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Released August 09, 2024 | SUGAR LAND
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Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The U.S. government said it was committing a combined $3 billion to support grid resilience, with funds targeting everything from heat pumps to line upgrades.
The U.S. Department of Energy on Wednesday put $85 million forward to support four heat-pump manufacturers in New York, Tennessee, Texas and Rhode Island. The funding targets were selected as part of the Defense Production Act (DPA), a Korea War-era federal law meant to incentivize domestic production.
U.S. President Joe Biden invoked the DPA shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, arguing that using the measure for energy was "essential for our national security."
Heat pumps can play a significant role in reducing the global carbon footprint. They serve the dual purpose of heating as well as cooling a space. Unlike furnaces that use fossil fuels, heat pumps transfer heat from one place to another by using refrigerant and electricity.
The Energy Department believes heat pumps yield 50% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a conventional boiler. Consumers could save at least $300 annually by switching over to more efficient heat pumps as well.
"As communities across the country continue to face down the impacts of climate-fueled extreme weather events, investing in American-made heat pump manufacturing will help keep families safe and comfortable in their homes, schools, and businesses and cut their energy costs," said Ali Zaidi, Biden's national climate advisor.
Elsewhere, another $2.2 billion from the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partners (GRIP) program would go toward grid upgrades in 18 states to protect against extreme weather events.
In June, some 2 million people in the Houston metropolitan area were without power after Hurricane Beryl moved through the region. In southern California last month, when temperatures topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the grid operator issued warnings related to the Rancho and White wildfires, cautioning that flames were over major transmission lines.
A derecho, a straight-line wind event with heavy rains, brought wind gusts of up to 105 miles per hour to parts of Illinois, with some passengers stranded at O'Hare International Airport due to a tornado warning.
The storms caused a power outage at Exxon Mobil Corporation's (NYSE:XOM) (Irving, Texas) 250,000 barrel-per-day (BBL/d) refinery in Joliet, Illinois, while utility Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) (Chicago, Illinois) said around 90,000 customers lost power, with most of the outages reported in southern Illinois.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Petroleum Refining Plant Database can learn more about the Joliet refinery from a detailed plant profile.
The Energy Department believes its weather-related grid investment could eventually bring another 13 gigawatts of new grid capacity online, including some 4,800 megawatts of offshore wind. Around 1,000 miles of transmission lines would be overhauled as well.
"The first half of 2024 has already broken records for the hottest days in Earth's history, and as extreme weather continues to hit every part of the country, we must act with urgency to strengthen our aging grid to protect American communities," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.
The heat continues to strain the grid as much of the Gulf Coast region is under weather advisories, with parts of Florida expecting the heat index to reach 114 degrees. Tropical Storm Debby continues to make its way northeast along the Atlantic coast, but power outages have so far been minimal. Around 135,000 people are without power in North Carolina.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
The U.S. Department of Energy on Wednesday put $85 million forward to support four heat-pump manufacturers in New York, Tennessee, Texas and Rhode Island. The funding targets were selected as part of the Defense Production Act (DPA), a Korea War-era federal law meant to incentivize domestic production.
U.S. President Joe Biden invoked the DPA shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, arguing that using the measure for energy was "essential for our national security."
Heat pumps can play a significant role in reducing the global carbon footprint. They serve the dual purpose of heating as well as cooling a space. Unlike furnaces that use fossil fuels, heat pumps transfer heat from one place to another by using refrigerant and electricity.
The Energy Department believes heat pumps yield 50% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a conventional boiler. Consumers could save at least $300 annually by switching over to more efficient heat pumps as well.
"As communities across the country continue to face down the impacts of climate-fueled extreme weather events, investing in American-made heat pump manufacturing will help keep families safe and comfortable in their homes, schools, and businesses and cut their energy costs," said Ali Zaidi, Biden's national climate advisor.
Elsewhere, another $2.2 billion from the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partners (GRIP) program would go toward grid upgrades in 18 states to protect against extreme weather events.
In June, some 2 million people in the Houston metropolitan area were without power after Hurricane Beryl moved through the region. In southern California last month, when temperatures topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the grid operator issued warnings related to the Rancho and White wildfires, cautioning that flames were over major transmission lines.
A derecho, a straight-line wind event with heavy rains, brought wind gusts of up to 105 miles per hour to parts of Illinois, with some passengers stranded at O'Hare International Airport due to a tornado warning.
The storms caused a power outage at Exxon Mobil Corporation's (NYSE:XOM) (Irving, Texas) 250,000 barrel-per-day (BBL/d) refinery in Joliet, Illinois, while utility Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) (Chicago, Illinois) said around 90,000 customers lost power, with most of the outages reported in southern Illinois.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Petroleum Refining Plant Database can learn more about the Joliet refinery from a detailed plant profile.
The Energy Department believes its weather-related grid investment could eventually bring another 13 gigawatts of new grid capacity online, including some 4,800 megawatts of offshore wind. Around 1,000 miles of transmission lines would be overhauled as well.
"The first half of 2024 has already broken records for the hottest days in Earth's history, and as extreme weather continues to hit every part of the country, we must act with urgency to strengthen our aging grid to protect American communities," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.
The heat continues to strain the grid as much of the Gulf Coast region is under weather advisories, with parts of Florida expecting the heat index to reach 114 degrees. Tropical Storm Debby continues to make its way northeast along the Atlantic coast, but power outages have so far been minimal. Around 135,000 people are without power in North Carolina.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).