NGT News December 23, 2020 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded approximately $6 million to five organizations that will develop training programs for emergency responders, building managers and owners, and other officials interacting with alternative-fuel vehicles and their chargers, solar energy and storage systems, and energy-efficient building technologies. Led by or working with professional associations, work done through these projects could educate hundreds of thousands of U.S. safety and building workers. These professionals are at the front lines as more solar systems are built, more vehicles run on batteries and nontraditional fuels, and more buildings become “smarter” and more energy-efficient. A well-trained workforce familiar with clean energy will improve safety, expedite permitting, reduce liability and insurance costs, and increase consumer confidence.