WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that 34 projects in 27 states have been selected to receive $29 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to develop and expand weatherization training centers across the country. According to DOE, these projects will provide green job training for local workers in energy efficiency retrofitting and weatherization services, and help expand the use of energy efficient practices in homes and businesses.

This funding will support the expansion of eight existing weatherization training centers and the establishment of 26 new training centers, more than tripling the number of DOE-funded weatherization training centers nationally. DOE said the 34 programs will significantly expand access to weatherization training, while improving the quality and consistency of training nationwide.

The training programs will support a range of public and private energy efficiency efforts, including the Department’s Weatherization Assistance Program, which DOE said has already funded the weatherization of nearly 200,000 homes since last February, using both Recovery Act and annual program funds.

The weatherization training centers are part of the Department’s broader Training and Technical Assistance program for weatherization, including a variety of online tools, a national training platform, certification and accreditation standards, program evaluations, quality assurance reviews, and peer mentoring.

For more information on the Weatherization Assistance Program, visit www1.eere.energy.gov/wip/wap.html.

Publication date: 06/21/2010