The White House announced the recipients of the Presidential Federal Sustainability Awards, recognizing the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative. These awards honor federal agencies and employees for their efforts in advancing sustainability and climate resilience within their organizations. Such actions are contributing to the growth of America's clean manufacturing and energy industries, saving taxpayer dollars through reduced energy costs, and fostering healthier communities.
“As we work to build a prosperous clean energy future, we need committed leaders who are eager to undertake any challenge before them with pride and passion,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “I’m so proud to see the Department’s Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative honored as a Presidential Federal Sustainability Award winner—a testament to our agency’s enthusiastic approach to ensuring the benefits of clean energy are spread far and wide.”
“Our Federal Government is the nation’s largest energy consumer, building and vehicle owner, and purchaser of goods and services, and the Biden-Harris Administration remains committed to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars while delivering on the most ambitious climate and clean energy agenda in history,” said White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory. “The Presidential Federal Sustainability Award winners represent the very best of our Federal workforce and agencies who have tackled complex challenges and delivered results for a cleaner, more efficient Federal Government.”
In his first year, President Biden issued an executive order directing the federal government to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, including a 65 percent emissions reduction by 2030. To accomplish this goal, federal agencies are electrifying 300,000 federal buildings, transitioning 600,000 vehicles to zero-emissions vehicles, and moving towards powering all federal operations with 100 percent carbon-free electricity.
Awardees were selected from over 140 nominations representing domestic and international facilities or projects spanning ten federal agencies.
Award Winners include:
Department of Energy: Cleanup to Clean Energy Initiative: In 2023, DOE launched its innovative Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative that seeks to transform more than 34,000 acres of DOE-owned lands into sites for utility-scale clean energy generation and storage. DOE recently announced developer selections through this initiative with plans for further announcements later this year.
Working with industry partners, federal entities, Tribes, communities, states, and local officials, DOE is exploring opportunities at five sites: Hanford Site in Richland; Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls; Nevada National Security Site in Nye County; Savannah River Site in Aiken; Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad.
On June 5th this year, DOE announced two proposed projects under this initiative expected to produce 400 megawatts of solar power—enough for 70,000 homes—at INL site. The initiative aims for federal agencies' transition to carbon-free electricity by 2030 using federal property assets for new clean electricity generation.
On June 12th this year DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) selected Estuary Power LLC and NV Energy for negotiations on developing a solar project at NNSA’s Nevada National Security Site expected generating at least 200 megawatts of clean electricity.
On June 20th this year DOE selected Stellar Renewable Power LLC for lease negotiations on a carbon-pollution-free electricity generation project within Savannah River Site (SRS). Stellar Renewable Power LLC will negotiate deploying up-to-75-megawatt capacity with potential battery-energy storage system covering at least500 acres land SRS.DOE finalizing analysis additional solar capacity SRS expecting completion next month.
More information on Cleanup-to-Clean-Energy can be found here.
Read more about Presidential-Federal-Sustainability-Award-Winners achievements.
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