Weekly Jolt ? Energy-efficient Windows, Wood-burning Heaters, Geothermal Prize Winners, and More

Come Work with Us ??

You don’t have to replace an entire window to improve the insulation of your building. Just try secondary glazing, which is adding an extra windowpane! EERE’s Building Technologies Office is sponsoring the $2 million American-Made Building Envelope Innovation Prize to encourage production of high-performance, cost-effective secondary glazing systems. Register for the informational webinar on Feb. 27 to learn more, and don’t forget to apply to the prize by June 13.

If you want to bring equitable clean energy solutions to your local community, apply to the SOLVE IT Prize! ?? During the first phase, competitors will identify a community, a challenge facing that community that can be addressed by an innovative clean energy solution, and a clear plan for engaging with the community. Apply to the first phase by April 12, 2024.

The Winners’ Circle ??

Congratulations to Team GeoTribe from the University of Oklahoma as well as Aurora Geothermal Solutions from 美国哥伦比亚大学 and 美国普林斯顿大学 , the two winning teams of the 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition! ?? This annual challenge, funded by EERE’s Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO), offers two tracks for college students to gain experience in the renewable energy industry and the chance to win cash prizes for developing real-world geothermal solutions.

What’s New in Buildings and Industry?

On the southern shore of Lake Michigan, a university ?? and a steel plant ?? are working on the same problem: how to remove carbon from our heavy industries. Last week, Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Innovation, U.S. Department of Energy and Frank J. Mrvan paid both organizations a visit. Read more to see how technical and financial support from DOE is helping both organizations clear a major obstacle on America’s path to a clean energy economy.

What’s New in Renewable Energy?

At DOE’s National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) Annual Summit, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeff Marootian challenged the solar industry to triple community solar by the end of 2025, powering the equivalent of 5 million households. ?? DOE also launched several initiatives to deploy community solar, including a new model that identifies the most cost-effective ways community solar can be sited on the grid and five organizations to lead new Equitable Solar Communities of Practice.

GTO recently selected three projects to receive up to $60 million to demonstrate the potential for geothermal energy to provide reliable, cost-effective electricity to tens of millions of U.S. homes and businesses. These new projects will use innovative techniques to access geothermal energy in new areas, including a first-of-its-kind enhanced geothermal system that can operate in extreme heat! ???

DOE and partners just launched an 18-month initiative to gather extensive weather, ocean, and wildlife data near the sites of active offshore wind farms ??? and lease areas off the coast of the Northeast United States. The collected data will be available to the public and support advancements in weather and wind plant modeling, informing responsible offshore wind siting, weather forecasting, and grid integration!

What’s New in Sustainable Transportation and Fuels?

Wood heater technology remains a vital way to affordably heat homes with a low-carbon renewable fuel. To ensure that wood heating continues as a renewable energy option, EERE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office invested up to $2 million in Phase 1 funding for six projects to accelerate wood heater innovation and develop the next generation of efficient and clean wood heaters.