Summary of FY 2008 Energy Efficiency Funding

Summary of Energy Efficiency Funding Contained in the “Consolidated Appropriations Act” for Fiscal Year 2008

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, better known as the Omnibus, was approved by Congress on December 19, 2007 and is expected to be signed into law by the President. The Act appropriates funding for fiscal year 2008 to all of the domestic departments and agencies, representing roughly one third of the federal budget.

Within that Act, the funding for the Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) was set at $1.7 billion, which represents an overall increase of $549M in funding as compared to FY 2006 (which was the last enacted appropriation; last year the Department operated on a Continuing Resolution). Out of the additional funds, modest increases in funding for energy efficiency initiatives, totaling roughly $47M, were made as noted below.

$110 million was allocated specifically for Building Technologies, which represents an increase of $23.5 million over the President’s budget request. In the Explanatory Statement accompanying the Omnibus, DOE is directed to fund $10 million of this increase for commercial and residential buildings; $5 million for solid state lighting; and $8.5 million for equipment standards and analysis.

In addition to Building Technologies, the other significant programs funded under EERE include:

• Hydrogen Technology: $213M (same as budget request);
• Biomass and Bio-refinery R&D: $200M (an increase of $20.7M for additional biomass research solicitations);
• Solar energy: $170M (an increase of $21.6M over the budget request);
• Wind Energy: $50M for wind energy systems, representing an increase of $9.9M over budget request; Geothermal: $20M, increase of $20M over the budget request;
• Water Power Energy R&D: $10M, an increase of $10M over the budget request for R&D on wave technologies, ocean, tidal and in-stream based generation;
• Vehicle Technologies: $215M for vehicle technologies, representing an increase of $38.8M over the budget request, to include $95M for hybrid electric systems;
• Industrial Technologies: $65M, an increase of $19M over the budget request; &
• Federal Energy Management Programs: $20M, representing an increase of $3.2M over the budget request.

In the remaining EERE program areas, the State Energy program supported by the Alliance was reduced ($44.5M, a decrease of $1M below the request, for competitive energy projects).

And, we also note that the funding under the EPA account for the Energy Star program was reduced.