New Figures Show PA Exceeds Its Goals for Solar; Among National Leaders in Solar Projects, Energy Capacity

DEP Secretary Credits Investments, Policies Leading to Expansion and Jobs in Promising Industry

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 23, 2010 Pennsylvania is now one of the leading states in the nation for clean solar energy, Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger said today while highlighting new data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

NREL's latest open photovoltaic survey ranks Pennsylvania third nationally in the number of solar projects operating today and fourth in installed capacity. According to NREL, the state now has 2,434 projects—behind only California and New Jersey—that account for 38.5 megawatts of generating capacity, or enough to power about 5,800 homes.

Hanger noted that because the survey relies on voluntarily submitted information, the state is actually doing much better than NREL's data shows. In reality, there are more than 3,000 projects online statewide that total 40-plus megawatts of capacity.

Regardless, Hanger said, the report shows that Pennsylvania has met its goal of becoming a top-five state for solar – and has done so ahead of schedule.

"When Governor Rendell took office, he said Pennsylvania was going to be a leader in the green economy," said Hanger. "NREL's latest survey shows we've done that and we've done it sooner than many thought was possible. We thought we'd be a top-five state for solar by 2011, but we've done it faster because of the pro-solar-growth, pro-solar-jobs policies and investments we've made.

"In 2004, we passed a portfolio standards law that attracted some of the world's leading renewable energy companies to our state. It also provided the assurance small businesses and entrepreneurs needed to get into the solar business or start their own companies. We also made smart, critical investments in the industry so more projects could get off the drawing board and become a reality. We now have hundreds of companies here doing work in the solar field and thousands of workers meeting the need for this clean form of energy."

The secretary said Pennsylvania now has about 600 solar businesses and another 130 megawatts worth of projects in the pipeline that should be completed by the end of 2011. According to the National Solar Jobs Census, Pennsylvania has 6,700 people working in solar jobs—second to California among all states.

He said Pennsylvania's growth was made possible because of large-scale projects across the state, as well as a growing number of homeowners and small businesses that are choosing to use solar to meet their energy needs.

Last month, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare began installing a three-megawatt system on its northeast regional distribution center in York County that, when finished, will represent the largest rooftop system in North America. In August, Crayola LLC powered up an $11.5 million, 15-acre solar farm that will produce 30 percent of the energy needed to power the company's operations in eastern Pennsylvania. The crayon maker has already announced plans to double the size of the solar system within in the next two years.

Hanger also pointed to the success of Pennsylvania's PA Sunshine Rebate Program, which has enabled more Pennsylvania homeowners and small businesses to lower their energy bills with the help of the sun's power. The $100 million PA Sunshine Program has provided more than $94 million in rebates to fund more than 4,855 solar electric and hot water projects that are either completed or under construction.

"Pennsylvanians are eagerly moving toward solar because they recognize the environmental benefits in the form of cleaner air and water, and the fact that it's a smart move for their pocketbooks, too," said Hanger. "A homeowner or business that installs a solar system today is locking in a fixed price—currently between 12- to 20-cents per kilowatt-hour—for the energy that system will create over the next 25 years. If you pay a utility for your electricity, I'll bet you won't pay in 2035 what you're paying today.

"Solar also makes greater sense because of how sharply the technology has dropped in price recently. The median installed costs for small business and residential PV projects here dropped from about $9 per watt in 2008 to as low as $6 per watt in August; the lowest-cost projects are as much as $1 per watt less than this most recent figure. Large solar projects of one megawatt or more now cost under $4.50 per watt. That's a competitive price and explains why solar is so attractive for so many."

The secretary also noted that solar power emits zero air pollution, which cuts soot, smog, mercury and heat-trapping pollution that can sicken and kill Pennsylvanians. In addition, solar power helps to keep the power grid reliable by providing more power on the hottest days of the year when very high demand can cause brownouts and blackouts.

To view the NREL rankings online, visit openpv.nrel.gov/rankings. For more information on clean energy in Pennsylvania, visit http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/.

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Salazar Announces Streamlined Permitting Process for Atlantic Coast

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today announced a major new initiative to accelerate wind development and siting along the Atlantic Coast.

Speaking at a press conference at the Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore, MD, Salazar dubbed the initiative “Smart from the Start.” The new, streamlined permitting process for offshore wind development would be “unburdened by needless red tape,” Salazar said.

Salazar was joined at the conference by Interior Department Deputy Secretary David Hayes, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement Director Michael Bromwich, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, Delaware Senators Thomas Carper and Christopher Coons, and Jim Lanard, president of the Offshore Wind Development Coalition.

The new initiative comes as a response to drawn-out process currently required to obtain the required offshore wind development permits. For the Cape Wind project in Massachusetts that process took over nine years.

As part of the “Smart from the Start” initiative, BOEMRE will work with states along the Atlantic Coast to preemptively identify areas for wind development. This process is set to being within the next 60 days, although some states, such as Massachusetts, have already gone through this process.

Lanard, who represented the offshore wind industry at the event, praised the new policy.

“Offshore wind developers and their supply chain partners need regulatory certainty as they consider when and where to invest in projects and manufacturing facilities,” Lanard said. “The steps Secretary Salazar has taken today reinforce the Obama Administration’s commitment to offshore renewable wind energy and show the industry the path to permitting and constructing these long-awaited projects, each costing more than a billion dollars to build.”

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MORNING ROUNDUP: New York Holds First Offshore Wind Task Force Meeting

Federal offshore wind planning officials met last week with New York state, local and tribal officials in the first step toward commercial leasing of the federal waters off that state, BrighterEnergy.org reported.

Similar task forces are in place in Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Virginia.

“BOEMRE created this task force to facilitate the efficient and effective review of proposed renewable energy projects on the OCS offshore New York,” said Bureau of Ocean Management, Regulation and Enforcement Director Michael Bromwich. “We will continue to work together to initiate the commercial leasing process that will enable New York to meet its renewable energy development goals and expand our nation’s energy resource portfolio.”

MA Officials Hope Cape Wind Will Draw Other Offshore Wind Business

Massachusetts state officials are that the groundbreaking Cape Wind project will help attract other wind energy companies to the Bay State, the Associated Press reported.

Ian Bowles, the state’s secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, also pointed to the almost-complete blade testing facility in Charlestown, MA.

“We’ve been aggressive in looking to grow the wind energy cluster in Massachusetts,” Bowles said, citing the attraction of Cape Wind. “Add to that a testing facility that has the largest capacity in the world for testing the largest blades in the world and you are going to see a lot of large wind blades coming into Boston.”

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2012 Energy Codes Will Achieve Greater than a 30 Percent Increase in Efficiency

The International Code Council (ICC) Final Action Hearings concluded on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010 in Charlotte NC with major endorsements for energy code changes that will achieve greater efficiency and conservation in both residential and commercial construction than at any time since the inception of energy codes in 1975.

This historic moment would not have been possible without the creation and submittal of dozens of rational, achievable code changes covering the gamut of energy efficiency and conservation. Changes came from: regional and national energy efficiency advocates and standards organizations; the construction industry; the Department of Energy; from code enforcement associations and from other individuals. All saw ways in which current requirements should be improved.

State and local governmental representatives rose to the challenges of these proposals and endorsed all important changes. Their decisions succeeded in raising building energy efficiency by more than 30 percent across the nation from energy code requirements in place in 2006, both in residential and commercial construction.

The Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership, as a member of the Energy Efficient Codes Coalition, contributed to the technical discussions in preparations of the proposed changes and helped make the case in the northeast for the importance of member state and local governments to attend these hearings and support these changes.

Maryland Clean Energy Center director to be recognized at National Press Club

Gaithersburg, Maryland, November 15.--The Maryland-Asia Environmental Partnership (MD-AEP) nominated Kathy Magruder, Executive Director of the Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) with the organization’s 2010 “Partner of the Year Award” to be presented at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. on December 2 at MD-AEP’s annual banquet.

Magruder was tapped to head MCEC just over a year ago after having been involved with sustainable economic development in the state of Maryland for over twenty years. As Executive Director of MCEC

she has worked with the MCEC Board of Directors and the MCEC Advisory Board, comprised of over 52 companies, to lead an effort to service the needs of Maryland’s energy stakeholders in the “new energy” economy.

“When I first envisioned the idea of creating a clean energy economy in Maryland, I knew we needed a strong dynamic leader to make that vision come true against all odds,” said John Spears, President of Sustainable Design Group and Founder of the Maryland Clean Energy Center. “I knew Kathy was theright person for the job and she has proven to be all I could have hoped for,” he said. During her first year, Magruder has established a network of over 400 energy companies and provided renewable energy advocacy in Annapolis, educational workshops around the state, a consumer energy audit program and business development opportunities for companies.

“I saw Kathy’s great potential when she was the economic development director in Queen Anne’s County and brought her to work with me at Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED),” said Aris Melissaratos, former Secretary of DBED. “She did phenomenal job at DBED,” he said. Magruder chaired a multi-agency task force to develop an action agenda to position Maryland to take advantage of new energy production and generation technologies as a job creation and sustainability strategy. “Kathy was always prepared. She did her research and never gave up on the task. She’s a force,” said Melissaratos.

Magruder is being recognized by the MD-AEP for her leadership in mobilizing energy stakeholders through the MD-AEP Energy & Environmental Leadership Series. MCEC joined the MD-AEP and launched a three-part outreach series this past year. The forums on smart grid, energy efficiency and renewable energy provided a platform for Maryland’s leading energy companies to engage energy stakeholders about energy policies and technologies here in the region and export and investment opportunities in Asia. “Kathy sees the whole field and openly engages all stakeholders to make a difference,” said Peter Gourlay, President of MD-AEP. “She has demonstrated the willingness to engage others without thinking about turf issues, she just cares about helping companies succeed. She is the epitome of a true leader and why we are recognizing her with this award.”

“Kathy has really been a driving force, a champion and leader for renewable energy companies in the State,” said Connie Lausten, Vice President of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, New Generation Biofuels and MCEC Advisory Board member. “Her efforts have really helped this industry to grow throughout Maryland,” she said.

“Kathy is a great visionary with the unique ability to also get the job done,” said John Congedo, President of AC- Wind and a member of the MCEC Advisory Board. “There are plenty of people with great vision, but Kathy has shown that unique ability to act on it,” he said.

Magruder will be honored on December 2 in front of over 150 public-private leaders from business, government, academia and the Asian Embassy community for MD-AEP’s 2nd Annual Energy and Environmental Leadership Series Banquet on Thursday December 2 from 6-9p.m. at the National Press Club in Washington. The evening gala will celebrate the richness of energy and environmental resources and talent assembled by MD-AEP this past year including companies with expertise in the energy, water and food network like Constellation Energy, I.M. Systems Group, AREVA, Sun Edison, FilterSure, Bluewing Environmental Solutions, Spiralcat, Skanska USA Building, and JIFSAN.

U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski has been invited to open the evening gala and Malaysia's Ambassador Dato' Sri Jamaludin Jarjis to keynote the event. Other awardees include Dr. Rita Colwell, Distinguished University Professor both at the University of Maryland at College Park and the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and Winner of the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize and Paige Bethke, Director of Talbot County Economic Development.

For information call George Lopez @ 410-439-1577 or George@thesolarandwindexpo.com
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WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? CHELSEA SEXTON WILL TELL

Plugin America founder to give keynote address at the 2nd annual Solar and Wind Expo.

Chelsea Sexton, electric vehicle’s top advocate, star of the very popular “Who killed the Electric Car” documentary film, has confirmed that she will be the Keynote speaker at the 2nd annual Solar and Wind Expo at the Timonium Fairgrounds in Maryland this coming May 14, 2011. She will relate her knowledge and personal experience to convey to Expo attendees how the future of electric vehicles is shaping.

Chelsea Sexton is a veteran clean transportation and energy advocate; her work on General Motors’ EV1 program was featured in the Sony Pictures Classics film, “Who Killed the Electric Car?” She went on to serve as Director of the Automotive X PRIZE, Senior Advisor to VantagePoint Venture Partners’ Cleantech practice, and co-founder of Plug In America, the largest consumer-oriented electric drive advocacy group. Most recently, she founded the Lightning Rod Foundation, an advisory and educational organization. Additionally, Chelsea is a Consulting Producer on Chris Paine’s next film, “Revenge of the Electric Car”.

The Solar and Wind Expo received accolades this past May when it featured another of Plugin Americas’ alumni, Paul Scott, along with Bob Dixson, the well known Mayor of Greensburg, Kansas. The Solar and Wind Expo continues to take a proactive approach at bringing top quality clean energy advocates to the east coast region.

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Governor Rendell Welcomes European Home Energy Efficiency Leader, 300-Plus New Jobs to Philadelphia Navy Yard

Harrisburg – Governor Edward G. Rendell today welcomed one of Europe’s biggest home energy efficiency companies to its new home at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, saying the company expects to hire nearly 320 workers over the next three years as it expands on South Broad Street.

The Governor said the arrival of Mark Group, based in Leicester, United Kingdom, marks the latest positive development at the Navy Yard as it continues establishing itself as one of the nation’s leading hubs for innovation in the clean energy and energy efficiency fields.

“Helping consumers reduce their energy use is one of the best things we can do to help people and employers save money while improving our environment,” said Governor Rendell. “After all, the cheapest and cleanest energy is that which we don’t use. We’ve made great strides in the past eight years to help energy users do that, but the work being done here at the energy innovation hub and by Mark Group will take those efforts to an entirely new level.

“Mark Group’s decision to locate its U.S. headquarters here and become one of the first companies tied to the Department of Energy’s energy innovation hub is an excellent partnership. Each complements the other and each offers a host of great opportunities for the other,” the Governor said.

Since its founding in 1974, Mark Group has improved the energy efficiency of more than 2 million homes and the company says it installs more than 6,000 measures every week that help consumers save. The company’s debut in Philadelphia follows its recent opening of an Australian headquarters.

The company picked the Navy Yard with the help of the Department of Community and Economic Development’s international trade office, the Governor’s Action Team, as well as the City of Philadelphia, Select Greater Philadelphia, TeamPA Foundation, and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp.

“The creation of alternative energy sources is key to America’s economic future, and Greater Philadelphia is the nation’s hub of energy efficiency research and development,” said Mark Group U.S. CEO Jeff Bartos. “We are excited to launch our business from Philadelphia and to deliver energy efficiency upgrades to homes

throughout the nation, and we thank the Rendell administration for the state’s investment in our company.”

The Governor’s Action Team offered Mark Group a $3.28 million funding offer that includes a $2 million Pennsylvania Industrial Development loan, a $500,000 opportunity grant, a $638,000 job creation tax credit, and $143,550 from WEDnet, which is a workforce web portal that is devoted to advancing the training and education needs of workers and employers in Pennsylvania.

Since 2003, the Governor’s Action Team, or GAT, has successfully completed 56 projects in Philadelphia County. The projects account for commitments of 7,342 new and 20,125 retained jobs. The commonwealth has offered more than $192 million in funding to these projects, which will leverage nearly $1.2 billion in additional investment.

Statewide since 2003, GAT has successfully completed 1,188 projects, representing commitments for 130,000 new jobs and 300,000 retained jobs. The commonwealth has offered more than $2.2 billion in funding to these projects, which will leverage more than $16 billion in additional investment.

For more information on the Governor’s Action Team and Pennsylvania’s economic development opportunities, visit http://www.newpa.com/.

 

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