FXSTD – Alternative Energy Center

By: David Tanguay
Industrial Technologies Program

"The Industrial Technologies Program with US industry to improve industrial energy efficiency and environmental performance. The program invests in high-risk, high-value R&D (research and development) to reduce industrial energy use while stimulating productivity and growth." This program has six key strategies:

* Focus on energy-intensive industries

* Use public-private partnerships to plan and implement the program

* Identify Grand Challenges to dramatically improve industrial energy efficiency

* Implement a balanced technology portfolio

* Perform process specific and crosscutting R&D to improve long-term energy efficiency

* Perform technology delivery activities to improve near and mid-term energy efficiency

Solar Energy Technologies

As the name states, this program focuses on creating solar energy technologies to power the world. "Solar energy technologies have great potential to benefit our nation. They can diversify our energy supply, reduce our dependence on imported fuels, improve the quality of the air we breathe, offset greenhouse gas emissions, and stimulate our economy by creating jobs in the manufacturing and installation of solar energy systems." Significant advances must be made in the solar energy technologies of concentrating solar power, photovoltaics, and solar heating and lighting.

Vehicle Technologies

"The Vehicle Technologies Program is developing more energy efficient and environmentally friendly highway transportation technologies that will enable America to use less petroleum." One of the overall purposes is to replace oil with other fuels that can be produced in the United States in a clean and cost-competitive manner. Through 2 endeavors, the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership and the 21st Century Truck Partnership, the following goals are being worked towards:

* FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership: "...the development of emission and petroleum-free cars and light trucks and the infrastructure to support them."

* 21st Century Truck Partnership: "...to safely and cost-effectively move larger volumes of freight and greater numbers of passengers, while emitting little or no pollution, with dramatic reduction in dependence on imported oil."

Weatherization & Intergovernmental

This program provides the funding and technical assistance to state and local governments, Indian tribes, and international agencies to enable them to implement renewal energy and energy efficient technologies. Weatherization & Intergovernmental Program activities focus on:

* Multiple Technologies

* Work across All Energy Market Sectors

* Partnerships

* Leverage of Federal Resources

Wind & Hydropower Technologies

The United States Department of Energy "is working with wind industry partners to develop clean, domestic, innovative wind energy technologies that can compete with conventional fuel sources. DOE's Wind Energy Program efforts have culminated in some of the industry's leading products today and have contributed to record-breaking industry growth."

"Since 1976, the US Department of Energy has conducted hydropower research and development to increase the technical, societal, and environmental benefits of hydropower while advancing cost-competitive technologies."