Departments - Across the Nation
Nebraska Energy Program Goes to the Citizens
3/15/2010
Nebraskans began submitting their ideas for a new Nebraska Energy Plan, in hopes of updating the original plan that was created 16 years ago.
Photo by ©iStockphoto.com/ RiverNorthPhotographyNebraskans began submitting their ideas for a new Nebraska Energy Plan, in hopes of updating the original plan that was created 16 years ago. The citizens have shown their ingenuity and concern for the environment in their proposals for making Nebraska more energy independent, and conservation-minded. Their communities have sent a clear message that they are willing to do more with less while preserving their quality of life and without sacrificing the high standard of living they enjoy today.
Some of their suggestions included incentives such as supporting a one-time state tax credit for building owners who invest in energy efficiency improvements and highly energy efficient new construction. Another suggestion was to encourage local utilities to participate in programs that support the financing and implementation of energy efficiency projects for their customer.
After all comments were collected, Nebraska Energy Office staff, statewide stakeholders, and energy interest groups analyzed the recommendations and ideas, distilled the most relevant energy concerns, and organized the comments into a summary that best reflects all the energy issues facing Nebraskans today.
The final Plan will identify regulatory, statutory, administrative, and collaborative activities to implement the new Nebraska Energy Plan.
Energy Savings Loans; EECBG
Moving forward with the Nebraska Energy Plan, the Nebraska State Energy Program (NSEP) will receive $30,910,000 over three years. NSEP provides energy efficiency services to consumers and small energy users, public information, energy statistics, and education, including renewable energy activities. Dollar and Energy Saving Loans are perhaps the best known activity under this program and are offered statewide by the Nebraska Energy Office and the state’s lending institutions.
Many common home, building, or system energy improvements qualify for financing. These projects are generally cost-effective and can be financed with a low-interest loan (many of these loans are available at a annual percentage rate of 2.5%) for up to ten years, or five years for appliances.
On December 3, 2009 the state of Nebraska announced that there is more than $8.6 million available in new grant money through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG). Applications for these funds has passed and the Nebraska Energy Office anticipates that the awards will range from $5,000 to $250,000.
Objectives from the EECBG
- Increase energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and reduce energy costs through efficiency improvements in the building, transportation, and other appropriate sectors;
- Create new jobs and increase productivity to spur economic growth and community development;
- Accelerate deployment of market-ready distributed renewable energy technologies, including wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower, biomass, and hydrogen technologies;
- Improve air quality and related environmental and health indicators associated with the reduction of fossil fuel emissions; and
- Improve coordination of energy-related policies and programs across jurisdictional levels of governance and with other local and community level programs in order to maximize the impact of this program on long-term local priorities
Nebraska Energy Office
Lincoln, NE
neo.ne.gov