25x'25 Weekly Resource

The 25x'25 Weekly REsource is a digest that features items from this week's blog site, the 25x'25 REsource, and other sources. The 25x'25 REsource and the 25x'25 Weekly REsource complement the role of 25x'25 as an objective and trusted source of information on agricultural and forestry renewable energy and climate change solutions. To subscribe to the 25x'25 Blog, click here for simple instructions.

Cornerstones of 25x'25 New Energy Future Also Critical to Stemming Climate Change
Renewable energy and energy efficiency are cornerstones of the 25x'25 Vision for a new energy future that will see enhanced national security, a healthier economy and a cleaner environment. Taken to the global level, those same cornerstones can bring about huge reductions in climate change emissions, a recent analysis shows. Meeting the Climate Challenge: Core Elements of an Effective Response to Climate Change, by the Center for American Progress and the U.N. Foundation, says achievable gains in energy efficiency, renewable energy, forest conservation, and sustainable land use worldwide could achieve up to 75 percent of needed global emissions reductions in 2020, at a net savings of $14 billion. Read more…

Interior Dept., California Renewable Energy Initiative Can Serve as Model for All States
The State of California and the Interior Department have entered into an agreement that could serve as a national model that will spur the development of environmentally appropriate renewable energy on federal lands across the country. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) early this week, establishing a Renewable Energy Policy Group to guide the cooperative work. Read more…

'Subnational' Actors Play Major Role in New, Clean Energy Future
The role of states, provinces and cities is, and will continue to be, critical in the achievement of a new energy future. The 25x'25 Alliance can attribute to state alliances and local organizations much of its success in promoting policies that optimize the solutions to our energy and climate change problems that can come from America's farms, ranches and forestlands. Thirty-four governors, including 25 sitting governors, and 15 state legislatures have endorsed the 25x'25 Vision. Regional, state and local government organizations are among the more than 900 25x'25 endorsing partners across the country. Read more…

News of Note for the Week Ending October 16, 2009

DOE Expands, Simplifies Loan Guarantees for Renewable Energy Projects
The DOE says it will provide guarantees for up to $8 billion in loans for conventional renewable energy generation projects such as wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal power, as well as hydropower. DOE will draw on up to $750 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to support the new guarantees. Past offers of loan guarantees have focused on new or innovative renewable energy technologies not in general use in the marketplace, but the new solicitation is geared toward more conventional renewable energy projects. To speed up financing for these projects, DOE will allow proposed borrowers and project sponsors to work directly with eligible lenders to gain financing. The lenders will then apply to DOE for partial, risk-sharing loan guarantees of no more than 80 percent of the maximum aggregate principal and interest during a loan term. DOE officials say the new approach is one aspect of the department's new Financial Institution Partnership Program, which establishes a streamlined set of standards designed to expedite DOE's underwriting process for loan guarantees. For more information, click here.

DOE's Johnson is Keynote Speaker for Upcoming Cellulosic Biofuel Summit
DOE Under Secretary Kristina Johnson will be the keynote speaker for Infocast's 4th Annual Cellulosic Biofuels Summit set to take place Nov. 16-19 at the Almas Temple Club in Washington, DC. The summit will feature three meetings in one and boasts a speaking roster of more than 70 leaders in the cellulosic biofuels fuels arena. Dr. Johnson is the former provost and senior vice president for academic affairs of Johns Hopkins University. Previously, Johnson served as the Dean of Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering from 1999-2007 where she helped to set up interdisciplinary efforts in photonics, bioengineering and biologically inspired materials, and energy and the environment. As a supporting organization again this year for the summit, 25x'25 will play a key role. On Wednesday, Nov. 18, 25x'25 Project Coordinator Ernie Shea will moderate the session on Agriculture, Forestry & The Biofuels Industry In A Reduced Carbon Economy. The panel will feature senior representatives from the Renewable Fuels Association, the National Wildlife Federation, POET Energy and American Farmland Trust, as well as Duke and Cornell University. With 25x'25 as a summit supporting organization, alliance members qualify for substantial registration discounts of up to $400. For more details, click here.

Small and Community Wind Conference Set for Detroit Nov. 3-5
Practical tools, information and expertise to help communities and landowners evaluate the feasibility of small and wind-sized wind projects are among the resources that will be offered at the upcoming AWEA Small and Community Wind Conference and Exhibition at the Cobo Center, in Detroit, Nov. 3-5. The event aims to bring together industry leaders, new entrants, project developers, economic development groups, municipalities, land owners and others to formulate and enact growth strategies for small and mid-sized wind applications. Focusing on important topics such as national renewable energy legislation, technology costs, zoning requirements, utility interconnection, tax revenues and investment opportunities, the conference will offer valuable information on how best to capitalize on wind technology. For more information, click here.

Headlines of Note for the Week Ending October 16, 2009
News of interest to our 25x'25 Partners and advocates for a clean energy future:

• A Nascent Biofuels Industry Starts to Take Form
• Biomass Thermal Heats Up (Podcast)
• CA Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Two Solar Energy Bills
• Coskata Unveils Semi-Commercial Feedstock Flexible Ethanol Facility in PA
• DOE Announces New Investments in Cutting-Edge Wind Energy Research Facilities
• Drive to Link Wind, Solar Power to Distant Users
• Farms Harvesting Manure for Electricity
• Profitability Returning to Ethanol Industry
• Schwarzenegger Vetoes Senate's Version Of RPS, Signs Feed-In-Tariff Bills

UPCOMING EVENTS of interest to 25x'25 partners and other renewable energy stakeholders can be found by clicking here.