However, the new ACORE Implementation website is available to ACORE members only.

The breakdown of the legislation will help renewable energy companies to expand renewable energy development and to find funding from the federal government for renewable energy projects.

The pages, part of the ACORE Member Center, are located at: http://www.acore.org/member/stimulus. The web site offers section-by-section breakdowns of the major renewable energy provisions of the ARRA, links to the actual statutes, as well as to relevant governmental agencies and departments.

The site was developed by ACORE to educate its more than 600 members about the new business opportunities and funding assistance that have been made available with the enactment of the ARRA.

“Through the American Recovery and Advancement Act, the U.S. government has made clear its commitment to advance renewable energy solutions,” said ACORE President Michael Eckhart. The ARRA has major implications for companies that are financing or building renewable energy products and services.”

The Nebraska Tractor Test Lab is in the process of becoming the North American certification facility for ISOBUS standards.

The event is not usually open to the public, but an informal special briefing for the media is scheduled for 11:00 am, Tuesday, May 19.

The event will feature engineers from a variety of agricultural equipment companies with some of their ISOBUS electronic terminals and controls.

The event is called a Plugfest because the engineers experiment by plugging their equipment into other companies’ equipment to make sure they’re compatible; the goal is to fine-tune the industry standard that assures different companies’ devices work together.

The ISOBUS is the common term for the international standard ISO 11783, which deals with communication interfaces on tractors and other ag equipment.

Manufacturers agreed to implement this standard in 2001 to assure their products would “communicate” with each other, eliminating the need for separate controls, terminals and displays.

Under ISOBUS, tractors may ultimately have one monitor instead of multiple devices to control sprayers, spreaders and other implements.

Offered by the Wis. Dept. of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (WDATCP), this comprehensive 51-page pdf publication (available on line or as a downloadable pdf) offers an excellent overview about better ways to manage energy on the dairy farm.

Written by Karl Ohm, it covers a wide range of subjects, from farm energy audits, importance of properly installed and well-maintained wiring, wiring safety, tips on equipment operation and management and maintenance checklists.

It also offers a wide variety of rsources, publications and links to pertinent web sites. The publication was co-sponsored by the Rural Energy Management Council (REMC). Read on line. . .

You can also download the handbook from this site (as pdf).

Ohio could also create more than 32,000 net new jobs by 2025, including well-paying trade and professional jobs needed to design, install, and operate energy efficiency measures.

In total, the direct and indirect jobs created would be equivalent to nearly 250 new manufacturing plants relocating to Ohio, but without the demand for infrastructure and other energy needs, the study says. Investments in energy efficiency policies and programs have the added benefit of creating new, high-quality “green-collar” jobs in Ohio and increasing both wages and Gross State Product (GSP).

The study, Shaping Ohio’s Energy Future: Energy Efficiency Works, was conducted by ACEEE researchers with support from a team of national experts in energy use. The 183-page report outlines policies to reduce electricity demand through improved energy efficiency, combined heat and power, and demand-response recommendations that reduce peak demand. The energy efficiency policies would reduce peak demand by 18% by 2025, while the demand response savings policies would reduce conventionally generated electricity by an additional 11%, for a total reduction of 29%.

The report includes a summary of past experience with energy efficiency programs in Ohio’s electricity sector, a discussion of the key issues that must be addressed in shaping a new set of electricity policies on energy efficiency, and detailed recommendations.

The report is based on ACEEE’s nearly 30 years of experience working with many other states across the U.S. on similar issues, and reflects the organization’s experience with evaluating program “best practices” from around the country.

Click here for link to free pdf download (minor registration log-in required, if new user): Shaping Ohio’s Energy Future: Energy Efficiency Works

A hard copy can also be purchased for $60 plus $5 postage and handling from ACEEE Publications, 529 14th St, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20045, phone: 202-507-4000, fax: 202-429-2248. You can contact ACEEE, using the e-mail address below.

E-mail:aceee_publications@aceee.org

To be eligible, the student’s course work must be related to energy/energy efficiency, climate change, environmental science, or a related field of study, and who is considering a career in energy/energy efficiency.

The Student Scholarship award to the 2009 Summer Study will pay for the conference registration fee, housing and meals, and some portion of transportation costs. Support for the Student Scholarship is being provided by members of ACEEE’s Ally Program.

An application form is available on the 2009 Summer Study Web site:
http://aceee.org/conf/09ss/09ssindex.htm.

Deadline for applications is May 22, 2009. Notification of the award will be made by June 29, 2009.