The Oklahoma State Energy Office strives to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable resources across the state by providing information, training, and technical assistance to energy users and developers. Most of the projects/programs administered by the State Energy Office are federally funded through the U.S. Department of Energy's State Energy Program (SEP).
Here you'll find news, updates on energy policy changes, industry events, and opportunities that drive the energy efficiency and renewable resource development efforts throughout Oklahoma. Follow the links below to learn more about the State Energy Office and find the resources you need to lower your energy use and costs, participate in the development of renewable energy, and more.
New Survey on Alternative Fuels Targets Permitting
July 23, 2008 -- A recent survey of the Research Advisory Committee for the Southern Common Market on Alternative Fuels found permitting of fuel plants and service stations to be the #1 regulatory barrier to advancing the alternative fuel industry.
The committee consists of the best public and private sectors experts in the region and is a project of the Southern Technology Council. 54 advisory committee members took part in the survey.
OSU Biofuels Team Helps Shape Future Energy Needs
July 21, 2008 -- Traditional economies may suggest that bigger is better, but the Oklahoma State University Biofuels Team has received widespread recognition for cautioning that is not the case with all forms of renewable energy.
"Our vision of the future intersection of energy and agriculture involves a decentralized energy production system," says Danielle Bellmer, OSU Food Processing Engineer with the Robert M. Kerr Food and Ag Products Center and Coordinator of the team’s development efforts with sweet sorghum ethanol.
Commerce Touts Wind Industry's Economic Development Potential
July 15, 2008 -- Representing tremendous economic development potential, Oklahoma could lead the nation in wind energy production by 2030. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce and its statewide network of partners plan to advocate, promote, and incent Oklahoma's wind energy industry right to the top.
OGE Energy Corp. and Electric Transmission America Announce Plan to Build 765 kV Lines in Western Ok
July 15, 2008 -- OGE Energy Corp. and Electric Transmission America (ETA), a joint venture of subsidiaries of American Electric Power and MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., have announced the companies have formed Horizon Transmission LLC to construct high-capacity transmission line projects in western Oklahoma.
"Oklahoma again has an opportunity to grow its economy while delivering a highly valued resource to our region," says Pete Delaney, Chairman, President and CEO of OGE Energy Corp. "This time, it’s the clean and renewable energy resource provided by the consistent winds present in western Oklahoma."
OGE will own 50% of the Horizon Transmission LLC joint venture.
OCCC Gives Wind Energy a Boost
July 14, 2008 -- On the heels of news that oilman T. Boone Pickens and others are backing wind power as an important energy source, Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) is announcing the addition of a one-of-a-kind program to train wind power technicians.
"With additional wind farms being built in west Texas and western Oklahoma, the students in this program will be able to immediately get to work in this important industry," says John Claybon, OCCC Corporate Learning Consultant.
Wind: The next big energy strike?
By Robert Barron, Enid News and Eagle
(Reprinted with permission from the Enid News and Eagle; Original publication date - Sunday, June 29)
July 1, 2008 -- Northwest Oklahoma has been a location for oil and gas activity for years, but it also may be the home for the next big energy strike -- wind energy.
At least four companies currently are negotiating for leases to erect wind turbines to provide wind energy. GE, TradeWind Energy, Wind Energy Prototypes and Renewable Energy Systems are working in the northwest Oklahoma area, with a number of leases obtained in the Breckinridge, Garber and Hunter areas.
Sources at Trade Winds Energy said there also has been interest in Grant County.
Study Reveals Tax Revenues from Wind Farms Offset Tax Incentive
June 30, 2008 -- GE Energy Financial Services, a unit of GE, has unveiled a study estimating that the federal tax incentive for wind energy projects, which is set to expire Dec. 31, more than pays for itself through tax revenues from the projects' income, vendors' profits and individual workers' wages.
The study, released at the American Council on Renewable Energy's Renewable Energy Finance Forum in New York, estimates that wind farms built in 2007, supported by the production tax credit (PTC), carry a net present value benefit to the U.S. Treasury of $250 million.
Weatherization Program Promotes Energy Efficiency
June 4, 2008 - A weatherization program sponsored by the Department of Commerce could help low-income homeowners save as much as 35% on heating and cooling costs.
"Between utility prices, gas prices and food prices, we've seen a huge squeeze on low-income families," says Marshall Vogts, Programs Coordinator for Commerce.
OG&E Unveils Plan for Green Energy
May 20, 2008 -- Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. (OG&E) is proposing to build a $211 million high-capacity line that would allow its customers to choose "100 percent green" in their electricity buy. The proposed line would be built between Woodward and Oklahoma City.
OG&E says it wants to begin providing a renewable energy option, and the line is an important first step.
"OG&E is seeking permission to not only build the infrastructure requested to provide a much greater supply of wind energy, but ... to enable our customers to be 100 percent green in their electricity purchase," says Pete Delaney, OG&E Chairman, President and Chief Executive.
Biofuels Get Boost with New OSU Lab
May 13, 2008 -- The development of biofuels in Oklahoma is getting a high-octane boost thanks to a new $1.2 million bioenergy laboratory under construction at Oklahoma State University (OSU), west of the Stillwater campus.
The 3,000 square-foot, state of the art laboratory is being funded by OSU and the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station.
"I applaud OSU for its breakthrough work in bioenergy," says Governor Brad Henry. "This new facility will enhance Oklahoma's collective ability to make more rapid progress in solving widespread energy needs, lessening national dependence on foreign oil, and strengthening the state's energy industry."
For more information or help deciding which combination of incentives to use for your project, contact Carolyn Sullivan, 405-815-5347 or the Fast Forward Team, 800-588-5959.
New FAQ on the Renewable Fuel Standard
The EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality has added an updated series of Questions and Answers on the implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard. A copy of this document may be found at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/renewablefuels/
420f07041a.pdf.
To assist more families and provide addional energy conservation improvements, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce established the Energy Conservation Assistance Fund (ECAF).
Besides energy savings for low-income families, the weatherization of 1,400 homes each year across the state creates local jobs and annually funnels millions of dollars into Oklahoma's economy. The purchase of materials used in weatherization support local manufacturers and businesses in every county. For every $1 invested in the program, weatherization returns $1.53 in energy-related benefits.
With your donation to ECAF, you can help ensure this valuable service is available for eligible Oklahomans. Also, you and your company may receive a 50% tax credit against your Oklahoma tax liability.
Please send your check to: Energy Conservation Assistance Fund, Community Development Division, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, 900 N. Stiles, Oklahoma City, OK 73126. For more information, call 800-879-6552. More on the Weatherization Assistance Program
Featured Link: Discussion Guide for Community Forums on Energy
Developed by the National Issues Forum and the Kettering Foundation, this guide takes three approaches to stimulating discussion: (1) discusses reducing America's dependence on foreign oil; (2) looks at reducing the use of fossil fuel because of environmental concerns; and (3) examines reducing America's demand for energy in general.
The guide includes in-depth descriptions on how to address the problem and a moderator's guide for those leading the discussion. More Information & Order Forms
Online State Energy Profiles
Visit http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/ to read comprehensive state energy profiles, featuring statistics on traditional and alternative energy production and consumption. The new site, launched by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), also provides a map of energy infrastructure and renewable energy potential.
Featured Link: DOE Offers Ethanol Development Guidelines
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently released an agenda for developing cellulosic ethanol as an alternative fuel to gasoline. The 200-page scientific "roadmap" identifies the specific research required for achieving the long-term goal of producing clean biofuel from cellulose, the fibrous and generally inedible portions of plant matter.
Production challenges addressed in the report include creating new methods and processes for large-scale production; developing better processes to break down cellulosic material into sugars; and optimizing fermentation processes to convert those sugars into ethanol.
Related Content: The first edition of the Biomass Energy Data Book, a convenient reference for information and statistics on the industry ranging from feedstock production to end uses, is also available online.
Energy Star: Take the Lightbulb Challenge
Saving energy and money is as easy as changing out old lightbulbs with those sporting the Energy Star label. Visit the Energy Star website to take the challenge and find out more!
The Oklahoma State Energy Office strives to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable resources across the state by providing information, training, and technical assistance to energy users and developers. Most of the projects/programs administered by the State Energy Office are federally funded through the U.S. Department of Energy's State Energy Program (SEP). 
