September 2004
A Newsletter of the Nebraska Energy Office
A Newsletter of the Nebraska Energy Office
Families and Elderly... For Low-Income Families and Elderly...Nebraska Receives $2.49 Million to Weatherize HomesThe U.S. Department of Energy awarded $2.49 million to the Nebraska Energy Office to improve the energy efficiency of the homes of low-income families. The Energy Office estimates that 564 homes will be weatherized in the state as a result of this grant. 
construction training More Than a Dozen Workshops...Learn All About the State's New Energy CodeThe Nebraska Legislature adopted the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code as the new Nebraska Energy Code, and replaced the 1983 Model Energy Code which was the building code used for the past 20 years. The effective date for the new code is July 1, 2005. The legislation required the Energy Office to provide training for codes officials, builders and others... 68 Schools Participated...
Power Drive Fosters Interest in Automotive and Energy CareersPower Drive is an educational effort that challenges high school students to design and build one-person electric vehicles during the school year. In the spring, teams of students then compete at organized rallies in areas such as vehicle braking, maneuverability and endurance... |
Answers to Many Questions...Almost Everything You Wanted to Know About Wind Power
A collaborative effort of the American Wind Energy Association, U.S. Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has produced one of the most thorough tutorials — dozens and dozens of questions and answers — on wind energy imaginable. The Wind Web Tutorial is organized into ten sections from wind energy basics to costs to potential to small wind energy systems... |
WIND TOOLS
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State Approves and Contractor Selected...Ainsworth Wind Generation Facility Nearing ConstructionIn August 2004, the Nebraska Public Power District received approval from the Nebraska Power Review Board to construct the state's largest wind facility near Ainsworth. The Board's approval gives the utility the authority to construct 32 megawatts of wind generation...After Two Years of Operation...The MEAN Wind Project at KimballBack in November, 2001, when the Board of Directors of the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska approved the development and construction of the state's largest commercial wind farm at the time in Kimball, few imagined how successful the project would become. |
Nebraska Winners Selected...
US Department of Agriculture Renewable Energy GrantsNebraskans faired somewhat better this year in securing grants from the US Department of Agriculture's Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation grants program. According to USDA, 14 projects totaling $181,949 in Nebraska were selected. Last year, 7 projects totaling $177,652 were funded.A New Energy Saving Design...
Affordable Housing Goes GreenFirst-time homebuyers usually don't think about energy efficiency when searching for that first house but they should, because lower utility bills can give homeowners a break. After securing a U.S. Department of Energy grant, the Nebraska Energy Office teamed with Steven Winter Associates of Norwalk, Connecticut, to capitalize on green opportunities... |
A Period of Stable Prices...A Look Back at Propane and Heating Oil PricesNebraska's heating oil and propane prices were stable during the 2003/2004 heating season. Factors that impact prices each season include: national and state inventory and import levels; refinery downtime; prices of crude oil and natural gas; the weather; the economy; and the political arena. All of these factors lead to increased demand... |
A Timer, a Cover and Foam...Hot Tubs Have Energy Saving OptionsYour hot tub is not unlike your home's water heater: a large vessel of water that you keep hot for the times you'd like to use it. Unlike your water heater, however, you don't use the hot tub as much as you use domestic hot water, so you may not need to heat it 24 hours per day.New Postings...
bale of biomass feedstock The Biomass Economy and Nebraska's Role“The 20th century was the century of the petrochemical economy. Gasoline and diesel — made from petroleum — power almost all our vehicles. Myriad plastics made from petroleum or natural gas are used to make our clothes, carpets, food packaging and increasingly, our car parts and building materials.”Getting Costs Under Control...
Energy Use on Farms and RanchesEnergy is one of the more expensive components of raising crops. A series of tips and factsheets have been recently produced that provide some helpful suggestions on ways to reduce energy use in irrigation, in buildings and in the field.Questions and Answers...5% Dollar and Energy Saving LoansI own some irrigated cropland in Nebraska. If a manure-to-methane gas-to-electricity cogenerating system were installed thereby eliminating electric pump costs, would this qualify for a loan?... |
News Bytes
Things Are Always Changing...A Roundup of New and Updated Web SitesThe world of the Internet is ever-changing. Here you will find new sites and others that have been upgraded: Energy Calculator Gives Best Fuel Choices for You... |
The Nebraska Energy Quarterly is funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Energy through the State Energy Program. |
Energy Wiz! The Energy Wiz answers your energy questions. In this issue, the Wiz answers questions about adding wind and solar energy features into your new home design. |
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