Sustainability Training grants

An initiative of Enterprise Community Partners, Enterprise Green Communities provides funds and expertise to enable affordable housing developers to build and rehabilitate homes that are healthier, more energy efficient, and better for the environment.

In addition to loans and other funding options, Green Communities offers Charrette and Sustainability grants to help cover the costs of planning and implementing green components of affordable housing developments, as well as tracking their costs and benefits.

Charrette grants provide up to $5,000 per project for affordable housing developers to engage in integrative design. A Green Communities charrette involves an intense working session that brings together a diverse group of housing development professionals as well as residents, technical experts, funders, policy makers, and community stakeholders to integrate sustainable green design principles into affordable housing developments. By supporting charrettes at the schematic design phase, Enterprise seeks to help developers establish green goals as early as possible so that the most cost-effective green strategies can be incorporated in the building and site plans. Projects applying for pre-development charrette funds must be in the early stages of planning or schematic design phase of development.

Sustainability Training grants (post-construction) of up to $5,000 each are provided for affordable housing developers to maximize the health, economic, and environmental benefits of green development throughout a project's life cycle. The grant program provides an opportunity to transfer the design knowledge that informed the Green Communities planning and construction process to residents as well as operations and management staff. Funding may be used to cover the cost of implementing a training program and related tools that support green resident engagement and operations. Projects must have completed construction at the time of application and be occupied prior to the grant award.

For both programs, eligible applicants are nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, tribally designated housing entities, and for-profit entities participating through joint ventures with qualified organizations.

Link to Complete RFP

Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs; Public Meeting on Federal Fiscal Year 2011 Intended Use Plans

The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) and the Department of Environmental Pro-tection (Department) have prepared the Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Intended Use Plans (IUPs). The IUPs include a list of drinking water, wastewater treatment, nonpoint source and pollution abatement projects to be considered for a design and engineering or construction loan or grant from funds the Commonwealth expects to receive from the Federal FY 2011 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) programs. In accordance with United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines on the development of the IUPs, a public meeting has been scheduled for July 20, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. in the 2nd Floor Auditorium, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA. This meeting is scheduled for the purpose of receiving comments from the public regarding the Federal FY 2011 IUPs. Interested persons are invited to express their views on the narrative portion of the IUPs, including the program guidelines for the Nonpoint Source Program, the set aside work plan or the priority rating or ranking of projects on the IUPs. Persons wishing to offer comments at the public meeting should contact the Division of Technical and Financial Assistance at the address or telephone number listed at the end of this notice or by e-mail to vbkasi@state.pa.us by 4 p.m. on July 19, 2011. Where written statements are prepared and will be submitted at the meeting, speakers will be asked to restrict the oral portion of the statement to a summary of the written comments.

 The projects to be considered for a loan or grant from the DWSRF and CWSRF programs must meet the Federal requirements for funding in accordance with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act. Accordingly, the projects included in the IUPs are expected to meet the requirements applicable to use of the DWSRF and CWSRF loan or grant funds. Projects listed in the FY 2011 IUPs are on the Commonwealth's Project Priority Lists (PPLs) and are expected to proceed with design and engineering or construction within the next 2 years. A project must appear on a PENNVEST-approved IUP before it can receive a loan or grant from the SRF programs. A project's readiness to proceed and the reasonable availability of alternative funds also have a bearing on project selection for the IUPs. Consequently, the rank ordered list of projects on the PPLs does not solely dictate the order in which projects will be chosen for inclusion in an IUP.

 The DWSRF will be capitalized with approximately $27.1 million in Federal funds and approximately $5.4 million of State funds. Approximately $7.3 million of these funds will be set aside for technical assistance to small systems, operator training and certification and source water assessment and protection, as authorized under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The DWSRF IUP also includes a narrative work plan that describes how these set-aside funds will be used. A minimum of approximately $1.08 million will be set aside for program administration. Finally, an additional $8.1 million must be set-aside for additional subsidization to disadvantaged communities and $5.4 million for green infrastructure projects that fall into one or more of the following categories: (1) water efficiency; (2) energy efficiency; (3) environmentally innovative; (4) green stormwater infrastructure and meet the EPA criteria for green infrastructure.

 The CWSRF will be capitalized with approximately $58.4 million of Federal funds and approximately $11.6million of State funds. A minimum of approximately $2.33 million will be set aside for program administration costs. Finally, an additional $5.4 million must be set aside for additional subsidization to disadvantaged communities and $11.6 million must be set aside for green infrastructure projects that fall into one or more of the following categories: (1) water efficiency; (2) energy efficiency; (3) environmentally innovative; (4) green stormwater infrastructure and meet the EPA criteria for green infrastructure.

 It is not necessary to appear at the public meeting to present comments on the narrative portion of the IUPs, the set aside work plan or the PPLs. Interested persons may also submit written comments to the Department at the address that follows. Written comments will be considered equivalent to oral statements presented at the meeting. To be considered by the Department and PENNVEST, the written comments must be received by the Division of Technical and Financial Assistance by close of business, August 1, 2011.

 Persons in need of accommodations as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 should contact Veronica Kasi at (717) 772-4053 or through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TDD) to discuss how the Department may accommodate their needs.

 A copy of the IUPs, the PPLs and the DWSRF set aside work plan may be obtained by contacting the Division of Technical and Financial Assistance at (717) 772-4053 or through the Department's web site at http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/drinking_water_and_facility/regulation/10535.

Innovative Manufacturing Processes

Washington, D.C. - Today, President Obama launched the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, including an investment of up to $120 million from the Department of Energy over three years to develop transformational manufacturing technologies and innovative materials that could enable industrial facilities to dramatically increase their energy efficiency. The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership is a national effort bringing together industry, universities and the federal government to invest in emerging technologies that will create high quality manufacturing jobs and enhance our global competitiveness. This clean energy investment in new energy-efficient manufacturing processes and novel materials will help U.S. manufacturers save money by reducing the energy needed to power their facilities. President Obama made the announcement this morning at an event at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa.

"These investments will support the innovations that American manufacturers need to stay competitive in the global marketplace," said Secretary Chu. "These breakthrough manufacturing processes, technologies, and materials will help American companies to reduce energy waste and lower costs."

The selected projects will emphasize new processes and materials that are revolutionary in their design or impact and that are capable of being commercialized within the next five to seven years. By boosting investment in near-term technology development, the Department is supporting projects that might otherwise take far longer to contribute to U.S. industrial competitiveness. DOE expects to fund 35 to 50 cost-shared projects under the initiative.

Projects associated with innovations in the earlier stages of development, such as applied research projects or those that establish a proof of concept, will be eligible for awards up to $1 million. These projects must be completed within two years. Projects associated with innovations further along in their development, such as laboratory testing or verification of a prototype system, will be eligible for awards up to $9 million. These projects should not exceed three years in duration. Applicants are encouraged to form collaborative teams equipped with both technical and commercial capabilities to enhance the prospects for success. Teams can be comprised of large and small companies, universities and academic institutions, trade organizations, national laboratories, and other research institutions.

Applications are due by August 25, 2011. More information and application requirements can be found at the Funding Opportunity Exchange.

Centers for Chemical Innovation

Description

The Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCI) Program supports research centers focused on major, long-term fundamental chemical research challenges. CCIs that address these challenges will produce transformative research, lead to innovation, and attract broad scientific and public interest. CCIs are agile structures that can respond rapidly to emerging opportunities and make full use of cyberinfrastructure to enhance collaborations. CCIs may partner with researchers from industry, government laboratories and international organizations. CCIs integrate research, innovation, education, and public outreach and include a plan to broaden participation of underrepresented groups. The CCI program is a two-phase program. Both phases are described in this solicitation. Phase I CCIs receive significant resources to develop the science and integrative elements of a CCI before requesting Phase II funding. Phase I proposals funded in FY 2012 will seek Phase II funding in FY 2015. Only organizations receiving Phase I awards in FY2009 are eligible to request Phase II funding in FY 2012.For the FY 2012 Phase I competition, only projects addressing the theme of sustainable chemistry will be considered. The preliminary proposal and proposal must address how the topic addresses sustainable chemistry. Areas of focus include but are not limited to 1. Developing clean, safe, and economical alternatives to traditional chemical products and practices.2. Exploring alternatives to petroleum as a source of feedstock chemicals, including biorenewables. 3. Exploring earth-abundant, inexpensive and benign alternatives to rare, expensive and toxic chemicals. Examples include indium, germanium, rare earth elements and platinum catalysts.4. Developing efficient recognition/sequestration and recycling of key elements essential for sustainability, for example phosphorus and rare earth elements.Projects involving alternative energy, climate change and other aspects of sustainability are best supported by the SEES solicitations and will not be considered in CCI in FY2012.

Link to Full Announcement

NSF Publication 11-552

Water systems for rural areas

Drinking water systems are basic and vital to both health and economic development. With dependable water facilities, rural communities can attract families and businesses that will invest in the community and improve the quality of life for all residents. Without dependable water facilities, the communities cannot sustain economic development.Rural Development provides financial and technical assistance to help communities bring safe drinking water and sanitary,environmentally sound waste disposal facilities to rural Americans in greatest need. It supports the sound development of rural communities and the growth of our economy without endangering theenvironment.The Revolving Fund (RFP) Grant Program has been established to assist communities with water or wastewater systems. Qualified private non-profitorganizations will receive RFP grant funds to establish a lending program for eligible entities. Eligible entities for the revolving loan fund will be the same entities eligible to obtain a loan, loan guarantee, or grant from the Water and Waste Disposal loan and grant programsadministered by Rural Development. As grant recipients, the non-profit organizations will set up a revolving loan fund to provide loans to finance predevelopment costs of water or wastewater projects, or short-term small capital projects not part of the regular operation and maintenance of current water and wastewater systems. The amount of financing to an eligible entity shall not exceed $100,000.00 and shallbe repaid in a term not to exceed 10 years. The interest rate on loans made under RFP shall be determined in the approved grant work plan.

Link to Full Announcement

Website for Water and Environmental Programs

Alternative Fuels

The Department of Environmental Protection (Department), Bureau of Energy, Innovations and Technology Deployment announces an opportunity to apply for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant as part of a special solicitation under the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program. With the advent of new electric vehicle (EV) technology, the Department is partnering with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) to establish the necessary infrastructure to support EV travel and transport along the Turnpike system. The Turnpike system includes the main east to west corridor stretching between New Jersey and Ohio as well as the northeast and southwest extensions.

 This solicitation is necessary to facilitate travel by EV along the Turnpike and to eliminate the need for travelers to exit and reenter the Turnpike after charging their vehicles. The Department is interested in receiving proposals that will establish EV recharging infrastructure at each service plaza throughout the Turnpike system.

 This grant solicitation provides corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships incorporated or registered in this Commonwealth with the opportunity to receive a matching reimbursement grant to install EV charging systems along the Turnpike. It is anticipated that one award of up to $1 million will be made to meet the needs of this solicitation. Additionally, the PTC has committed $500,000 towards increased voltage upgrades that may be necessary to facilitate the installation of EV charging equipment.

 Beginning on June 11, 2011, the solicitation guidelines and application will be available on the Department's web site at http://www.depweb.state.pa.us (click on ''DEP Programs'' and then ''Alternative Fuels''). Applications will be accepted from June 11, 2011, through July 29, 2011.

New Energy programs announced

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that up to $130 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) will be made available to develop five new program areas that could spark critical breakthrough technologies and secure America's energy future. Today's funding opportunity announcement comes two months after ARPA-E announced six of its projects have secured more than $100 million in outside private capital investment - indications that the business community is eager to invest in truly innovative solutions to the country's energy challenges.

The announcement is ARPA-E's fourth round of funding opportunities. In its first year, ARPA-E awarded $363 million in Recovery Act funding to 121 groundbreaking energy projects based in 30 states, with approximately 39% of projects led by universities, 33% by small businesses, 20% by large businesses, 5% by national labs, and 3% by non-profits.

ARPA-E's fourth round of funding opportunities includes five technology areas detailed below:

1. Plants Engineered To Replace Oil (PETRO). Technologies for low-cost production of advanced biofuels are limited by the small amount of available energy captured by photosynthesis and the inefficient processes used to convert plant matter to fuel. PETRO aims to create plants that capture more energy from sunlight and convert that energy directly into fuels. ARPA-E seeks to fund technologies that optimize the biochemical processes of energy capture and conversion to develop robust, farm-ready crops that deliver more energy per acre with less processing prior to the pump. If successful, PETRO will create biofuels for half their current cost, finally making them cost-competitive with fuels from oil. Up to $30 million will be made available for this program area.

2. High Energy Advanced Thermal Storage (HEATS). More than 90% of energy technologies involve the transport and conversion of thermal energy. Therefore, advancements in thermal energy storage - both hot and cold - would dramatically improve performance for a variety of critical energy applications. ARPA-E seeks to develop revolutionary cost-effective thermal energy storage technologies in three focus areas: 1) high temperature storage systems to deliver solar electricity more efficiently around the clock and allow nuclear and fossil baseload resources the flexibility to meet peak demand, 2) fuel produced from the sun's heat, and 3) HVAC systems that use thermal storage to improve the driving range of electric vehicles by up to 40 percent. Up to $30 million will be made available for this program area.

3. Rare Earth Alternatives in Critical Technologies (REACT). Rare earths are naturally-occurring minerals with unique magnetic properties that are used in many emerging energy technologies. As demand for these technologies continues to increase, rare earths are rapidly becoming more expensive due to limited global supply - prices of many have increased 300-700% in the past year. Rising rare earth prices have already escalated costs for some energy technologies and may jeopardize the widespread adoption of many critical energy solutions by U.S. manufacturers. ARPA-E seeks to fund early-stage technology alternatives that reduce or eliminate the dependence on rare earth materials by developing substitutes in two key areas: electric vehicle motors and wind generators. Up to $30 million will be made available for this program area.

4. Green Electricity Network Integration (GENI). Recent advances in computation, networking, and grid monitoring have shed light on potential ways to deliver electricity more efficiently and reliably. Today, however, the equivalent of one out of every five electricity dollars is lost to power outages and 30 percent of the grid's hardware needs replacing. ARPA-E seeks to fund innovative control software and high-voltage hardware to reliably control the grid, specifically: 1) controls able to manage 10 times more sporadically available wind and solar electricity than currently on the grid, and 2) resilient power flow control hardware - or the energy equivalent of an internet router - to enable significantly more electricity through the existing network of transmission lines. Up to $30 million will be made available for this program area.

5. Solar Agile Delivery of Electrical Power Technology (Solar ADEPT). The DOE SunShot Initiative leverages the unique strengths across DOE to reduce the total cost of utility-scale solar systems by 75 percent by the end of the decade. If successful, this collaboration would deliver solar electricity at roughly 6 cents a kilowatt hour - a cost competitive with electricity from fossil fuels. This would enable solar electricity to scale without subsidies and make the U.S. globally competitive in solar technology. ARPA-E's portion of the collaboration is the Solar ADEPT program, which focuses on integrating advanced power electronics into solar panels and solar farms to extract and deliver energy more efficiently. Specifically, ARPA-E aims to invest in key advances in magnetics, semiconductor switches, and charge storage, which could reduce power conversion costs by up to 50 percent for utilities and 80 percent for homeowners. Up to $10 million will be made available for this program area.

The five technology areas announced today will join ARPA-E's seven existing programs in power electronics (ADEPT), battery technologies (BEEST), building cooling (BEETIT), non-photosynthetic biofuels (Electrofuels), grid energy storage (GRIDS), carbon capture (IMPACCT), and its initial open solicitation.

For more information about ARPA-E, current funding opportunities, and previously announced awards please visit: http://arpa-e.energy.gov/.