive’ Effect of the Inflation Reduction Act – By Dan Gearino, Feb. 15, 2024, Inside Climate News – Freyr Battery plans to invest billions in a factory near Atlanta.

Solar, battery storage will be 81% of new electricity generation capacity this year: EIA

by Diana DiGangi, February 21, 2024 – Utility Dive – Solar will increase by a record 36.4 GW if additions proceed as scheduled this year according to the U.S. Energy Information Admin. The IRA has “accelerated the development of energy storage by introducing investment tax credits for stand-alone storage,” said the EIA – “Prior to the IRA, batteries qualified for federal tax credits only if they were co-located with solar.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White House Council on Environmental Quality

 RESOURCE HUB – Updated March 18, 2024

 

Justice40 Covered Programs List: List of federal programs working to advance the President’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

 

Invest.gov: Interactive map showing the historic public and private sector investments President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is bringing to states and territories across America.

 

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act Technical Assistance Guide: Guide highlighting programs that help communities navigate the more than 100 Federal technical assistance programs that can help communities deliver infrastructure, clean energy, and climate resilience projects.

 

Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook: This guidebook provides an overview of the clean energy, climate mitigation and resilience, agriculture, and conservation-related tax incentives and investment programs in President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.

 

Direct Pay Through the Inflation Reduction Act: Find resources on the Inflation Reduction Act’s “elective pay” (often called “direct pay”) provisions, through which tax-exempt and governmental entities can take advantage of tax credits for building clean energy projects.

 

Grants.gov: Learn about current federal grant opportunities.

 

Cleanenergy.gov: A one-stop shop for information on President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and how the IRA helps lower energy costs for consumers & small businesses while creating good-paying jobs as America’s clean energy economy and manufacturing sectors grow.

 

DOE Interactive Map: Interactive tool showcasing where clean energy investments are occurring across the United States thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.

 

Energy Savings Hub | Department of Energy: Access resources made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which will help lower your energy costs and make your home safer and more comfortable while helping the planet.

 

Environmental Justice Scorecard: Find information about what federal agencies are doing to advance environmental justice in communities across America.

 

Department of Housing and Urban Development Funding Navigator: Find hundreds of available IRA, BIL, & other programs across a range of federal agencies in these categories: Energy Efficiency and Renewables, Utility Scale Energy, Resiliency, Lead and Healthy Housing, Brownfield and Waste Management, Transportation, Broadband, Workforce Development and Environmental Justice.

 

Department of Transportation Navigator: Explore federal funding opportunities that help plan for and deliver transformative infrastructure projects and services.

Joe Cullen