Solar and Wind Expo wraps up in Massachusetts – Part Deux

Ted Dillard showing his
electric motorcycle

The 2012 Massachusetts Solar and Wind Expo will be held the first weekend of November in the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough. We are looking forward to growing the number of vendors at the show and people walking through the door by expanding on our advertizing campaign, engaging our current partners early and adding more.

Although the Expo is not for another year we stay engaged in the Massachusetts energy community and will continue our mission of promoting renewable energy any way we can. One of those ways will be to point out misinformation and injustice anytime we see it.

I recently read that the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, a Cape Wind opponent, has recently received a large contribution so it can continue to fight this much needed and good-for-everyone project. A quick search on Wikipedia revealed the following: The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit self-styled environmental organization dedicated to the opposition of the Cape Wind project^[1] and to the long-term preservation of Nantucket Sound.^[2] Alliance membership and allies include wealthy residents of Cape Cod, executives in fossil fuel industries, some local towns, Chambers of Commerce, several environmental groups, many fishing and recreation groups, and public figures including billionaire oil heir William Koch, former mining executive Doug Yearley, former candidate for U.S. President and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, the late U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, Attorney General Tom Reilly, and Congressman Bill Delahunt.^[1][3][4] Its current president is Charles McLaughlin of Harwich. Among its directors have been Dan Wolf, President and CEO of airline Cape Air, along with former candidate for Massachusetts governor and convenience store baron Christy Mihos (source: public records at the Massachusetts Division of Corporations).

A self-styled environmental organization dedicated to the opposition of the first offshore wind farm? Cape Wind is a project that is decades behind the rest of the world and would create many short and long term jobs as well as reduce our dependence on fossils. That is why the Solar and Wind Expo will continue to do its job: Pointing out issues like this, promoting and creating demand for renewables until we no longer need fossil fuels and beyond.

Vadim Polikov of Astrum Solar
demonstrates solar power to
a very interested attendee to the
Mass. Solar and Wind Expo

I want to thank the folks who helped make the Expo a success. They were instrumental in spreading the word and believed in us from the beginning:

Astrum Solar
Energy Systems & Installation
SunLion Energy Systems
Krannich Solar
Brightergy Solar Solutions
Boston Gliders
Conservation Solutions Corporation
Earthheaded
Honest Tea
EnerG Magazine
WCVB Television
WGBH Television
Green Alliance
Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston
Sustainable Leader Program
Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce
GoGreen Web Directory
Pearl’s Premium Seed

And the many who attended and are now evaluating their energy choices

Look for future blogs where we’ll tell you about plans for the 2012 Maryland Expo. We are putting together more seminars, more EVs--including the first ever Electropalooza. Electropalooza will showcase factory and homemade electric motorcycles and cars and their capabilities on a closed circuit track. Don’t miss it. Save the date!

George Lopez

  



The Solar and Wind Expo wraps up in Massachusetts and now looks to Maryland



The kids had fun on
Ted Dillards Custom



It was a beautiful weekend in Marlborough, Massachusetts, on November 4-6th. Over 2000 people interested in renewable energy came through the door and were welcomed by solar and wind energy companies, Segways, electric cars, an electric motorcycle and electric bikes.

The free seminars were very popular and all classes were well attended. The most popular classes were those on solar leasing, wind and geothermal.

The weather cooperated the entire weekend had sun and temperatures in 60s. A week earlier they had a 30-inch snowfall and all was melted by the time we arrived. The folks at the Royal Plaza Trade Center were great and treated us very well. The guys at Capital Convention Services even threw in the wall-to-wall carpeting. We extend a big thank you to Pat Silva and Erik Palm and the entire staff of the Trade Center.

A week earlier due to the storm Massachusetts had been hit with a massive power outage and the Hotel had become one of the staging areas for the reconnection efforts. While folks on TV lamented about how the electric company was not doing enough, we were treated to an incredible demonstration. I have never seen so many boom trucks in one location in my life. The parking lot had generators running around the clock with staging area for poles and other needed items. The lobby was deployment central for hundreds of workers from all over the country. The poor guys had to take their clothes with them every day because they did not know if they would come back to this hotel or another. By the time the Expo began setting up, the entire state of Massachusetts had power. My hat goes off to National Grid and all the guys who gave their all to get it done.

Now we focus on Maryland and the plans are taking shape. We are putting together a great event, bigger and better than last year. The first ever “Electropalooza” will take place in May along with the Expo. We are expecting electric motorcycles and cars from all over to descend on Timonium Fairgrounds. Stay tuned.

George Lopez

 in our Key West Headquaters.

The Annapolis boat show exhibitors are embracing Green

I feel so blessed to live a stone's throw from Annapolis and to be able to visit the biggest and oldest sail boat show in America, now in its 42nd year. Some may say that sailboats are already green because they are not fuel intensive like motor boats. They are right. But they are not stopping there; the sailboat culture embraces conservation. A tour of the Annapolis Sailboat show on Saturday was not only fun but enlightening.

The emphasis on energy saving and conservation was everywhere. The first thing we noticed was the placement of "eco-stations," trash and recycling bins that had been set up in select locations by WasteStrategies of Annapolis, Md. in partnership with Annapolis Green. They were set up to help event goers separate recyclable trash from non-recyclable waste. It was very effective; we saw person after person look at the graphic instructions and then separate their waste. It was so effective that we found ourselves clapping a couple of times.

"Our containers have received broad acceptance, at Eastport Yacht Club's Boat Show Bash, at the boat show itself and at others locations since we debuted them last month. At the Boat Show Bash we were able to recycle 50% and that was a huge success; with proper planning we will get to 75% next year," said John Nicklin, Managing Member of WasteStrategies.

Beautiful boats abound, lots of them were demonstrating small wind turbines and/or solar panels or had them as an option. We ran into Meghan Mathews of Yacht 2 Be Green, whose entire booth was dedicated to greening your yacht.

They carried LED lighting, wind turbines and all types of energy saving products and "soon will carry a line of Solar Panels," according to Meghan.

Yacht 2 Be Green also has a charitable arm called Sailors Without Borders whose mission is to have cruising sailors transport school supplies and other materials to needy kids in out of the way places.



Oyster Marine 655

 We saw a 65 foot Oyster with one of the best layouts I've seen, with a hundred-foot mast, retractable sail, it was like a big playground that would look great with me as Captain, but I digress...

We met a man who was demonstrating a neat way of recycling waste plastic.

Rod Sato, Vice President of E-N-ergy was standing next to the Blest Be-h desktop unit that can convert plastic into oil that can run generators and other engines. He was converting the plastic into something useful as we watched! The unit uses 1 kilowatt of electricity to convert 1 kilogram of plastic into 1 liter of oil, at a cost of around US $0.25. The oil can then be further refined back through the machine into gasoline, kerosene, and diesel. A small amount of ash is left over, and the off-gasses are turned into CO2 and water with a catalytic converter, or can be used to run a generator." The process is called pyrolysis- or gasification, and is a tried and true method for converting almost any type of material into energy.



BE-H

 Material is super heated in the absence of oxygen- so does not combust, but vaporizes into gas. Since there is no combustion, there are no toxic gasses released, so the process is relatively clean," said Sato.

And there were several other booths featuring eco-friendly products. Another thing we noticed was that boaters embrace non-toxic stainless steel cookware rather than non-stick cookware that was so prevalent just a few years ago.

What a great event this was, with so much promise. The oceans may soon see benefits from all the good people working together to find solutions to the waste problem that we face in the world. Next weekend we get to see the power boaters at the same venue and we will report on their achievements.

Bon Voyage!

by George Lopez

ARE WE ADDICTED TO TURM-OIL?

“The lights are on, but you’re not home…..might as well face it you’re addicted to love" (Robert Palmer) This could be the song Americans use as a theme and just replace the word "Turm-Oil for love." Ask anyone and they’ll tell you they want to live in a safe environment where their children can have opportunities they didn’t have and they want to be able to prosper. They would add that paying down our debt and reducing spending stands in the way.

So how do we make this way of life happen. It doesn't take an Einstein to come up with ways to solve some of the issues that we currently face. The first thing would be able "to live in a safe environment." Which is why we have police, fire and ambulance, doctors, FBI, CIA, Secret Service, Border Patrol and on and on; since this is part of the everyday business of having a country and the first defense, we leave this alone.

Where else can we cut? One place could be the Military. U.S. military spending – Dept. of Defense plus nuclear weapons – is equal to the military spending of the next 15 countries combined. You do not need me to tell you that we have been in a constant war stance for a long time and it may be time to stand down. Oil arguably has been the main reason for a lot of these wars: “Shortly after the Marines rolled into Baghdad and tore down a statue of Saddam Hussein, I visited the Ministry of Oil. American troops surrounded the sand-colored building, protecting it like a strategic jewel. But not far away, looters were relieving the National Museum of its actual jewels. Baghdad had become a carnival of looting.” A statement by Peter Maass, Author.

Oil comes with so many strings attached that it is almost impossible to quantify the total cost of it. But it is safe to say that, exploring, drilling, shipping, protecting against environmental damages of, defending against terrorism caused indirectly from oil here and in other countries is very expensive and has taken a heavy toll. The money we spend so foolishly could be used here, to build schools, take care of our debt to our seniors and rebuild our roads.

Oil cost money, it’s not free, pollutes and when it’s burned it’s gone. Even the local drillers that want what’s under our feet can’t guarantee no turm-oil from their operations, as we all know. We will never know what could have been if the BP oil spill had not happened. So why do we continue to talk about drilling? It’s an addiction to turm-oil.

Let’s try a different way; it’s the only thing left. We have been at the drill, drill and drill game for a long time. We will be paying for the damage this energy source created for years to come. I know that standing down means we won’t be the most powerful nation in the world with thousands of planes in foreign airfields, but we could be the most forward looking nation in the world, leading the way to a cleaner earth. Let’s spend on health, education, transportation, renewable technologies, medicine and infrastructure.

We have been toying with solar energy, wind energy, geothermal and hydro. Now we even have electric cars and we can add more public transportation that runs on clean electricity. The future does not have to include turm-oil. We need more investment in renewables not less.

By George Lopez

HEADLINES

GE Energy Enters Contracts To Supply 750 Wind Turbines

North American Windpower

by NAW Staff on Tuesday 20 September 2011 GE Energy says it has signed new contracts for 750 1.6 MW turbines for wind farms in North America and South America over the next two years. According to GE, the 1.6 MW wind turbine was launched in May and ...

New Jersey overtakes Calif. in commercial solar power

USA Today (blog)

The commercial solar market in New Jersey (aka "The Garden State") jumped 170% from the first quarter of this year to the second quarter, said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group. ...
 
GM to Build Electric Cars in China, Protect Chevy Volt Technology

Fox News

AP SHANGHAI – General Motors Co. agreed Tuesday to deepen cooperation with its flagship Chinese partner on development of electric vehicle knowhow amid pressure from Beijing to hand over proprietary technology. Investments and other details of the plan ...
 
‘The Solar And Wind Expo Massachusetts’ Coming To Marlborough In Nov
Marlborough Patch
 

The Solar and Wind Expo Massachusetts’ will take place at the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough, November 4-6, 2011. Held across the country, the Expo will expose Bay State consumers to the exciting possibility of getting energy from nature.

New York authorities offer $150m for renewable energy projects

BrighterEnergy.org

Authorities in New York are making $150 million available for renewable energy projects, funded by the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard program. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the state's Public Service ...


Constellation/Exelon deal: Reliability should be the main concern

Baltimore Sun

Now Constellation is trying to sell itself to Exelon of Chicago, and Mr. O'Malley's administration is again opposing the deal — but for different reasons than before. A consultant for the Maryland Energy Administration did mention that the $100 rate ...
 
Green jobs are real and growing, Says DOE

REVE

The US Department of Energy (DOE) appears to be trying to raise its voice over a chorus declaring green jobs as a bust and clean energy as a scam. According to the department, Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman on Thursday plans to publicly ...

Developing Renewable Energy in the Developing World



Obama's Granmother goes Solar



Renewable energy, particularly solar and wind but also geothermal and biomass among others, is growing in spite of the global economic downturn. In this rapidly evolving industry, key players have already emerged; China, the United States, Germany, Spain, Denmark and the United Kingdom. What is not often reported is that many countries in the developing world are also actively seeking to harness their renewable energy resources.

In India, the world’s largest democracy and the second most populous country, the government has created its own separate agency to spearhead the Indian renewable energy initiative. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission with the purpose of bringing solar electricity to the countryside and to establish India as a leader in the solar industry. The Ministry also has launched a nationwide initiative to promote biomass as an alternative cooking fuel. The country also has a burgeoning homegrown solar manufacturing sector with companies such as India Solar Solutions and IndoSolar experiencing strong growth.



Kenya



Another country that is making a foray into renewable energy is Kenya. The east African country has been implementing a series of feed-in tariff policies to spur investment in renewable energy, particularly solar. Kenya is the world leader in number of solar systems installed per capita (not in terms of megawatts). The number of solar panels sold annually in Kenya is over 30,000. More Kenyans adopt solar power per year than connect to the country’s electric grid. Many Kenyans install solar panels themselves and use makeshift inverters to create power.

In Latin America, Costa Rica is a renewable energy leader. Approximately 99% of Costa Rica’s electricity comes from renewable energy, principally hydroelectricity and industrial wind power. While the country does have some oil reserves on its Atlantic Coast, the government has consciously decided not to exploit them due to the environmental impact. Even though the country is reliant on imports for fossil fuels, its temperate climate does not create the demand for oil or gas heating that countries at higher latitudes experience. This means that as far as electricity is concerned, Costa Rica is essentially self sufficient and energy independent. Other Latin American countries such as Chile, Peru and Brazil are following suit and investing more capital in renewable energy projects and mandates.

Costa Rica

What can be learned from these examples? I think it showcases the ability of renewable energy to be a bridge to growth for developing countries and possibly all nations everywhere. In countries such as India, where many in the countryside still lack electricity, solar has the ability to bring them light. Similarly in Kenya, where the energy infrastructure is marginal at best, solar power can provide a quick and cost-effective alternative to generate electricity for the average citizen. Costa Rica’s self sufficient and self contained electric grid should be an inspiration to the world. If a tiny and relatively poor country can generate all its own power from renewable resources, then almost certainly a large, powerful, industrialized and wealthy country like the United States can do the same.

by Richard Harrod

Bickering between Gas and Nuclear in PA shows renewable the way

George here: Proponents of renewable energy should look to the bickering between the Gas and Nuclear industries in Pennsylvania. This story by Nell McCormack Abom on Pennsylvania's WITF TV’s Smart Talk points out that a stable energy future will not be provided by either one of these fuels. Here is a comment by George Lewis, senior manager of corporate communications at PPL Inc. that operates the Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant in Luzerne County (PPL) in the story:

"You also want to be careful not to put all your eggs in one basket because if everyone starts building natural gas plants, then the country becomes overly dependent on natural gas," Lewis adds. "And should there be disruption in natural-gas supply or not as much gas comes on the market as everyone expected, or maybe there are continuing environmental issues of extracting the gas from the Marcellus Shale region, well, if you put all your bet on natural gas then you are in another bind a few years down the road of not having the right type of fuels."

On the other side of the argument is former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, who served as the first secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is now is a strategic advisor to the Marcellus Shale Coalition. From the story:

As we debate the future of energy, fears of radiation-tainted food and water plague Japan. The government banned shipments of spinach and milk in several areas within 20 miles of the plant after tests found higher-than-normal radiation levels. They also found high levels of iodine in tap water in Tokyo and villages up to 30 miles from the crippled Fukushima plant. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have banned imports of dairy products and produce from the region of Japan near the plant.

Opponents of renewable energy, for their obvious reasons, have made the lack of job creation the reason we should stand against wind and solar. But jobs are not the main reason to go for these clean and renewable technologies. For example, if we save more money by using cheaper energy and stop importing we will see job growth and folks will have money to spend. Retirement may not be as worrisome because we will be able to save more and live for less. These two ideas alone make me salivate for renewable energy.

Governments also will save money. No more watch dogs will need to be on the payroll, keeping an eye on polluters because they will be no pollution. They talk about fewer regulations. Well guess what? Renewable energy creates very little pollution, so we can okay to fewer regulations. You get the picture. The end of the road is paved with green jobs.

See the rest of the story here:
How Japan Changes the Game for PA Energy - Smart Talk TV

witf.org

by George Lopez

GOP senator sought money from renewable energy program he now calls 'reckless'

Washington Post

David Vitter says the Obama administration has been “reckless” as it awards billions of dollar taxpayer subsidies for renewable energy projects, including a $528 million loan to a now-bankrupt California solar panel maker. ...
 
DOE Continues Loan Guarantees Despite Mounting Pressure from Republicans

Reuters

By SustainableBusiness.com at SustainableBusiness.com The US Department of Energy (DOE) finalized a $1.2 billion loan guarantee for a huge concentrating solar (CSP) plant in California this week, even as the agency came under fire for failing to ...

"The Myth of Green Jobs" is a Myth in Itself

A solar panel Installation

Green jobs and renewable energy have been the target of some economists and commentators since the mid nineteen nineties, but within the last several years their attacks have intensified. As states throughout the country begin to implement Renewable Portfolio Standards and participate in programs such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in the northeast, some think tanks have assailed the idea of the green economy as being waste of money or, worse yet, being destructive to “real” jobs. It takes little more than a quick internet search to find organizations like the Institute for Energy Research (IER) and the American Petroleum Institute who routinely seek to smear renewable energy and green jobs as a boondoggle.

Reading through their reports, it begs the question: “What is a green job?”

If you read the assortment of editorials from IER or from such newspapers as the Wall Street Journal you will be led to believe that a green job is a manufacturing job. This is because these reports almost always stick with three examples: SpectraWatt, Evergreen Solar and Solyndra who are now bankrupt. These three companies, all of whom were manufacturers of solar photovoltaic technology, were also the recipients of various forms of government aid. This, they argue, is proof positive of the hollow promise of green jobs. Green jobs are nonexistent without government aid and even with that aid, they inevitably disappear due to their inherent infeasibility.

This approach is the equivalent of arguing that because an automobile company goes bankrupt, the idea of the automobile itself is unviable. If we take the panel manufactures out of the context of the solar industry and justly place them as part of the greater US manufacturing picture, their failure is sadly par for the course. The same external market forces that put them out of business are hurting many American manufacturers; a drop in the price of raw materials and cheap labor competition from China.

Green jobs are everywhere

Hardly mentioned in those same reports are the thousands of green jobs aside from manufacturing. Across the country solar installation companies are growing. They range from large corporations with offices in many states to small family operations composed of husband and wife teams. Every one of them is a green job. The same can be said of wind turbine installers, geothermal contractors, energy auditors, biomass refiners, hydroelectric engineers and the list goes on and on. These companies have an office staff, a supply chain and salespeople. Every one of them is a green job. Even I, sitting here doing what I can to promote renewable energy, am in a green job.

The notion that only government is willing to invest capital in renewable energy is also a fallacy. Google has invested in Solar City, Citigroup has partnered with Sungevity and Constellation Energy has invested in Astrum Solar to name a few. These are all American companies investing in American companies to help them grow. All of them produce green jobs.

We can argue about the wisdom (or lack thereof) in the government’s investments in Evergreen or Solyndra until we are blue in the face, but they are not the be-all-end-all. Companies looking to lose market shares to this new power have a vested interest in disparaging renewable energy. They are trying to convince people that the old ways are still the best ways. The truth is that the sun will still be shining and the wind will still be blowing long after the last drop of oil and last unit of gas has been wrung from the Earth. The green economy and its green jobs - its “real” jobs - are here to stay.

by Richard Harrod


HEADLINES

BMW's Rolls-Royce shows electric concept car

The Associated Press

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — In yet another sign that car manufacturers are really trying to go greener, Rolls-Royce is experimenting with an electric vehicle. The mega-luxurious brand has kicked off a presentation by parent company BMW AG at the ...
 
Quick-Charging Plus Better Batteries Equals Mainstream Electric Cars

PluginCars.com

It happened 100 years ago, when the advent of the self-starter ushered in the age of internal combustion—and killed electric cars. Now, a low-cost quick charger, capable of adding as much as 100 miles of range in the time it takes to have a cup of ...
 
Electric vehicles could help store NW wind power

KPLU News for Seattle and the Northwest

Researchers have found a way to use electric vehicles to help balance wind power's inconsistency. For the power grid to work, the same amount of power must be produced as the amount that people are using at any given moment. ...
 
Department of Energy Sanctions Grant to Identify and Develop Geothermal Energy ...

AZoCleantech

By Cameron Chai Steven Chu, US Energy Secretary has declared a grant of around $38 million for a period of three years to speed up the development of potential geothermal energy expertise and to assist the country to diversify its renewable energy ...
 
US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam Add Solar Panels
Solar Novus Today

Visitors landing on St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands will notice a 1600-foot-long array of ground-mounted SolarWorld solar panels paralleling a runway at Cyril E. King Airport. The 450 kilowatt (kW) system, to be unveiled tomorrow, 14 September, ...
 
Duke Energy to Build Second Pennsylvania Wind Farm

Sacramento Bee

Duke Energy Renewables, a commercial business unit of Duke Energy, will build, own and operate the 69-megawatt (MW) Laurel Hill Windpower Project in Lycoming County. The wind farm will consist of 30 Siemens wind turbines, each capable of generating 2.3 ...

IN THE NEWS

Maryland adds $850000 for home performance rebate program; nearly 1000 have ...

Washington Post

By AP, ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland Energy Administration is adding $850000 to the state's home performance rebate program. Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown made the announcement on Thursday. The program offers a 35 percent rebate on certain home energy ...
 
O'Malley appoints electric vehicle council

Annapolis Capital (blog)

Malvin Nolen Duncan Jr., sales manager for Holt Electrical Contractors. Frederick Hilton Hoover Jr., an attorney and former director of the Maryland Energy Administration. Marisa Shockley, president of the Maryland Automobile Dealers Association. ...
 
Philips Wins Prestigious Department of Energy L Prize

CleanTechnica

Unfortunately, this light source uses 10% of its energy output for light and wastes the other 90% as heat. The the US Department of Energy (DOE) recognized that energy efficient alternatives needed to be made readily available and become the new ...
 
Road Test: 2012 Chevrolet Volt

National Post

That said, the Volt competes in a segment — extended-range electric vehicles — that it alone occupies. It earns this unique (for now) designation by being powered by a 111-kilowatt (149-horsepower) primary electric motor fed, alternately, ...
 
Solar Power for Electric Vehicles

REVE

Solar energy powered electric car chargers are bound to appease critics who say that electric cars with lithium ion batteries are as clean as the energy that feeds them. SolarCity has teamed up with ClipperCreek to provide electric car chargers ...

Renewable is the term used to describe what we do, everything else is dirty

After a long vacation following the Solar and Wind Expo Maryland and Pennsylvania, I would like to say that we are all glad to be back to work and we truly apologize for the lack of postings during this time… but the entire staff needed a break. Now we are all back at our desks and have once again plugged into the rhetoric that continues to spew out of state and national arenas.
  

If we already know the correct path to a healthier and more economical way of life, such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, biomass and so on, then why must we endure the constant barrage of confusing comments and terms by no lesser than even our own President. Mr. Obama, in his quest to please everyone, has continuously touted clean energy to include “clean” coal and nuclear. REALLY? REALLY?

We might as well include oil and shale gas in there. Oh wait, he has.

He mentioned natural gas when he called for the United States to get 80% of its electricity from a “wide range of energy sources.”

Similar to the way “Green” has been whitewashed or watered down, so have the words “Clean” and “Alternative.” It is interesting how language is constantly used to persuade the general public to abandon its quest for genuinely clean energies and instead settle for what is touted as clean, such as “clean” coal and nuclear. But the sad part is, this is only done to profit a certain group.

In a capitalist society, blaming the profiteer is a futile exercise. As a matter of fact, our system is structured to reward the risk takers, even when those rewards are not for the benefit of the whole. Just look at the banking industry. Our government is supposed to keep this in check, but as we know, it has not done a good job of it.

So again, why must we hear these terms being used by officialdom? This is not leadership. Surely it would be utopian to never have to worry about our government and to always feel protected. But the truth is that government has few checks and balances. We as a society have got to make them accountable for their lack of strength and rectitude. Another election approaches and we again will have a chance to do our duty - or sit and grumble.

Great to be back!

"make green a reality"

Visit http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/

The Solar and Wind Expo arrives in Pennsylvania

The Solar and Wind Expo will make its Southeast Pennsylvania debut in less than two weeks with exhibits, informative seminars and lots of excitement about renewable energy!

Our indoor-outdoor consumer show is uniquely devoted to renewable energy and has been created to bring the manufacturer, installer, lender and consumer together under one roof. It’s all about saving energy, saving money, and being good to the Earth.

The Solar and Wind Expo in Pennsylvania will feature companies – many of them local –knowledgeable in renewable energy solutions. Experts in this evolving field will conduct free, informative educational seminars for Expo attendees on topics such as: Benefits of Switching to Renewable Energy, Financing Programs Available Right Now, Green Building Design, Energy Affordability, Wind Power 101, The Benefits of Weatherization, Geothermal 101, and more.

The Expo, at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pa., will run Saturday and Sunday, June 11 & 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily.

Our headline speaker, Pennsylvania State Representative Chris Ross (R-Chester), will discuss his initiatives to keep the solar energy industry strong in Pennsylvania including his recently introduced legislation (House Bill 1580, the Solar Jobs Bill). Rep. Ross, along with a bipartisan group of legislative co-sponsors developed the legislation to fix the crippled solar energy credits market in Pennsylvania. It is expected to create jobs, protect Pennsylvania’s businesses, and clean up the Commonwealth’s air and water.

Rep. Ross is an environmental champion for the state, having sponsored a recently enacted bill to mandate electronic equipment recycling, and having been appointed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to serve on the agency’s Local Government Advisory Committee. The 30-member committee provides advice to the EPA on environmental issues affecting communities.
Rep. Ross will precede the keynote address by Bob Dixson, mayor of Greensburg, Kansas, a town that chose to rebuild in a sustainable manner after devastation by a major tornado in 2007. His talk is timely given the recent tornado damage in Missouri and surrounding states. Mayor Dixson will address how Greensburg rebuilt and how that experience can be a blueprint for rebuilding in the Midwest.

Mayor Dixson is a native Kansan and he has been a resident of Greensburg since 1985. Dixson took office as Mayor of Greensburg in May 2008 and he is leading the way in the process of rebuilding the community after the May 4, 2007 tornado. Sustainable building, renewable energy and “green” technologies are the cornerstones of the recovery of Greensburg. Mayor Dixson retired from the US Postal Service after 26 years after serving as Postmaster of Greensburg for 16 years and Pratt, Kansas for 6 years. He served on the USD #422 School Board for 12 years and was President for eight years.
The Solar and Wind Expo in Maryland last month was a great success with several thousand people attending, most of them already well-informed on solar, geothermal and wind energy, and interested in making an investment now. We were delighted that Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley opened the Expo with his summit on renewable energy – bringing in an additional 500 people, many of them experts in the field, to the Expo for a lively roundtable discussion.

We know that the Expo in Pennsylvania will be a success too, bringing together those who want to make the change to renewable energy with those who have the know-how and technology to help do so.

Through our partnership with enerG magazine. enerG would like to offer you a complimentary 2-year subscription!

As a Media Partner for the Solar and Wind Expo, we hope you enjoyed the event!

Click here www.altenerG.com/subscribe/form/c2ysf/ to start receiving your complimentary subscription.

enerG, now heading into its 6^th year, is an exciting bi-monthly magazine that delivers the big picture and bright future of alternative energy in North America—be part of that future now! Reaching more than 24,000 decision-makers in energy and related businesses, enerG covers all areas of alternative energy, including wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and biofuels. 
Visit our website for more information: http://thesolarandwindexpo.com/Pennsylvania.html.

See you at the Expo. Let’s make Green a Reality!

THE SOLAR AND WIND EXPO: COMING TO THE PHILADELPHIA AREA IN JUNE

Renewable Energy Experts & Exhibits

The Solar and Wind Expo is coming to Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pa., on June 11 and 12. This indoor-outdoor consumer show is uniquely devoted to renewable energy and was created to bring the manufacturer, installer, lender and consumer together under one roof. It’s all about saving energy, saving money, and being good to the Earth.

The Solar and Wind Expo – Pennsylvania will feature companies knowledgeable in renewable energy solutions. Experts in this evolving field will conduct valuable educational seminars for Expo attendees on topics such as: Benefits of Switching to Renewable Energy, Electric Vehicles, Financing Programs Available Right Now, Green Building Design, Energy Affordability in a Time of Change, Wind Power 101, The Benefits of Weatherization, Geothermal 101, and more.

The keynote speaker at The Solar and Wind Expo – Pennsylvania is Bob Dixson, Mayor of Greensburg, Ks. In 2007, this Midwestern town was decimated by an F5 tornado. The Mayor and township decided to make the best of a terrible situation and rebuild using all renewable and alternative energy practices. The result was more than just LEED certification for a few buildings. Instead, the majority of the town’s structures were rebuilt to the LEED Platinum standard, the highest rating granted by the United States Green Building Council. As the first town in the country to go entirely green, Greensburg is a shining example of how becoming sustainable is both viable and economically beneficial.

“Never has there been a better time for this kind of show in Pennsylvania,” said George Lopez, executive director of The Solar and Wind Expo. “The technology is maturing and becoming more affordable and there is consumer interest in saving money and reducing the carbon footprint. Now is the time to make these investments, and the Valley Forge Convention Center on June 11 and 12 is the place to learn more.”

Expo hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 if purchased online. Children under 12 admitted free.

More information is available at thesolarandwindexpo.com/Pennsylvania.html

SOLAR AND WIND EXPO OFFERS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY EXHIBITS AND SEMINARS

Second Annual Expo brings consumers and experts together, May 13-15, Timonium Fairgrounds

Expo opens with Governor Martin O’Malley’s Energy Summit: A Roundtable on Maryland’s Energy Future

From Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s roundtable on the future of renewable energy in Maryland, to a keynote address on electric vehicles, to exhibits by national solar and wind energy companies to fun rides on all-electric Segways, there is something for everyone at the Second Annual Solar and Wind Expo, held May 13-15 at the Timonium Fairgrounds.

Governor O’Malley will open the Expo at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, May 13, with his energy summit, a review of strategies, and a discussion of industry trends and opportunities. The governor seeks public input on Maryland’s energy future as we continue to create a smarter, greener, more sustainable and prosperous Maryland.

 “The Solar and Wind Expo is a clearinghouse of information for the public on the latest news and information regarding green energy,” said Solar and Wind Expo Executive Director George Lopez. “This is the right time to bring consumers and experts together, given technology advancements and government financial incentives. There are affordable technologies on the market right now so we want to show the public that the time for these investment is now.”

Chelsea Sexton, the electric vehicle’s top advocate and star of the popular “Who Killed the Electric Car” documentary film, will present the keynote address on Saturday, May 14, at noon. She will update Expo attendees on the future of electric vehicles. Sexton is a veteran clean transportation and energy advocate. She has served 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. She founded the Lightning Rod Foundation, an advisory and educational organization. Sexton is a Consulting Producer on Chris Paine’s just-released film, “Revenge of the Electric Car.”

Consumer seminar topics include topics such as:

·        Benefits of Switching to Renewable Energy

·        Solar, Wind and Geothermal Power and Why Now is the Time

·        The Consumer’s Checklist for Saving Energy and Sustaining our Environment

·        Financing Programs Available Right Now

·        Solar Purchasing Plans to Fit Your Budget

·        Benefits of Weatherization

·        Energy Efficiency/Clean Energy Quiz

·        Solar Water Heating: A Mature Technology with Enormous Potential

·        Community-Initiated Solar PV Systems Using a Power Purchase Agreement

·        Green Building Design

·        Design, Procure, and Construct an Innovative Renewable Energy System

The Expo will host seminars for renewable energy professionals on Friday, May 13.

The Solar and Wind Expo received accolades from Expo attendees and exhibitors in May 2010 when it brought top-quality clean energy advocates to consumers in the east coast region. This year’s Expo promises to do so again.

The Solar and Wind Expo’s hours are 9:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Friday, May 13, and 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 14 & 15. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 if purchased online; children under 12 admitted free. Discounts are available online.

 
Information is available at www.thesolarandwindexpo.com.

SunRun Report Exposes $1 Billion in Unnecessary Solar Costs

SunRun, the nation’s leading home solar company, today released an official report on how local governments can save $1 billion over the next five years and make solar affordable for 50 percent of American homes. The report, “The Impact of Local Permitting on the Cost of Solar Power,” reveals that inconsistent local solar permitting and inspection processes add an average of over $2,500 per home installation. A direct response to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) request for granular data on non-equipment solar costs, the report specifies how the DOE can take immediate action to solve local permitting problems and reduce unnecessary costs.


“Every city and town has its own set of regulations and requirements for solar installations. Our research identifies inconsistencies in local permitting as one of the most critical roadblocks to a sustainable, subsidy-free solar industry,” said SunRun CEO and Co-founder Edward Fenster. “To tackle this challenge head-on, the DOE can use existing guidelines it has already funded to standardize local permitting and deliver the equivalent of a new $1 billion solar subsidy over five years.”

In the report, solar installers nationwide say repeatedly that local permitting is the most stubborn cost they face, preventing them from making solar affordable for millions of Americans. By comparison, countries such as Germany have simpler processes that keep solar installation costs 40 percent lower than in the United States. Germany reports about one million new home solar power installations in the past two years alone, whereas the total number of homes ever to go solar in the United States has just broken 120,000. SunRun’s report recommends the DOE lead a new Residential Solar Permitting Initiative, starting with high-volume cities that impact more than 50 percent of the solar market. The recommendations include a contest with grant rewards for cities that make the most effective and comprehensive improvements.

“Local permitting red tape keeps solar off of millions of American homes and businesses and seriously jeopardizes our ability to be competitive with entrenched fossil fuels,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA. “Policymakers need to recognize that these additional costs put an undue burden on new, clean technologies like solar that are trying to create jobs in the U.S.”

"As a Solar America City, we recognized early on that a more efficient permitting process would improve the rate of solar deployment and contribute to market transformation of solar,” said Kristin Sullivan, program director of the Philadelphia Solar City Partnership Program. “We’ve instituted multiple improvements to help the solar industry without compromising safety or requiring additional city staff time, including reduced permitting fees and a streamlined process for projects under 10kW.”

Endorsements for SunRun’s report underscore the industry’s sense of urgency when it comes to standardizing the permitting process. A coalition of 22 leading installers from across the country endorses this paper, as well as industry organizations such as The Sierra Club, SolarTech, and Vote Solar. The report is currently under review with the DOE and available at www.sunrunhome.com/permitting.

"make green a reality" visit http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/ 

Solar Installation at Perdue to be One of East Coast’s Largest

Perdue, Washington Gas Energy Services and Standard Solar Partner to Develop Solar Power Project Spanning Two States

More than 11,000 solar panels will be installed at two Perdue facilities this summer, resulting in one of the largest commercially-owned solar power systems in the eastern United States.


Perdue has entered into a 15-year agreement with Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc. (WGES) to purchase electricity generated by the solar panels at guaranteed prices.


Typical ground mount Solar panels


By September 2011, Standard Solar Inc. of Rockville, Md. will install the ground-mounted solar panels, covering the equivalent of approximately 10 football fields, on Perdue property. Almost half will be at the Perdue corporate offices in Salisbury and will be visible to passers-by on westbound U.S. Route 50. The others will be at the company’s feed mill in Bridgeville, Del.

The systems, which will be owned and operated by WGES, will generate an average of 3,700 megawatt hours of electricity each year, or the amount of power used by 340 typical U.S. homes. At peak production, the panels will produce as much as 90 percent of the electrical demand for each facility.

“Stewardship is one of our company’s core values, so this is a perfect fit for the way we do business,” said Steve Schwalb, Perdue’s Vice President of Environmental Sustainability. “Using solar power means we’ll have a clean energy source that doesn’t pollute or create greenhouse gases, while lowering Perdue’s energy costs over the life of the project.”

Schwalb estimated the clean electricity from the solar panels will reduce Perdue’s carbon footprint by 3,000 tons per year, the equivalent of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from 300,000 gallons of gasoline per year, or nearly 4.5 million gallons through the life of the contract.

The agreement is Perdue’s latest step in its commitment to being environmentally friendly. Last year, Perdue announced a renovation of its corporate office that is expected to earn a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Gold rating for environmental leadership from the U.S. Green Building Council. Three years ago, Perdue signed a first-in-the-industry Clean Waters Environmental Initiative with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help poultry growers adopt best pollution prevention practices. Ten years ago, Perdue built the nation’s first commercial poultry litter processing plant, the only process that is verifiably removing excess nutrients from the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

“By hosting this project, Perdue is also helping both Maryland and Delaware achieve their statewide solar energy goals,” said Harry Warren, president of WGES of Herndon, Va. “The Maryland and Delaware Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards Acts call for a growing contribution from solar energy each year through at least 2022, and Perdue’s project will contribute significantly to Maryland’s and Delaware’s total solar power production goals for 2012 and beyond.”

“We applaud Perdue for taking such a significant step toward energy independence and are pleased to be part of one of the largest solar installations on the East Coast,” said Scott Wiater, President of Standard Solar.

Visit Standard Solar at the Solar and Wind Expo in May and June, for details visit http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/

DCED Releases Land Use and Growth Report to Aid State, Local Planning

The Department of Community and Economic Development today issued a report that shows how Pennsylvania will look, demographically, in the next 10 years, and how it has changed in the past five years.

The 2010 State Land Use and Growth Management Report, prepared by DCED's Governor's Center for Local Government Services and PB Americas Inc., was presented during the State Planning Board meeting in Harrisburg.

"This report takes an in-depth look at statewide and regional growth and development patterns," Governor's Center for Local Government Services Executive Director Fred Reddig said. "It will be a vital tool in assessing trends and barriers related to land use, population and development and will be a tremendous resource in mapping out future growth opportunities for Pennsylvania."

Reddig said the report is intended to promote a policy approach to land use and growth management. The hope is that the recommendations detailed within the report will be used as guidelines and best practices.

The report is statutorily authorized to be updated every five years and is available at www.newpa.com/center. The 2010 report builds on the inaugural 2005 report and includes an evaluation of the primary land use issues, significant historic and projected trends, and statewide and regional development patterns.

Major findings in the report include:

• Between 2000 and 2010, Pennsylvania's population grew three times slower than the national average.
• Between 1990 and 2007, population increased by 4.6 percent, yet the state experienced a 10.9 percent increase in the number of housing units and double the amount of developed land during that same time frame.
• Due to the recession, residential building permits in 2008 and 2009 reached 50-year lows.
• Pennsylvania ranked 47th in the nation for natural population increase (the addition of births and subtraction of deaths) between 2000 and 2009. Pennsylvania's population increased by 323,696, and 55 percent of those new residents arrived from other countries.
• Today, one out of every five Pennsylvanians is over age 60. By 2020, this age group will make up one-quarter of the population.
• In 2008, 44.5 percent of the state's municipalities were operating with a deficit. Compounding this is a backlog of infrastructure repair needs. Annual unmet transportation needs are estimated to total $2.3 billion, rising to $5 billion by 2020. Water and wastewater systems have combined capital needs of $36.5 billion in the next 20 years.

According to the report, changing demographics suggest there is an emerging market for development that is green (energy and environmentally conscious) and walkable (compact, affordable, mixed-use, and favoring pedestrians) to reduce unnecessary sprawl and consume less land and infrastructure.

The report also recommends providing financial and technical assistance to help local governments address the impacts of Marcellus Shale and the natural gas industry; initiating a state effort to integrate natural resource and farmland protection programs; and strengthening infrastructure financing programs.

"make green a reality" visit http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/