Green Options » Nebraska

Show Me the Money: More Recovery Act Funding Put Toward State Energy Programs

Ruedigar Matthes — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:50:43 +0000

More money was distributed today by the Department of Energy. 141 million dollars to be more precise. This time Hawaii, Maine, Nebraska, New Mexico, the Northern Mariana Islands and Texas will play beneficiaries of the Recovery Act.

As a part of the Department’s State Energy Program, which has been apportioned $3.1 billion, states and territories propose plans to prioritize energy savings, create or retain jobs, increase the use of renewable energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. And that’s where this $141 million will be going. Each state receives funding according to its needs (population based), with Texas receiving more than half of the allotted $141 million dollars. They will receive $87.5 million.

Nebraska Aims Move from 19th to 6th in Wind Power

Shirley Siluk Gregory — Fri, 23 May 2008 01:22:22 +0000

Nebraska’s location in the U.S. makes it one of the most promising states in terms of wind energy, only it’s been something of an underachiever till now. But the public utility Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) hopes to change that, and has made a move this week aimed at boosting the state’s wind energy production.

NPPD this week signed a contract under which Grand Forks, North Dakota-based National Wind Assessments will set up and monitor 10 60-meter-tall meteorological (met) towers to collect regional wind data and determine which are the best places in Nebraska to put up wind farms. The towers will need to be in operation for about a year before NPPD can make the best decisions about where to locate wind-power facilities.

Closed Loop Ethanol Plant Goes Bankrupt

Max Lindberg — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:42:07 +0000

The highly touted “closed loop” ethanol plant in Nebraska shut its doors last week and filed for bankruptcy. E3 BioFuels used biogas generated from cattle manure, provided by a nearby feedlot containing 25,000 head of feeder cattle. Distillers grain, a byproduct of ethanol production, was fed to the cattle and the process started all over again. As a result, the plant used almost no fossil fuels and carbon emissions from the manure were minimized. Mechanical problems are blamed for the shutdown. Plant officials said they couldn’t reach full production and lost money. There’s no word on whether the plant will open again. In the meantime, E3 BioFuels is expected to file lawsuits against construction contractors.

Source: Domesticfuel

Greening The Golden Years: Hastings, NE: America’s Greenest City

Max Lindberg — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 01:40:48 +0000

The small (25,000 pop) South-Central Nebraska city of Hastings, recently captured the title of "America’s Greenest City". Hastings was one of more than 300 communities across the country competing in Yahoo’s "Be A Better Planet", Greenest Cities in America" challenge.

The city received a grand prize of $250,000, and Mayor Matt Rossen told me the community is now planning how to best use the money. Here is that interview.