SSTI Conference Sponsor Profile: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Do you have a great idea for a new industrial product or process that can help save energy, reduce emissions, and/or provide clean manufacturing? If so, then you will want to look to the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for possible financing. Several programs provide finance solutions through grants and seed money to help companies get energy ideas off the ground.

Mission

The EERE mission is to strengthen America’s energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality in public-private partnerships that enhance energy efficiency and productivity; bring clean, reliable and affordable energy technologies to the marketplace; and make a difference in the everyday lives of Americans by enhancing their energy choices and their quality of life.

Partnering

EERE is strengthening its partnerships with other government entities and the private sector to better leverage the Federal investment in research, development and deployment (RD&D) of new technologies. These partnerships involve other components of the Department of Energy (the Offices of Fossil Energy, Nuclear Energy, and Science) and other Federal agencies. EERE also has begun to establish a much closer working relationship with State organizations pursuing energy technology R&D.

Organizations can partner with EERE (and DOE in general) through a variety of mechanisms. A few examples of the types of partnerships that EERE is currently involved in are: Million Solar Roof Initiative, EnergySmart Schools and Clean Cities.

Solicitation

Much of the funding available to EERE is distributed to private firms, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, Native American organizations, and individuals through competitive solicitations.  EERE is strongly committed to partnerships to help ensure the eventual market acceptance of the technologies being developed.

Information regarding funding can be found through a variety of resources such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Also information can be accessed directly through partnership programs such as the Federal Energy Management Program, Inventions and Innovations Program and Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles among others.

EERE News

On September 10th, 2002, Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham welcomed 14 teams of college students to the “Solar Decathlon." Each team will transport a solar powered home to Washington DC and have 6 days to construct it. The teams will be judged in a number of categories and when finished the “Solar Village” will be on display on the National Mall.

EERE is a gold sponsor of SSTI’s annual conference, Building Tech-based Economies: From Policy to Practice, on October 2-3, 2002. To learn more about EERE, visit its exhibit and attend its session at the conference or until then check out its website: http://www.eren.nrel.gov/

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