ASHRAE Journal - June 2024 - 6

INDUSTRY NEWS
Government Affairs Update: Clean
Energy Tax Credits, Schools and Boilers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The buildings industry in the U.S. has
been inundated lately with several initiatives and
tools provided from the Department of Energy (DOE)
and other governmental bodies.
The U.S. Department of Treasury and IRS have
released the final rules on provisions to expand the
reach of clean energy tax credits provided by the
Inflation Reduction Act. The new rules, released on
May 10, define eligibility requirements for the energy
credits and the process to claim and receive payment
for entities such as state, local and tribal governments,
nonprofits, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories.
The White House has also made available a New
Toolkit for Sustainable and Healthy Schools in an
effort to support schools pursuing energy efficiency,
resiliency and sustainability. The Toolkit can be found
at https://tinyurl.com/K12SchoolKit and was released
in conjunction with the 2024 White House Summit
for Sustainable and Healthy K-12 School Buildings
and Grounds, which honored 13 school districts
and was held under the DOE's Efficient and Healthy
Schools Program.
The DOE also recently released a new report,
" Guidance Document on Space Heating
Electrification for Large Commercial Buildings with
Boilers, " for the application of retrofitting existing
large commercial and multifamily buildings with
a focus on fossil-fuel boilers. The DOE's Building
Technologies Office developed the document to
provide an overview for building owners, contractors
and other stakeholders involved with heating,
ventilation and air-conditioning about possible
design and purchasing decisions. The document also
contains case studies that demonstrate best practice
and lessons learned. The report can be viewed at
https://tinyurl.com/BoilerRetrofits
Feds Approve Rule to Connect
U.S. Power Grid to Renewables
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC) approved on May 13 an
electric transmission policy rule
for the planning and funding of
electric grids, aimed to develop
new high-voltage power lines and
accelerate connecting the grid to
renewable energy sources like solar
and wind.
In development for nearly two
years, the rule was passed to meet
the growing demand for electric
power and steer the U.S. toward
a decarbonized energy economy.
It marks the first time in more
than a decade that the FERC has
addressed regional transmission
policy-and the first time the
6
commission has ever directly
addressed the need for long-term
transmission planning.
By this rule, transmission operators
are tasked to conduct long-term
planning of regional electric
transmission facilities with 20year
assessments, updated every
five years. The policy also comes
with requirements for operators
to allocate financial costs between
consumers and businesses and
across state and government lines.
This action aligns with the BidenHarris
Administration's goal of
having a carbon-free economy
by 2050 and creating an electric
grid that is more resilient against
extreme weather events.
ASHRAE JOURNAL ashrae.org J U N E 2024
2024 ASHRAE CONFERENCE
ON DECARBONIZATION
TO BE HELD IN NYC
ATLANTA-The 2024 ASHRAE Decarbonization
Conference will be held in New York City from
October 21-23, 2024, and will be a meeting
between stakeholders in the built environment
industry concerning the reduction of reducing
carbon emissions from existing buildings in
cold climates. The focus for the conference
will be replicable decarbonization technical
solutions for existing large and tall buildings.
More information will be available to those
interested in attending the meeting at
https://tinyurl.com/ASHRAEDecarb2024.
If you are interested in contributing
written or recorded content for ASHRAE
Journal on decarbonization and net zero
technologies and practices, please reach
out to Journal Editor Drew Champlin at
dchamplin@ashrae.org.
https://tinyurl.com/K12SchoolKit https://tinyurl.com/BoilerRetrofits https://tinyurl.com/ASHRAEDecarb2024 http://www.ashrae.org
ASHRAE Journal - June 2024

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