News

DOE Launches Sustainable Wastewater Infrastructure of the Future (SWIFt) Phase 2 Initiative

As a follow-on to the successful U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Sustainable Wastewater Infrastructure of the Future (SWIFt) Phase 1 Accelerator, DOE recently launched SWIFt Phase 2 to work with water resource recovery facilities and further accelerate a pathway toward sustainable infrastructure. SWIFt Phase 2 will continue the momentum of SWIFt Phase 1 by leveraging the tools, resources, and lessons of SWIFt to benefit the broader wastewater sector. SWIFt Phase 2 goals include:

  • Engage 100 additional facilities in a voluntary partnership to achieve 5% short-term and 25% long-term facility-wide energy savings, and
  • Work with 25 facilities to implement at least one next-generation technology (e.g., renewable energy, resource recovery, and advanced data management).

SWIFt Phase 2 kicked off in summer 2020 and is currently welcoming interested state, regional, and local agency and facility partners. For more information, contact stateandlocal@ee.doe.gov.

New Weatherization Standard Work Specifications Website Is Live

DOE and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory developed the Standard Work Specifications (SWS) with collaboration from public, private, and federal sector subject matter experts to define the minimum acceptable outcomes for home energy upgrades installed on single-family, multifamily, and manufactured housing.

The new website features:

  • User-friendly webpage updates
  • New mobile and desktop designs
  • Streamlined comment functionality.

View the updated SWS website.

In fall 2020, a Spanish translation of the website will also be available.

All active SWS user accounts were migrated to the website. If you experience any issues, please contact workforce.guidelines@nrel.gov.

Funding Opportunity: Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program

On Aug. 4, 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officially announced the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the first funding cycle of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program. BRIC replaces the FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program. BRIC makes federal funds available to states, local communities, tribes, and territories for pre-disaster mitigation activities, including Capability- and Capacity-Building Activities, Mitigation Projects, and Management Costs. Visit the FEMA web page for detailed information about applying for this funding opportunity.

The BRIC application period opened on Sept. 30, 2020. Applications must be submitted by 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Jan. 29, 2021. 

The following competitive funding opportunities will be available through BRIC:

  • State and Territory Allocation: $33.6 million total ($600,000 maximum per state and/or territory). All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories may apply under the State and Territory Allocation
  • Tribal Set-Aside: $20 million. All Indian tribal governments (federally recognized) may apply under the Tribal Set-Aside
  • National Competition for Mitigation Projects: $446.4 million (estimated). Remaining funds which are not awarded from the State and Territory Allocation or Tribal Set-Aside will be included in the national competition.

New Resource on Benefit-Cost Analysis of Distributed Energy Resources

National Standard Practice Manual

E4TheFuture, in collaboration with DOE, recently published the National Standard Practice Manual for Benefit-Cost Analysis of Distributed Energy Resources (NSPM for DERs).

The resource provides a comprehensive framework and supporting concepts for sound, consistent, and balanced benefit-cost analysis (BCA) of DERs. The manual can help jurisdictions identify the full range of DERs where benefits exceed costs and develop BCA practices that align with their specific goals and objectives.

Covered DERs include: Energy efficiency, demand response, distributed generation (solar, wind, etc.), distributed storage, electric vehicles, and building electrification.

For more information, please visit the National Energy Screening Project website.

Updates Now Available to Demand Response and Time-Variable Pricing Website

The DOE Federal Energy Management Program recently completed the annual update of its Demand Response and Time-Variable Pricing website. The site aims to highlight the availability of demand response programs and time-variable pricing offerings from local utilities and independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organizations (RTOs). These programs and rates commonly offer significant savings opportunities, especially for sites with flexibility in their electric loads (i.e., ability to shed load or shift it to other times of day). Each program or rate offering listed on the site is accompanied by a short description and a link to the relevant utility, ISO, or RTO site.

Infrastructure Investments in the News

Maine schools take advantage of empty halls to make efficiency upgrades: Efficiency Maine launched enhanced light-emitting diode (LED) incentives for public schools, awarding 56 schools $825,000 total in funds for LED upgrades.

Whitefish, Montana, approves $11M in state revolving fund loans for water project: Whitefish City Council approved $11 million in state loans to finance the expansion of the city’s water treatment plant, including upgrades to the number of filters at the plant and improvements to the intake pump station.