Positive Change Purchasing Cooperative

Renewable News

DOE Begins Accepting Applications for 2024 Collegiate Wind Competition

DOE is accepting applications for the 2024 Collegiate Wind Competition, an annual competition that gives college students an opportunity to build skills, share knowledge, and develop professional relationships that will help them find jobs in the wind and wider renewable energy industries. Phase I applications are due June 15.

Department of Energy Announces Solar District Cup Class of 2022–2023 Winners

DOE announced 14 winners and 1 Project Pitch Champion in the Solar District Cup Collegiate Design Competition’s Class. The competition engages students across engineering, finance, urban planning, energy technology, sustainability, and other disciplines to reimagine how energy is generated, managed, and used in a real-world district.

Get the Clean Energy Facts

Free Solar Panels? Don’t Get Burned

How to avoid burning a hole in your pocketbook and protect yourself from consumer scams about free solar panels.

Addressing Misinformation on Offshore Wind Farms and Recent Whale Mortalities

As of now, there is no evidence to support speculation that noise resulting from wind development-related site characterization surveys could potentially cause mortality of whales.

In Case You Missed It

American-Made Program Celebrates $200 Million Innovation Milestone at 2023 Earth Day Event

The American-Made program celebrated a mega-milestone in its mission to supercharge the clean energy revolution. In just five short years, the program—funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory—has surpassed $200 million in cash prizes and support to competing innovators and entrepreneurs across 58 prizes.

Investing in the Planet Means Investing in Water Power—And People

Water power, including hydropower and marine energy, is a steadfast renewable that will play a key role in building a reliable and resilient clean energy power grid and decarbonizing the economy. And its people—especially the water power workers, researchers, and entrepreneurs of today and tomorrow—will lead the energy transition.

DOE launched the Energy Savings Hub — an online one-stop shop for American families and consumers to access the savings tools that President Biden’s Investing in America agenda has made available to drastically cut energy costs. 

EERE Technology Office Highlight

Each month, we’ll spotlight feature stories and news from EERE’s technology offices and the national labs. Read the latest:

Student Competitions Support a Diverse Clean Energy Workforce

Ripple Effect: How Emma Wendt, a Conscientious Consumer, Is Helping Maine Fight Climate Change with Marine Energy (and More)

Events and Webinars

Comprehensive Utility Energy Service Contract (UESC) In-Person Training

May 3–4 | 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. ET

This two-day workshop will help attendees understand the fundamental elements of a UESC and how these limited-source performance contracts can be used to maximize investment into energy and water conservation measures.

Floating Offshore Wind Shot Workshop

May 8 | 12 p.m. ET

This in-person workshop will cover the Floating Offshore Wind Shot™ priorities, including breakout sessions on cost reduction; supply chain development; just and sustainable development; and more to advise Shot-related activities. This event is free and open to the public.

Pacific Offshore Wind Summit 2023

May 8–10

The summit will explore how the U.S. west coast states can stay on track to establish a sustainable floating wind industry and supply chain that will generate jobs and economic development for decades.

Enhanced Geothermal Shot Summit

May 11 | 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. ET

DOE will virtually convene stakeholders to discuss the Enhanced Geothermal Shot™—an ambitious initiative to cut the cost of enhanced geothermal systems by 90% by 2035.

Lessons Learned from Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Award Winners

May 11 | 1-2:30 p.m. ET

This Better Buildings Residential Network call highlights Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® participants who have received awards for outstanding leadership in the home performance industry.

AMMTO & IEDO Joint Peer Review

May 16–18

EERE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office and Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office will meet in Washington, DC, for a joint Peer Review to evaluate their strategic and operational impact.

DOE Hydrogen Program Annual Merit Review and Peer Evaluation Meeting

June 5–8 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. ET

Join us in Arlington, VA, for DOE’s annual review of its hydrogen program. The Annual Merit Review will feature presentations and posters on DOE-funded work and a one-day, interagency track featuring presentations on hydrogen and fuel-cell initiatives from other federal agencies.

VTO Annual Merit Review

June 12–15 (virtual)

Join the Vehicle Technologies Office for their annual merit review. Reviewers will be evaluating projects based on how much they contribute to or advance DOE’s missions and goals.