UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SELECTS UMD AS REGION'S NEW ENERGY CENTER

Maryland Energy Administration is partnering with the Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE) at the University of Maryland in establishing one of six Regional Application Centers for Combined Heat and Power (CHP).

Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., today announced that the University of Maryland will be home to the new Mid-Atlantic Regional Combined Heat and Power Application Center,. The Center will promote distributed heating and power technologies in six states and the District of Columbia: Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia and Virginia.

"This award recognizes the Governor's commitment to energy efficiency and the University of Maryland's technical expertise in this area," said MEA Director Michael Richard. "The Center will help lower energy costs through energy efficiency and helps maintain the electricity grid's reliability through the use of distributed energy technologies."

The University will receive funding for the Center through the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA). MEA and the University of Maryland worked as partners in seeking $300,000 in federal funding from the United States Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, (EERE). The Grant, awarded on a competitive basis, is distributed through DOE's State Energy Programs Office in Philadelphia, PA. The award of this to the CEEE reflects the history of successful CHP research that has been conducted within the Center. The Application Center will be run by CEEE staff and physically located within the Mechanical Engineering building on campus.

The role of the MAAC is to provide a central focus for the CHP industry within the region - end users, manufacturers as well as regulating bodies. The MAAC will house a database of case studies and reports completed within the region. The MAAC will actively seek partners from throughout the public and private sectors and to focus them on barriers that have been identified that hold back the wider usage of CHP technology and practices.

In addition to the grant for the CHP Center, MEA also received a $55,000 grant to support energy efficiency in industry. The grant supports the Maryland Industries of the Future (IOF) program, providing technical assistance and training to Maryland manufacturers. The goal of Maryland IOF is to encourage energy conservation and efficiency in Maryland manufacturers, which will increase their profit margins and make them more competitive.

For more information on MEA's industrial energy efficiency programs or the Combined Heat and Power Application Center please contact Christina Mudd, Assistant Director with the Maryland Energy Administration, 410-260-7184 or visit the website www.chpcenterma.org

Congratulations go to the director of CEEE, Dr. Reinhard Radermacher in bringing this center to the University.

Published September 15, 2003