RESOURCES

Use these as a starting point, then see what else you can find.  Use a search engine such as Yahoo! or Google...

References and Resources

General Resources

•  Federal government

  • Department of Energy (DOE): http://energy.gov/

    • Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy: http://www.eere.energy.gov/

    • Office of Science http://science.energy.gov/

    • Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy http://arpa-e.energy.gov/

    •  Smart Grid: http://www.smartgrid.gov/

    • Alternative Fuels Data Center: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/

    • National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL): http://www.nrel.gov/

    • Sandia National Lab: http://energy.sandia.gov/

    • Energy Information Agency: http://www.eia.gov/

    • Annual Energy Outlook report: http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/index.cfm

    •  Illinois state energy profile: http://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=IL

  • Congressional Research Service reports (search for reports energy, renewable energy, etc.)

    • https://opencrs.com/

    • http://www.phibetaiota.net/2013/07/congression-research-service-catalog/ (scroll down to “Energy” section)

    •   http://digital.library.unt.edu/explore/collections/CRSR/browse/

•  Other
  • NPR Energy News: http://www.npr.org/sections/energy/
  •  California Energy Commission – Renewable Energy: http://www.energy.ca.gov/renewables/
  • Illinois Power Agency: http://www2.illinois.gov/ipa/Pages/default.aspx
  •  Illinois Renewable Energy Association: http://www.illinoisrenew.org/index.html
  •  National Council for Science and the Environment: http://www.ncseonline.org/
  • Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency: http://www.dsireusa.org/
  • National Energy Policy Institute: http://nepinstitute.org/
    •  http://nepinstitute.org/publications/building-americas-energy-future-a-portfolio-of-promising-policies/
  •  Renewable Energy World: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com
  • Mother Earth News – Renewable Energy: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy.aspx
  • World News Network – Renewable Energy: http://renewableenergy.com/
  • ComEd: https://www.comed.com
    •  Smart Grid: https://www.comed.com/technology/smart-grid/
    • Residential Real-Time Pricing Program: https://rrtp.comed.com/
  •  Excelon: http://www.exeloncorp.com
  • Ameren: http://www.ameren.com
    • Sustainability: http://www.ameren.com/Sustainability/Pages/SustainableActivities.aspx
  • Power Grid applet: http://tcipg.mste.illinois.edu/applet/pg#

Efficiency & Home-Use & Policy

• Energy Efficiency
  • DOE, Reducing Your Energy Use: http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/reducing-your-electricity-use
  •  DOE, Home Energy Audits: http://energy.gov/public-services/homes/home-weatherization/home-energy-audits
  • DOE, Home Efficiency: http://energy.gov/public-services/homes
• Home Electricity Generation
  • DOE, To Generate or Not to Generate: http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/generate-or-not-generate
  • DOE, Home Energy Installations: http://energy.gov/articles/solar-wind-hydropower-home-renewable-energy-installations
  • Homepower Magazine: http://www.homepower.com/
  • Generating Off-Grid Power: The Four Best Ways: http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/generating-off-grid-power-the-four-best-ways.html
  • Living off the Grid: http://www.todayshomeowner.com/living-off-the-grid-generating-your-own-electricity/
• Energy Policy
  • The Effects of State Laws and Regulations on the Development of Renewable Sources of Electric Energy: http://nepinstitute.org/publications/the-effects-of-state-laws-and-regulations-on-the-development-of-renewable-sources-of-electric-energy/

Source-specific Resources:

• Solar
  • DOE, Sunshot Initiative: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/sunshot/
  •  Solar Energy International: http://www.solarenergy.org/
    • Solar Calculator: http://www.solarenergy.org/solar-calculator
  • Solar Electricity Handbook
    • http://solarelectricityhandbook.com/
    • http://books.google.com/books/about/Solar_Electricity_Handbook.html?id=7OYRgoCFD3cC
  • Home Solar
    • http://solarpvhome.com/
    •  DOE, Planning a Home Solar Electric System: http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/planning-home-solar-electric-system
    • Solar Leasing for Residential Photovoltaic Systems http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/43572.pdf
  •  Solar Powered Classroom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lGjOtIQ1YQ
  • SREC trading: http://www.srectrade.com
  • Solar Panel Sources
    • http://www.homesolarpvpanels.com/
    • http://www.amerescosolar.com/
    • Sunrun Solar Leasing: http://www.sunrunhome.com/solar-lease
    • http://www.certainteed.com/en-US/SolarRoofing
• Wind
  • DOE, Wind power: http://energy.gov/science-innovation/energy-sources/renewable-energy/wind
  • Illinois Wind: http://www.illinoiswind.org/
  • NREL, Wind Research: http://www.nrel.gov/wind/
  • American Wind Energy Association: http://www.awea.org/learnabout/
  •  http://bergey.com/
  • National Wind Watch: http://www.wind-watch.org/  (this group opposes large scale wind turbine development)
• Water Power
  • DOE, Hydropower: http://energy.gov/science-innovation/energy-sources/renewable-energy/water
  • DOE, Microhydropower Systems: http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/microhydropower-systems
  • Small Hydro and Low-Head Hydro Power Technologies and Prospects: http://nepinstitute.org/get/CRS_Reports/CRS_Energy/Renewable_Fuels/Small_hydro_and_Low-head_hydro_power.pdf
  • NREL, Water Power: http://www.nrel.gov/water/
•  Fuel Cells
  • Fuel Cell Efficiencies: http://www.nrel.gov/ncpv/images/efficiency_chart.jpg
  •  NREL, Hydrogen & Fuel Cells: http://www.nrel.gov/hydrogen/
  • DOE Fuel Economy: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hydrogen.shtml
  • DOE Hydrogen & Fuel Cells: http://energy.gov/public-services/vehicles/hydrogen-fuel-cells
  •  Fuel Cells 2000: http://www.fuelcells.org/
  •  http://www.hydrogen-fuelcells.com/
• Geothermal
  •  NREL, Geothermal: http://www.nrel.gov/geothermal/
• Biomass
  •  NREL, Biomass: http://www.nrel.gov/biomass/
  • Ethanol Laws and Incentives: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/laws/3252
  • DOE Fuel Economy: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/ethanol.shtml
  • In Drought, Should Corn Be Food Or Fuel?