Petmal/iStock
Hpac 1716 Thinkstockphotos 497834862
Hpac 1716 Thinkstockphotos 497834862
Hpac 1716 Thinkstockphotos 497834862
Hpac 1716 Thinkstockphotos 497834862
Hpac 1716 Thinkstockphotos 497834862

DOE Accelerates Clean-Energy Advancement at Federal Facilities

Dec. 9, 2016
The U.S. Department of Energy announced $3 million in funding for three projects to speed the adoption of energy efficiency and renewable-energy technologies.
Petmal/iStock

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced $3 million in funding for three projects to speed the adoption of energy efficiency and renewable-energy technologies at facilities across the federal government.

“As the nation’s largest single user of energy, the federal government is leading by example, and these projects will reduce carbon emissions while strengthening America’s economic, energy, and environmental security,” the DOE says.

Through the DOE’s Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) ENABLE, agencies can implement energy-conservation measures at smaller facilities more quickly with no added cost to taxpayers. This supports federal goals to improve and streamline innovative financing so agencies can achieve 30 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025. Smaller buildings represent significant energy-saving opportunities for many federal agencies.

Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) will help the DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) bring clean-energy projects to federal facilities. Selected agencies will use their AFFECT awards to institutionalize the use of ESPC ENABLE and identify at least 10 candidate project sites for use of ESPC ENABLE. Once established, each agency’s ESPC ENABLE process will be used to implement energy-saving projects.

Each agency will be awarded a $1 million grant.

Programs funded under the FEMP are:

  • The Department of Agriculture (U.S. Forest Service), which proposes to expand its use of ESPC ENABLE from two regions to 10. The DOE says the agency has demonstrated an impressive understanding of how to institutionalize the ESPC ENABLE process, and there is high-level and broad support throughout the organization. The U.S. Forest Service is committed to developing $15 million worth of energy-saving projects.
  • The General Service Administration (GSA) (Public Building Service), which will utilize its Project Management Office to institutionalize the ESPC ENABLE process. The GSA is committed to developing $18 million worth of energy-saving projects.
  • The Department of Defense (U.S. Air Force), which created the Office of Energy Assurance to ensure an efficient, effective ESPC ENABLE process that will be institutionalized within the Air National Guard. The Air Force is committed to developing $18 million worth of energy-saving projects.