Intergovernmental Budget Request to Offer Clean Energy Funds Nationwide-

On February 1st, President Obama announced a $28.4 billion budget request for the Department of Energy (DOE) to utilize in 2011, which includes $2.36 billion toward the new DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Maintaining America’s shift toward clean energy and conservation, the proposed plan targets untenable energy use, renewable energy sources, and clean energy research. The budget consists of significant increases for several EERE projects; with a 53 percent increase for wind energy, 43 percent for the Weatherization and Intergovernmental program, 32 percent for the Federal Energy Management Program, 25 percent for geothermal energy, and a 22 percent boost for solar energy. An additional $57.5 million will also be applied for facility and infrastructure development at DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and $50 million will go towards a new program called ‘Regaining our Energy Science and Engineering Edge’ (Re-Energyse) which will educate and guide students, as well as workers, to pursue careers in science, engineering, and entrepreneurship related to renewable energy; professions which are seriously lacking in America. Moreover, Obama’s initiative necessitates a 43 percent increase in funding for program management; virtually doubling the total amount exhausted for program support. Budget resources will grant the DOE $500 million to support approximately $3-5 billion in loan guarantees for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, along with $10 million to support the continued management of the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program. $35 million of the proposed funds will also work to develop clean energy transmission and reliability, $39.3 million will be applied toward Smart Grid research and improvement, and $40 million will be used to develop energy storage on the electrical grid. The Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA-E) is also included in the budget proposal with $300 million to aid in transformational energy research; while Energy Frontier Research Centers are anticipated to receive a whopping $140 million for two new facilities, and $107 million for Energy Innovation Hubs. Both the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior are planning to increase renewable energy funding and energy efficiency program fulfillment in their budget requests for 2011 which span from wildlife protection to biofuel production, and are available in-depth by visiting Energy.gov.