Weathering Uncertainty: Conversations About

Climate in Nebraska

Humanities Nebraska Event, June 15 at 7 p.m.

Panelists include:

Mark McHargue, President of the Nebraska Farm Bureau
Dr. Hannah Birge, Director of agriculture for The Nature Conservancy-Nebraska
Josh Moenning, Mayor of Norfolk
Jesse Bell, Director of the Water, Climate, and Health Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
Moderator: Nebraska State Climatologist Dr. Martha Shulski

Attend in person at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln, 301 N 12th

Street or online: Register at EventBrite

Electric Vehicles In Nebraska

Conservation Nebraska Event, June 18 at 10:30 a.m.

Join Conservation Nebraska, UNL Environmental Studies Program, and panelists Chad Pinkelman (Nebraska Public Power District), Marc Shkolnick (LES), and Randy Smith (Department of Environment and Energy) for a discussion that will focus on the ins and outs of electric vehicles. The panelists will answer questions you may have about their safety, cost, recharging, heating and cooling systems etc. They will also talk about what their organizations are doing to expand the use of electric vehicles and what they see happening in the future in Nebraska. Join the event at Hardin Hall Auditorium 107 at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, 3310 Holdrege Street or register in advance here to attend via Zoom.

Wind & Solar Discussion With Nebraska

Extension Educator John Hay

Conservation Nebraska Event, June 21 at 7 p.m.

Do you have questions about wind and solar energy in Nebraska? Join Conservation Nebraska and UNL Extension Educator John Hay in Fairbury for an educational program about wind and solar energy. Learn about how the technology works, why Nebraska is seeing more investment in these energy sources, and the effects that this investment could have on Nebraska. Click here to register.

Nebraska Department of Transportation

Announcement & Survey

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) was signed by President Joe Biden in November 2021, which includes the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program. It provides states with $7.5 billion to expand the electric vehicle (EV) charging network. Over the next five years, Nebraska will have access to $30.2 million (~$6 million/year) in formula funds for EV charging infrastructure while also still being able to compete for a portion of an additional $2.5 billion in discretionary grant funding. Click here to read more and to participate in a survey. Additional recommended reading:

Biden-Harris Administration Takes Key Step Forward in Building a National Network of User-Friendly, Reliable, and Accessible Electric Vehicle Chargers, Department of Transportation
FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Proposes New Standards for National Electric Vehicle Charging Network, TheWhite House
President Biden’s Economic Plan is Working for Nebraska (1-Page PDF), The White House

Funding Available For Electric School Buses

Environmental Protection Agency News Release

“This new funding can make a big impact for children across Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska and the nine tribal nations here,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meghan A. McCollister. “I urge all eligible school districts, tribes, and school bus operators to make the time this summer to apply for Clean School Bus rebates. Applications will be accepted until August 19, 2022. Over the next five years, this program will deliver $5 billion to school districts to improve our bus fleets and improve health and safety for our kids and communities.” Click here for more information and resources.

OPPD's Greener Together Program

OPPD is accepting project applications today - August for their new

Greener Together Program

Projects must fall under at least one of the following categories; Renewable Energy, Environmental Sustainability, or Community Betterment/Education.
Funding requests must fall within a $10,000-$100,000 funding range.
To submit a project, fill out the Project Funding Application and submit all necessary documentation to [email protected]. Be sure to read the applicant requirements prior to submitting your application.
You will be notified when your project application is received along with a timeline for the project selection process

Click here for additional details.

Renewable Energy Jobs

Google Search

Solar Energy Jobs

Wind Energy Jobs

An additional search strategy is to check for jobs listings on the websites of solar and wind energy companies that have installed renewable energy projects in Nebraska.

Career Maps: The Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has created interactive and user-friendly maps to help you explore various careers in clean energy. Each map is organized into easily navigated sections based on degreed versus vocational careers, making for clearer roles and paths.

DOE Hiring For The Clean Energy Corps

The Department of Energy is collecting resumes for candidates interested in becoming part of the Clean Energy Corps via our Applicant Portal and USAJOBS. The Applicant Portal is a streamlined application process which will allow applicants to align their talents with their passion by indicating specific areas of interest and allow hiring managers throughout the agency to review applicant resumes simultaneously. Click here to learn more.

Q&A

In each newsletter we feature a question and answer about renewable energy and related issues. Please send your questions to [email protected]

Q: We plan to install solar on our home, but first we want to make it as energy efficient as possible to reduce the size of the PV system that we will need and to save money. What are some resources you recommend, including ones for lower income families?

A: This is a commendable goal. As the saying goes, "The greenest energy is that which is never used." If you have kids, consider involving them in your plans. A good place to start is to search your local utility’s website for resources, including energy efficiency tips, videos, webinars, articles, programs and rebates. Additional resources:

The Department of Energy:

Energy Saver

Energy Efficiency

Heat Pump Systems

Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy:

Nebraska Weatherization Assistance Program

Dollar & Energy Saving Loans

Two more:

Nebraska Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE)-Nebraska

More News & Resources