The document summarizes funding available from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for various energy efficiency and renewable energy programs administered by the U.S. Department of Energy. Key programs discussed include the Weatherization Assistance Program, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants, and funding for solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and other clean energy technologies.
Leveraging Government Programs to Cut Costs and Green Your FacilityCrunchEnergy
Making your facility more energy efficient will save you money in utility bills - and help the environment too.
But making your building more energy efficient can require significant capital investment.
How can you get the funds to make the changes you need to - especially if you're required to conform to new efficiency standards? With so many technology vendors knocking on your doors peddling their new products, how can you make an informed decision on how to move forward with the smartest, most proven retrofit projects?
Get the answers - and learn about green jobs training programs - in this presentation from CrunchEnergy!
With new funds in the pipeline and a new administration at the helm, communities nationwide are looking for ways to align their strategies for development with the tone and tenor of Washington. In order to help counties better understand the new mechanisms for addressing their energy needs, Brian spoke to NACo’s Energy Subcommittee about the opportunities for clean energy activities in the 2009 American Recover and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). He outlined the main recipients of ARRA funding for energy efficiency (which include state energy offices and local governments), as well as how those funds will be allocated, how interested organizations should apply for those funds, and what activities are eligible for funding.
Energy Efficiency – Good for the World’s Economy; Good for the Nation’s Econo...Alliance To Save Energy
States awaiting stimulus funds will be pleased to know that when it comes to funding energy efficiency programs, their dollars will go far. Drastically reduced energy consumption and immediate job growth are just some of the benefits that effective policies and programs can bring, particularly to the Appalachian region, which has the highest energy consumption in the country. Kateri Callahan presented these findings to the annual Charlotte Regional Partnership Investors Board in Charlotte, N.C., where already progressive energy efficiency policies and programs are taking root. Callahan also briefed the audience of investors and board members on the climate and energy bills moving through Congress.
Leveraging Government Programs to Cut Costs and Green Your FacilityCrunchEnergy
Making your facility more energy efficient will save you money in utility bills - and help the environment too.
But making your building more energy efficient can require significant capital investment.
How can you get the funds to make the changes you need to - especially if you're required to conform to new efficiency standards? With so many technology vendors knocking on your doors peddling their new products, how can you make an informed decision on how to move forward with the smartest, most proven retrofit projects?
Get the answers - and learn about green jobs training programs - in this presentation from CrunchEnergy!
With new funds in the pipeline and a new administration at the helm, communities nationwide are looking for ways to align their strategies for development with the tone and tenor of Washington. In order to help counties better understand the new mechanisms for addressing their energy needs, Brian spoke to NACo’s Energy Subcommittee about the opportunities for clean energy activities in the 2009 American Recover and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). He outlined the main recipients of ARRA funding for energy efficiency (which include state energy offices and local governments), as well as how those funds will be allocated, how interested organizations should apply for those funds, and what activities are eligible for funding.
Energy Efficiency – Good for the World’s Economy; Good for the Nation’s Econo...Alliance To Save Energy
States awaiting stimulus funds will be pleased to know that when it comes to funding energy efficiency programs, their dollars will go far. Drastically reduced energy consumption and immediate job growth are just some of the benefits that effective policies and programs can bring, particularly to the Appalachian region, which has the highest energy consumption in the country. Kateri Callahan presented these findings to the annual Charlotte Regional Partnership Investors Board in Charlotte, N.C., where already progressive energy efficiency policies and programs are taking root. Callahan also briefed the audience of investors and board members on the climate and energy bills moving through Congress.
Julie Fitch - Investing in Energy Efficiency: Experience from Californianoe21
http://www.managing-energy-demand.org
This seminar held on november 4 ‘09 in Bern, Switzerland, hosted international specialists in managing energy demand, mainly electric energy. Presentations concentrated on best cases in demand side management and regulation easing the way for DSM programs. The event was organised by noe21, a Geneva based NGO.
With a population of almost 100 million people and annual economic growth averaging between 6 to 7%, the Philippines’ is anticipated to continue to have a robust energy demand. The Government’s refusal to subsidize power, heavy reliance on expensive fossil fuel imports, and added transmission cost because of the country’s archipelagic configuration have resulted in electricity prices being among the highest in the world. Thus, renewable energy projects present a viable business opportunity to resource developers.
The business community believes that the introduction of retail competition and open access is the logical move to bring the power industry to the next level and establish a competitive market structure. There is a need to further diversify the energy mix and the government is banking on renewable energy to wean the country from its dependence on fossil fuel. The government through the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (“RE Act”) sought to address the issues on the absence of a ready and guaranteed market for the output of RE power plants and the recovery of investments through electricity tariffs.
Todd Williams, partner and fossil practice co-leader at ScottMadden, recently presented at the EnergyHub GenForum on the EPA’s CPP, one of the most significant environmental mandates in U.S. history. Here, he gave an overview of the requirements and impacts of the CPP. He also recapped events now unfolding in CPP litigation, politics, and legislation. Where are the battle lines drawn? Who is on what side? And, what are states doing to prepare their compliance plans?
For more information, please visit www.scottmadden.com.
Renewable Energy Act of 2008: Hits and Misses for the Philippine Geothermal I...Fernando Penarroyo
The enactment of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (“RE Act”) and its implementing rules and regulations was expected to open the way for the entry of risk capital in geothermal exploration, development and utilization. The Department of Energy (“DOE”) admitted that progress on implementing support systems for renewable energy development in the power sector has been hobbled by delays. The Philippine government initiated major structural reforms in the geothermal industry sector by undertaking the privatisation of geothermal generating assets and divesting its interests in the state-owned geothermal development company. Like in any resource development project, the Philippine government needs to address issues related to the complicated approval and permitting process to reduce and expedite procedures particularly in foreign ownership, land use, environment and social acceptability regulations. Needless to say, streamlining the permit process by government regulators will have an impact on geothermal development, as shorter project periods would reduce uncertainty for policy and market dynamics when modelling economic returns. As geothermal projects are characterized by significant upfront capital investment for exploration, well drilling, and the installation of plant and equipment, the DOE must develop publicly available database protocols and tools for geothermal resource assessments to facilitate access by developers to risk capital. Government regulators must also develop guidelines for the inclusion of non-conventional and leading edge geothermal technologies in the setting up of feed-in tariff rates. Risk mitigation instruments like risk guarantee schemes and geologic risk insurance will also encourage investments in geothermal exploration.
The Ohio Third Frontier promotes economic growth by expanding the availability of investment capital needed to form new companies, supporting product innovation in established companies, facilitating commercialization of new products, funding collaborative projects between private companies and Ohio colleges and universities and nurturing Ohio's increasingly experienced pool of entrepreneurial management.
To date, Ohio Third Frontier's $6.3 million in investments have attracted $2.1 billion in private and federal investments to Ohio, directly assisted more than 370 early stage technology companies and retained or created more than 4,850 jobs with an average salary of nearly $60,000 per year.
The Agriculture and Food Processing Industry in Ohio is a diverse sector that includes farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing and retail sales. Ohio's strategic location between the grain belt and Eastern markets brings together all of the elements that comprise food production and underlies Ohio's strength in food processing. Ohio's 76,500 farms cover more than 14 million acres - nearly 55 percent of the total land area.
Ohio is also a leading manufacturer of key food and agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables, specialty foods, Swiss cheese and eggs. Ohio is home to food industry leaders such as Kroger, J.M. Smucker, Honeybaked Foods, Inc., Chiquita Brands International and Bob Evans Farms. Other key Ohio food processing firms include Worthington Foods/Kellogg's in Greater Columbus, General Mills, with the world's largest pizza plant in Wellston, and Nestle, which produces Stouffer products near Cleveland. Ohio's food and beverage manufacturing industry exports equal $25 billion annually.
Ohio has demonstrated an uncompromised commitment to advanced and alternative energy with one of the nation's most stringent Portfolio Standards, financial incentives specific to advanced energy, and one of the largest clusters of companies serving the industry.
As a result, Site Selection magazine ranked Ohio first in the nation for advanced energy capital investment projects and job creation. Learn more about what separates Ohio in this high growth industry with the Ohio Advanced Energy Brochure.
Julie Fitch - Investing in Energy Efficiency: Experience from Californianoe21
http://www.managing-energy-demand.org
This seminar held on november 4 ‘09 in Bern, Switzerland, hosted international specialists in managing energy demand, mainly electric energy. Presentations concentrated on best cases in demand side management and regulation easing the way for DSM programs. The event was organised by noe21, a Geneva based NGO.
With a population of almost 100 million people and annual economic growth averaging between 6 to 7%, the Philippines’ is anticipated to continue to have a robust energy demand. The Government’s refusal to subsidize power, heavy reliance on expensive fossil fuel imports, and added transmission cost because of the country’s archipelagic configuration have resulted in electricity prices being among the highest in the world. Thus, renewable energy projects present a viable business opportunity to resource developers.
The business community believes that the introduction of retail competition and open access is the logical move to bring the power industry to the next level and establish a competitive market structure. There is a need to further diversify the energy mix and the government is banking on renewable energy to wean the country from its dependence on fossil fuel. The government through the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (“RE Act”) sought to address the issues on the absence of a ready and guaranteed market for the output of RE power plants and the recovery of investments through electricity tariffs.
Todd Williams, partner and fossil practice co-leader at ScottMadden, recently presented at the EnergyHub GenForum on the EPA’s CPP, one of the most significant environmental mandates in U.S. history. Here, he gave an overview of the requirements and impacts of the CPP. He also recapped events now unfolding in CPP litigation, politics, and legislation. Where are the battle lines drawn? Who is on what side? And, what are states doing to prepare their compliance plans?
For more information, please visit www.scottmadden.com.
Renewable Energy Act of 2008: Hits and Misses for the Philippine Geothermal I...Fernando Penarroyo
The enactment of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (“RE Act”) and its implementing rules and regulations was expected to open the way for the entry of risk capital in geothermal exploration, development and utilization. The Department of Energy (“DOE”) admitted that progress on implementing support systems for renewable energy development in the power sector has been hobbled by delays. The Philippine government initiated major structural reforms in the geothermal industry sector by undertaking the privatisation of geothermal generating assets and divesting its interests in the state-owned geothermal development company. Like in any resource development project, the Philippine government needs to address issues related to the complicated approval and permitting process to reduce and expedite procedures particularly in foreign ownership, land use, environment and social acceptability regulations. Needless to say, streamlining the permit process by government regulators will have an impact on geothermal development, as shorter project periods would reduce uncertainty for policy and market dynamics when modelling economic returns. As geothermal projects are characterized by significant upfront capital investment for exploration, well drilling, and the installation of plant and equipment, the DOE must develop publicly available database protocols and tools for geothermal resource assessments to facilitate access by developers to risk capital. Government regulators must also develop guidelines for the inclusion of non-conventional and leading edge geothermal technologies in the setting up of feed-in tariff rates. Risk mitigation instruments like risk guarantee schemes and geologic risk insurance will also encourage investments in geothermal exploration.
The Ohio Third Frontier promotes economic growth by expanding the availability of investment capital needed to form new companies, supporting product innovation in established companies, facilitating commercialization of new products, funding collaborative projects between private companies and Ohio colleges and universities and nurturing Ohio's increasingly experienced pool of entrepreneurial management.
To date, Ohio Third Frontier's $6.3 million in investments have attracted $2.1 billion in private and federal investments to Ohio, directly assisted more than 370 early stage technology companies and retained or created more than 4,850 jobs with an average salary of nearly $60,000 per year.
The Agriculture and Food Processing Industry in Ohio is a diverse sector that includes farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing and retail sales. Ohio's strategic location between the grain belt and Eastern markets brings together all of the elements that comprise food production and underlies Ohio's strength in food processing. Ohio's 76,500 farms cover more than 14 million acres - nearly 55 percent of the total land area.
Ohio is also a leading manufacturer of key food and agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables, specialty foods, Swiss cheese and eggs. Ohio is home to food industry leaders such as Kroger, J.M. Smucker, Honeybaked Foods, Inc., Chiquita Brands International and Bob Evans Farms. Other key Ohio food processing firms include Worthington Foods/Kellogg's in Greater Columbus, General Mills, with the world's largest pizza plant in Wellston, and Nestle, which produces Stouffer products near Cleveland. Ohio's food and beverage manufacturing industry exports equal $25 billion annually.
Ohio has demonstrated an uncompromised commitment to advanced and alternative energy with one of the nation's most stringent Portfolio Standards, financial incentives specific to advanced energy, and one of the largest clusters of companies serving the industry.
As a result, Site Selection magazine ranked Ohio first in the nation for advanced energy capital investment projects and job creation. Learn more about what separates Ohio in this high growth industry with the Ohio Advanced Energy Brochure.
Consisting of over 2,800 facilities and an output of $49 billion, Ohio’s polymer industry is the nation’s largest.
For companies joining Ohio’s business community, this cluster of potential partners, customers, and suppliers serves as an indicator of the state’s polymer industry assets. With such abundant resources already in place, you’re never alone as a polymer company in Ohio. The direct result is a positive impact on a company's bottom line.
The size of Ohio’s polymer industry and supply chain is supplemented by a skilled polymer workforce of 140,000, one of the most strategic locations in North America, a world-class transportation infrastructure and the lowest state business taxes in the Midwest.
With nearly 80 active companies in the wind energy supply chain, Ohio is a wind energy leader. With a specific niche in castings, bearings, machining, gears, forging and fabrications, the state is poised to supply America toward energy independence.
Ohio's existing cluster of wind energy suppliers allows companies new to the state to find all essential industry-assets in place. Add to that a location within a 1-day drive of 60% of the U.S. population, one of the world's best transportation infrastructures to move product and the lowest business tax rates in the Midwest, Ohio provides a compelling case from cost of doing business perspective.
Brian Castelli, Executive VP of Programs and Development at the Alliance to Save Energy presented at the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Energy and Sustainability Conference. In his presentation Generating Energy Through Efficiency, he discussed the many ways in which the Commonwealth of Virginia can harness the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency – for example, through utility programs, public benefit funds and state-administered appliance standards, to name a few areas. Looking at the big picture, Virginia’s actions today could help strengthen tomorrow’s national plan for energy efficiency.
The 2009 American Recover and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) promises substantial funding for energy efficiency programs – to the tune of $26 billion – and many in the business of energy efficiency such as TAC are looking for ways to access its funding. In order to educate its employees and partners on the impact of the ARRA, TAC presented an educational webinar in which Callahan addressed the stimulus package, the Obama administration's impact on energy policies, and the role TAC can play in delivering energy related projects.
Energy Efficiency - Good for the World’s Economy; Good for the Nation’s Econo...Alliance To Save Energy
Kateri Callahan
President, Alliance to Save Energy
States awaiting stimulus funds will be pleased to know that when it comes to funding energy efficiency programs, their dollars will go far. Drastically reduced energy consumption and immediate job growth are just some of the benefits that effective policies and programs can bring, particularly to the Appalachian region, which has the highest energy consumption in the country. Kateri Callahan presented these findings to the annual Charlotte Regional Partnership Investors Board in Charlotte, N.C., where already progressive energy efficiency policies and programs are taking root. Callahan also briefed the audience of investors and board members on the climate and energy bills moving through Congress.
Speaking to participants of the Asia Pacific Research Center's Peer Review on Energy Efficiency, Castelli offered a status update on energy efficiency in the U.S., and the ways that energy efficiency programs are financed, monitored and measured there. After briefing the audience on the history of energy legislation in the U.S., Castelli introduced them to the energy efficiency provisions of the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Alliance Associate Schneider Electric hosted Alliance President Kateri Callahan at its North America Leadership Forum, where Callahan discussed opportunities and obstacles in the energy efficiency movement in 2010 and beyond.
RCTC - Framework For A Journey, Solar ProgramDarrell Talbert
Riverside County Transportation Commission
2009 Edition - Framework for a Journey.
State law created the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) in 1976 to oversee funding and coordination of all public transportation services within Riverside County. RCTC serves as the tax
authority and implementation agency for Measure A, a voter-approved 1/2 cent sales tax,
Building America’s Green Economy: A Foundation of Energy Efficiency, A Future...Alliance To Save Energy
There are many opportunities to interlace energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) in policy and the marketplace. In her presentation, Kateri discussed the historical partnership of EE and RE, from their pivotal role in the energy legislation of the past decade, to their essential support of many clean energy policies and programs undertaken by state and local authorities, utility companies and businesses. Given the ‘green’ tenor of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the partnership between EE and RE will only grow stronger, making these two clean fuels the building blocks of a green economy.
In her panel, 'Energy Efficiency: Greatest New Resource", Callahan looks at the chief forcing mechanisms - regulations and financial incentives - that have effectively accelerated the deployment of energy efficieny in the U.S. Her presentation covers the recent history of energy efficiency in U.S. policy, marked by President Obama's energy platform and FY2010 budget, as well as his recent overhaul of corporate average fuel economy standards. Callahan also examines the wealth of energy efficiency funding included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and the potential for carbon emissions reductions in the House of Representative's American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.
Executive VP of Programs and Development Brian Castelli traveled to Mexico City to present at EXPO INCYTAM 2008, where he offered energy efficiency solutions for Latin American cities burdened by the effects of pollution and global climate change.
Presentation slides from the April 9, 2020 webinar featuring state and private sector leaders discuss shovel-ready infrastructure opportunities that can create jobs and stimulate economic growth in the short-term in the U.S.
Learn more: https://www.wri.org/events/2020/04/webinar-build-back-better-shaping-us-stimulus-package
Energy Efficiency and Economic Recovery: Stimulus Funding OpportunitiesAlliance To Save Energy
February 2. 2009 -- Policy makers and others have come to understand the power of energy efficiency implementation as an economic development tool and stimulus. The result is likely billions in clean energy investments by the federal government that will be utilized by state and local governments, non-profit energy organizations, and others. In her presentation, Kateri focused on the efforts of the Alliance to Save Energy and others to grow energy efficiency implementation programs – buildings, products, and services – and deliver greater economic vitality to the nation.
Kateri Callahan joined Israeli mayors and senior representatives from local Tel Aviv authorities and agencies to discuss the challenges and potential for Israeli cities in deploying energy efficiency at scale. Showcasing success stories and case studies from the U.S. and around the world, Callahan demonstrated the economic, environmental, and security benefits of advancing programs, technologies, funding and infrastructure that promote efficient energy use.
Federal, State and Local Stimulus Dollars- Promoting Energy Efficiency Today ...Alliance To Save Energy
Presentation from the Alliance to Save Energy's 2010 Great Energy Efficiency Day, which took place on March 10, 2010 in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 4DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 4. In this session, we will cover Test Manager overview along with SAP heatmap.
The UiPath Test Manager overview with SAP heatmap webinar offers a concise yet comprehensive exploration of the role of a Test Manager within SAP environments, coupled with the utilization of heatmaps for effective testing strategies.
Participants will gain insights into the responsibilities, challenges, and best practices associated with test management in SAP projects. Additionally, the webinar delves into the significance of heatmaps as a visual aid for identifying testing priorities, areas of risk, and resource allocation within SAP landscapes. Through this session, attendees can expect to enhance their understanding of test management principles while learning practical approaches to optimize testing processes in SAP environments using heatmap visualization techniques
What will you get from this session?
1. Insights into SAP testing best practices
2. Heatmap utilization for testing
3. Optimization of testing processes
4. Demo
Topics covered:
Execution from the test manager
Orchestrator execution result
Defect reporting
SAP heatmap example with demo
Speaker:
Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
DevOps and Testing slides at DASA ConnectKari Kakkonen
My and Rik Marselis slides at 30.5.2024 DASA Connect conference. We discuss about what is testing, then what is agile testing and finally what is Testing in DevOps. Finally we had lovely workshop with the participants trying to find out different ways to think about quality and testing in different parts of the DevOps infinity loop.
Kubernetes & AI - Beauty and the Beast !?! @KCD Istanbul 2024Tobias Schneck
As AI technology is pushing into IT I was wondering myself, as an “infrastructure container kubernetes guy”, how get this fancy AI technology get managed from an infrastructure operational view? Is it possible to apply our lovely cloud native principals as well? What benefit’s both technologies could bring to each other?
Let me take this questions and provide you a short journey through existing deployment models and use cases for AI software. On practical examples, we discuss what cloud/on-premise strategy we may need for applying it to our own infrastructure to get it to work from an enterprise perspective. I want to give an overview about infrastructure requirements and technologies, what could be beneficial or limiting your AI use cases in an enterprise environment. An interactive Demo will give you some insides, what approaches I got already working for real.
Neuro-symbolic is not enough, we need neuro-*semantic*Frank van Harmelen
Neuro-symbolic (NeSy) AI is on the rise. However, simply machine learning on just any symbolic structure is not sufficient to really harvest the gains of NeSy. These will only be gained when the symbolic structures have an actual semantics. I give an operational definition of semantics as “predictable inference”.
All of this illustrated with link prediction over knowledge graphs, but the argument is general.
State of ICS and IoT Cyber Threat Landscape Report 2024 previewPrayukth K V
The IoT and OT threat landscape report has been prepared by the Threat Research Team at Sectrio using data from Sectrio, cyber threat intelligence farming facilities spread across over 85 cities around the world. In addition, Sectrio also runs AI-based advanced threat and payload engagement facilities that serve as sinks to attract and engage sophisticated threat actors, and newer malware including new variants and latent threats that are at an earlier stage of development.
The latest edition of the OT/ICS and IoT security Threat Landscape Report 2024 also covers:
State of global ICS asset and network exposure
Sectoral targets and attacks as well as the cost of ransom
Global APT activity, AI usage, actor and tactic profiles, and implications
Rise in volumes of AI-powered cyberattacks
Major cyber events in 2024
Malware and malicious payload trends
Cyberattack types and targets
Vulnerability exploit attempts on CVEs
Attacks on counties – USA
Expansion of bot farms – how, where, and why
In-depth analysis of the cyber threat landscape across North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East
Why are attacks on smart factories rising?
Cyber risk predictions
Axis of attacks – Europe
Systemic attacks in the Middle East
Download the full report from here:
https://sectrio.com/resources/ot-threat-landscape-reports/sectrio-releases-ot-ics-and-iot-security-threat-landscape-report-2024/
The Art of the Pitch: WordPress Relationships and SalesLaura Byrne
Clients don’t know what they don’t know. What web solutions are right for them? How does WordPress come into the picture? How do you make sure you understand scope and timeline? What do you do if sometime changes?
All these questions and more will be explored as we talk about matching clients’ needs with what your agency offers without pulling teeth or pulling your hair out. Practical tips, and strategies for successful relationship building that leads to closing the deal.
LF Energy Webinar: Electrical Grid Modelling and Simulation Through PowSyBl -...DanBrown980551
Do you want to learn how to model and simulate an electrical network from scratch in under an hour?
Then welcome to this PowSyBl workshop, hosted by Rte, the French Transmission System Operator (TSO)!
During the webinar, you will discover the PowSyBl ecosystem as well as handle and study an electrical network through an interactive Python notebook.
PowSyBl is an open source project hosted by LF Energy, which offers a comprehensive set of features for electrical grid modelling and simulation. Among other advanced features, PowSyBl provides:
- A fully editable and extendable library for grid component modelling;
- Visualization tools to display your network;
- Grid simulation tools, such as power flows, security analyses (with or without remedial actions) and sensitivity analyses;
The framework is mostly written in Java, with a Python binding so that Python developers can access PowSyBl functionalities as well.
What you will learn during the webinar:
- For beginners: discover PowSyBl's functionalities through a quick general presentation and the notebook, without needing any expert coding skills;
- For advanced developers: master the skills to efficiently apply PowSyBl functionalities to your real-world scenarios.
GraphRAG is All You need? LLM & Knowledge GraphGuy Korland
Guy Korland, CEO and Co-founder of FalkorDB, will review two articles on the integration of language models with knowledge graphs.
1. Unifying Large Language Models and Knowledge Graphs: A Roadmap.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.08302
2. Microsoft Research's GraphRAG paper and a review paper on various uses of knowledge graphs:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/graphrag-unlocking-llm-discovery-on-narrative-private-data/
Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey 2024 by 91mobiles.pdf91mobiles
91mobiles recently conducted a Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey in which we asked over 3,000 respondents about the TV they own, aspects they look at on a new TV, and their TV buying preferences.
Generating a custom Ruby SDK for your web service or Rails API using Smithyg2nightmarescribd
Have you ever wanted a Ruby client API to communicate with your web service? Smithy is a protocol-agnostic language for defining services and SDKs. Smithy Ruby is an implementation of Smithy that generates a Ruby SDK using a Smithy model. In this talk, we will explore Smithy and Smithy Ruby to learn how to generate custom feature-rich SDKs that can communicate with any web service, such as a Rails JSON API.
Unsubscribed: Combat Subscription Fatigue With a Membership Mentality by Head...
Howard Marks, U.S. DOE
1. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: A Foundation for Our Energy Future Howard Marks Legislative Advisor Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy U.S. Department of Energy Representative Linda Sanchez’s Energy Stimulus Workshop Paramount, California Thursday, July 30, 2009
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4. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Recovery Act Funding EERE RD&D $2.5B Biomass $800M Geothermal $400M Information & Communications Tech. $50M EERE Discretionary Funding $1.25B Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grants $3.2B State Energy Program $3.1B Weatherization Assistance $5.0B Energy Efficient Appliance and ENERGY STAR Rebates $300M Alternative Fuel Vehicle Grant Program $300M Advanced Battery Manufacturing Grants $2.0B Transportation Electrification Grants $400M EERE Total: $16.8B
The Recovery Act, as you may know, was signed into law in February of this year. Given the great economic challenges that we’re facing today, this legislation is designed to jumpstart our economy, create millions of jobs, and make investments that will pay off continually in the future. To be successful, the Act requires the collaboration of citizens across the nation from scientists to small businesses to local government. I’m very pleased that you are all present to take part in this effort.
Using our homegrown resources and the ingenuity of the American workforce, the Recovery Act will help create entire new energy industries, and make strategic investments that will transform the way we use energy.
This slide shows the breakdown of funding by activity within EERE. Research, development, and deployment has $2.5 billion, divided up among several different energy efficient and renewable technologies including biomass, geothermal energy; and discretionary funds that have been allocated for solar, wind, and other areas. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants, State Energy Program, and Weatherization Assistance activities total over $11 billion and are managed through the office I highlighted earlier, the Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs. There are several vehicle-related funding opportunities totaling $2.7 billion: an alternative fuel vehicle grant program, advanced manufacturing grants, and transportation electrification. Finally, $300 million goes toward energy efficient appliance rebates. I’ll speak in more detail about each of these opportunities in a few minutes.
EERE manages our investments in applied R&D for Clean Energy Technologies – in Power Generation, Fuels and Vehicles, and Energy Efficiency. Each dash under these categories represents a separate program office, including two offices that deploy these technologies: the Federal Energy Management Program, which works with the other Federal agencies, and the Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs, which works with State and now local governments. Some of the research-focused programs have deployment efforts as well. The Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs office is highlighted because of its pivotal role in Recovery Act activities – the bulk of EERE’s Recovery Act funds are being administered through this office.
As far as direct formula funding, Florida’s allocation is about $470 million. Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants have $168 million, the State Energy Program has $126 million, and $176 million goes toward Weatherization Assistance.
Now that I’ve given you an overview of the funding and how to apply, I’d like to discuss the individual programs in greater detail, starting with the formula grant programs. The State Energy Program is a program that was in place well before the passage of the Recovery Act. It has officially been around since 1996 and encompasses both energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. The State Energy Program distributes funding to State governments so they can decide how best to invest in projects that take into account their States’ particular resources and needs while contributing to national energy goals.
The Weatherization Assistance Program is receiving $5 billion through the Recovery Act, compared to between $200-$250 million in annual appropriations. In addition to this ramp-up in funds, the program is a Presidential priority, so it has really been highlighted as a crucial part of the Recovery Act. This program helps low-income households improve the efficiency of their homes and save money on their energy bills, about $350 per year on average. The funds are allocated by formula to States, which in turn distribute the funding to local entities, usually community action agencies. The Recovery Act made some changes to the program that allow it to reach more low-income citizens and accomplish more in each home, raising the income level requirement from 150% of the poverty level to 200% and the average funding per home from $2,500 to $6,500. The cap on training and technical assistance funding was also raised from 10% to 20%.
Of the $52 M for Maryland, $9.6M is for the state energy office and $43M is for cities and counties. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, or EECBG, is funded for the first time with the passage of the Recovery Act. This program allocates funding directly to states, cities, counties, and tribes to support energy audits, efficiency retrofits, improved building codes, and other activities. Smaller cities and counties that did not receive a direct allocation can work with their state energy offices to access funding. The States are required to distribute 60% of the funding they receive to those cities and counties that were not eligible to receive direct funding. A couple of points to note on the EECBG program: the activities do not have to be specific projects, they can be programs. Activities that pay dividends year after year should be prioritized. Additionally, while the bulk of the EECBG has been allocated through a formula, there is a portion that will be issued through competitive grants. The details are currently being worked out and the funding will be announced as a separate funding opportunity announcement.
Secretary Chu and the White House are fully supportive of OWIP and have made the state and local energy programs a national priority.
No money has been awarded yet. Applications were initially due on June 25. However, only 1926 out of 2327 were submitted on time, so the deadline has been extended to August 10. A team of almost 400 trained reviewers are processing the applications and conducting technical reviews. Initial awards are expected before the end of July and should continue thereafter on a rolling basis. The Block Grant formula allocated funds to the top ten most populous cities and to the top ten most populous counties in Maryland. More cities and counties were not selected to receive funds because they did not meet population thresholds (35,000 for cities and 200,000 for counties).
No money has been awarded yet. Applications were initially due on June 25. However, only 1926 out of 2327 were submitted on time, so the deadline has been extended to August 10. A team of almost 400 trained reviewers are processing the applications and conducting technical reviews. Initial awards are expected before the end of July and should continue thereafter on a rolling basis. The Block Grant formula allocated funds to the top ten most populous cities and to the top ten most populous counties in Maryland. More cities and counties were not selected to receive funds because they did not meet population thresholds (35,000 for cities and 200,000 for counties).
Here is a list of eligible uses of EECBG funds, to give you an idea of the types of activities that are possible. Retrofits, building codes, and combined heat and power projects are some examples, but note that activities are not limited to this list.
College Park is the only city in Maryland’s 4 th Congressional District that is eligible to receive it’s entire award at one time. All other cities and counties are eligible to receive more than $250,000 in EECBG funds.
Spur sales of energy efficient appliances Significantly reduce energy and water use by American households States must file initial applications by August
The Clean Cities Alternative Fueled Vehicles Pilot Grant Program has also closed, unfortunately, but Clean Cities is an ongoing program and there are still opportunities to become involved.
There is yet another funding opportunity in the vehicles area, and this one is not yet closed. Including Recovery Act funding and DOE annual appropriations, $240 million is available for the development of high efficiency commercial and passenger vehicles. The funding solicitations are divided into 2 areas. The goal of the first area is to increase vehicle freight efficiency by a total of 50% for heavy-duty Class 8 trucks. The projects receiving funding will focus on improving the efficiency of advanced engine technologies and vehicle system technologies, for instance by limiting aerodynamic drag, reducing vehicle weight, and drivetrain hybridization. Under the second program area, projects will work to advance R&D on efficient engine and powertrain systems for passenger vehicles. For gasoline-fueled vehicles, these cost-competitive components will achieve at least a 25% fuel economy improvement compared to 2009 reference vehicles, while diesel-fueled vehicles will be able to attain at least a 40% improvement.
For Industrial Technologies, $256 million is available under 3 areas. The first is for combined heat and power, district energy systems, waste energy recovery systems, and efficient industrial equipment that can be deployed in industrial and residential settings to improve efficiency, control costs, and limit greenhouse gas emissions. The second is for RD&D for new technologies that improve energy efficiency in the information and communication technology sector. The third is for RD&D on advanced industrial materials that can be used in fuel flexibility programs, combined heat and power technologies, energy intensive processes, and nanomanufacturing.
For biomass and biofuels, the Recovery Act provides a mix of new funding opportunities to accelerate advanced biofuels R&D and additional funding for existing commercial-scale biorefinery demonstration projects. There is $480 million for projects that produce advanced biofuels, bioproducts, and heat and power in an integrated system, thus enabling private financing of commercial-scale replications. A $20 million competitive solicitation will select projects that optimize flex fuel vehicles operating on high octane E85 fuel, evaluate the impact of higher ethanol blends in conventional vehicles, and upgrade existing refueling infrastructure to be compatible with fuels up to E85.
Area 1: To support the development and deployment of energy efficient technologies in commercial and residential buildings Area 2: Residential Buildings Development/Deployment - - includes retrofits and training
$118 million is available for wind energy projects in several areas. Area 1: Support the wind industry through testing the performance and reliability of wind turbine drivetrain systems Area 2: Improve the quality and use of lighter weight, advanced materials for turbine blades, towers, and other components Area 3: Establishment of industry-university consortia to focus on critical wind energy challenges
$400 million is available for geothermal technologies. $140 million of this will go toward RD&D of enhanced geothermal systems. Conventional geothermal energy systems must be located near easily-accessible geothermal water resources, limiting its nationwide use. EGS makes use of available heat resources through engineered reservoirs, which can then be tapped to produce electricity. Funding for innovative geothermal exploration projects, as exploration of geothermal energy resources can carry a high upfront risk. To fully leverage new low-temperature, geopressured, co-production, and EGS technologies, DOE will support the development of a nationwide assessment of geothermal resources, working through the U.S. Geological Survey and other partners.
Over $176 million is available for 3 different areas of solar energy technologies. Area 1: Investment in advanced PV concepts to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional sources of energy Area 2: Focus on non-technical barriers to help clear the path for wider use in residential, commercial, and municipal environments. Area 3: Improving reliability of CSP technologies and enhancing the capabilities of DOE National Laboratories to provide test and evaluation support to the solar industry
I’ve now gone through all of the funding that is currently out on the street from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. There is also funding available from other offices within the Department of Energy, including the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, which is the office in charge of the electricity grid. The Vice President announced several billion dollars in funding for smart grid development, as well as storage, monitoring, and technology viability.
The grant programs and demonstration projects require a 50% cost share While there are no specific limitations to the type of recipients, based on the criteria for a qualifying investment in smart grid functions, we anticipate many of the successful applicants will be utilities. Some manufacturers could also apply: for example an appliance manufacturer might apply for a grant to redesign and retool his product line to incorporate smart grid capability. For other initiatives, funds could go to state and local governments. Universities, national labs, utilities or technology companies, perhaps in partnership, are likely to pursue some of the opportunities. While the funds will not go directly to the consumer, the consumer will benefit from the improvements to the grid, and from the job growth associated with the initiatives.
As I mentioned earlier in the presentation, Secretary Chu is committed to making the Department’s implementation of the Recovery Act as open and transparent as possible. We are therefore posting weekly updates on our website and have set up additional web forms and call center capabilities to respond to public inquiries. If you go to our website, you can see how much Recovery Act funding has been authorized, announced, and spent. There are oversight measures in place to distribute and monitor funds, and the entities that are spending it will have to adhere to regular reporting requirements.
There are a few different funding vehicles that DOE uses to disburse Recovery Act funds. There are grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements with companies, universities, and other entities selected through a competitive process for research and development and industrial energy efficiency projects. Loan guarantees provide the full faith and guarantee of the Federal government to fund projects selected through a solicitation process. Then there are formula grant programs administered by state and local governments—Weatherization Assistance Program, Energy Efficiency Community Block Grants Program, and State Energy Program. A list of ongoing Recovery Act funding opportunities can be found on our website on energy.gov/recovery/funding. You may be more familiar with grants.gov, where most Federal funding opportunities are available. At grants.gov, you can do an agency search for DOE and the opportunities are marked with “Recovery Act” in the title. One thing that we cannot emphasize enough is to register and begin the application process as soon as you can. The registration process can be lengthy, and make sure to read and follow all instructions carefully to avoid snags, errors or incomplete applications.
The instructions on the last slide apply to Federal funding opportunities. For those that are administered by State or local governments, go directly to that entity to apply.
Thank you for your time and attention today. I have the URL posted where you can get to virtually all of the information that I’ve gone through today, as well as the Department’s Recovery Act information hotline, which is staffed with highly trained and knowledgeable personnel to answer any questions you might still have.