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Electric utility groups are applauding the Energy Department’s (DOE) decision to reconsider a rule it issued last year that would limit the size of residential water heaters manufactured after April 2015.

In April 2010, the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency issued a final rule on energy conservation standards for residential water heaters. Electric utility groups feared the rule would interfere with demand-response programs in which consumers allow their utilities to control their water heater’s cycling based on grid conditions.

On June 6, DOE issued a request for information seeking comments on how the rule would affect utility programs that use high-storage-volume (above 55 gallons) electric storage water heaters to reduce peak electricity demand.

The American Public Power Association (APPA) , National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) , PJM Interconnection  and the Steffes Corp.  issued a statement June 12 applauding the DOE’s move to request more information on this issue.

“APPA is pleased that the Department of Energy has taken this important first step toward relieving the 2010 constraints imposed on electric water heaters in utility demand-response programs,” said President and CEO Mark Crisson. “Large-volume electric water heaters provide an environmentally friendly and cost effective means for utilities to improve overall system efficiency.”

NRECA CEO Glenn English concurred, noting that electric co-ops have relied on the energy storage capacity of residential water heaters to help manage demand on their distribution systems.

DOE will accept comments through July 13. Information on submitting comments can be found in the RFI. APPA encourages its members that have water heater programs to submit information. Read more.

The US Energy Department’s (DOE’s) Energy for Apps contest is producing some great new tools to help consumers manage their energy use.  

The contest challenged American developers to build apps around Green Button, an open standard for sharing electricity data that is available to millions of utility customers. As the number of utilities around the country offering Green Button data increases, the importance of these applications will continue to grow.

Developers stepped up to the challenge, submitting more than 50 new applications. Winners selected from the first round of submissions include:

• Best Overall Grand Prize LEAFULLY – This app encourages users to set energy savings goals and to share their progress on Facebook. 
• Best Overall Second Prize: MELON – This app calculates the building’s Energy Star score and suggesting steps to improve efficiency and reduce waste to get an Energy Star benchmark.
• Best Overall Third Prize: VELObill – This app makes it easier for utility customers to view their energy use, gauge whether it’s high or low and, compare it to that of their peers.

A panel of expert reviewers selected the winners, the public (that’s you) can vote in the Popular Choice competition  until 8 p.m. on May 31. Check out the diverse range of innovative and engaging energy apps in DOE’s Apps for Energy submission gallery, and vote for your favorite.

Read more about apps for utilities and their customers.

DOE announced on March 9 the availability of up to $5.2 million in fiscal year 2012 to develop improved building efficiency technologies. This funding opportunity includes advanced heating and cooling systems and high efficiency insulation, windows and roofs. The funding will advance the research and development, demonstration and manufacture of innovative building technologies to speed the commercialization of affordable, high-performance products.

Homes and commercial buildings consume approximately 40 percent of the energy used in the United States, costing American consumers more than $400 billion annually. Nearly a third of that energy is used for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). Advancing HVAC building technologies and improving the design and materials that make up a building’s “envelope” or air seal will significantly reduce the cost of heating and cooling residential and commercial buildings.

DOE seeks applicants for funding to support breakthroughs in energy-saving HVAC systems and building envelope solutions. Mechanical HVAC system projects should aim to increase the efficiency of cost-effective systems and components suitable for both existing buildings and new construction, while building envelope projects will focus on advancing high-performance cost-effective ways to minimize energy loss in homes and commercial buildings, particularly existing buildings.

Applications will be accepted through April 17, 2012. See the DOE Progress Alert the Funding Opportunity Exchange website. Source: EERE Network News, 3/14/12

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently met with American Public Power Association (APPA) regarding rulemaking on energy conservation standards for residential water heaters.  Based on the meetings, APPA created a survey asking utilities about their water heater load control programs.

The results from this survey will give APPA the information needed to continue working with DOE to amend the conservation standards for residential water heaters.  APPA would like to have responses to this survey no later than close of business, Friday, March 9, 2012. 

This is a great opportunity for Western customers to contribute to rules that will affect their programs into the future. Also, if you have a story to share about water heater load control at your utility, you can contact Energy Services Bulletin. You just may be the next headline story!

Utilities, local governments and communities are eligible to apply for $8 million in funding to create programs that empower consumers to better manage their electricity use through greater access to their own electricity consumption data.

The Department of Energy is providing the funding as part of the administration’s goals to promote a clean energy future. “Providing consumers with easy access to their own consumption data is another important step in helping Americans make more informed decisions about their electricity consumption and become more energy-efficient,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “As a result, we will see more innovation by entrepreneurs and other third-party providers as they develop valuable applications and services for the consumer.” 

New smart grid technologies are generating unprecedented amounts of electricity use data that could give homes and businesses more control over their electricity choices.  However, consumers need convenient and user-friendly tools and software products that help them readily understand the data, and realize the full capabilities of the smart grid. 

The “Smart Grid Data Access” Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) addresses the major steps communities need to take to better leverage their smart grid assets on behalf of consumers: creating policies that give consumers and authorized third-parties (such as app developers) access to customer data; and demonstrating the value of these apps and services across communities.

See the FOA at Grants.gov and FedConnect.net for additional information, including cost-sharing requirements for government-industry cooperation. The deadline for submitting applications is March 2, 2012.

The U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Teachers Association are teaming up for America’s Home Energy Education Challenge, a contest to help elementary and middle school students learn the science of energy and make wise choices about energy efficiency.

The goal of the competition is to educate America’s youth about the benefits of energy efficiency and the family’s role in energy use while helping families across the country reduce their energy bills. Registration for the nationwide student contest runs from Aug. 16 to Oct. 7, 2011.

The National Science Teachers Association is running the program for DOE. The program will encourage students, teachers and families to learn more about energy use and efficiency, and to become more aware of how homes, schools and utilities are interconnected.

The competition is broken into two parts: the Home Energy Challenge and the Energy Fitness Award. Each is designed to encourage students to learn about science and home energy savings. Participants may choose one or get involved with both.

The Home Energy Challenge is a three-month contest for students and their teachers in the third through eighth grades. Students will collect data about their home energy use during that period and compare it to the previous year’s energy use for the same three months. Schools and classes will compete within 11 regions for more than $200,000 in prizes to be distributed at the regional and national levels of the competition. The first place regional award winners will qualify for the national competition, leading to evaluation for awards.

The second part of competition, the Energy Fitness Award, is an individual challenge that begins Sept. 20, 2011. Modeled after the President’s Physical Fitness Test, the Energy Fitness Award encourages students to complete specific tasks, such as interpreting a home energy bill and learning how to conduct a home energy assessment, and then demonstrate their learning and proficiency.

America’s Home Energy Education Challenge offers utilities a ready-made outreach program to raise consumers’ awareness about energy efficiency and steps they can take to reduce their energy use. It is also a great way to be a hero to teachers in your service territory by providing them with classroom projects to teach science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Not to mention, the chance to win valuable prizes.

In cooperation with the U.S. DOE Industrial Technology Program, the Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) at Colorado State University offers FREE plant assessments providing recommendations for improved energy efficient operations. The service is available to industrial energy customers in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

For further information about the program, eligibility, and application information, contact the IAC.