DOE adds $14M for Utah use

The U.S. Department of Energy has delivered an additional $14 million to Utah, which has now received a total of $35 million through the State Energy Program.

The money is designed to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects across the state while creating jobs and reducing carbon pollution.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced Tuesday that Utah has received all of the State Energy Program funding allocated to the state under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The department had previously awarded the first half of Utah's State Energy Program funding, while the remaining 50 percent was delivered to the state after oversight, reporting and accountability measures were put in place.

Utah will use Recovery Act funds to improve energy efficiency in residential, commercial, public education, and government buildings. The state will provide financial incentives to low-income housing developments and commercial and government buildings that perform energy efficiency upgrades. For instance, low-income housing units will qualify for free insulation upgrades, and builders working on new construction developments will qualify for rebates if they build high-performance buildings.

Utah will also use funding to collect more accurate data about the potential renewable energy resources in the state that can then be used to identify potential Renewable Energy Zones.

–Jasen Lee