MARYLAND CLEAN ENERGY SUMMIT 2010

MONDAY, OCTOBER 4th

Baltimore Hilton Inner Harbor

REGISTER TODAY!

LIMITED SEATING! Don’t miss it!

You will want to be included in this gathering of thought leaders designed to elevate the clean energy debate in Maryland, and identify opportunities to grow businesses, create jobs, advance technology and benefit the environment!

Please visit http://www.mdcleanenergysummit.org/ to learn more!

Presentations, panel discussions and keynote speakers will focus on:

• Challenges and opportunities for project financing

• Cutting-edge research in clean energy technologies

• Opportunities to ramp up use of solar, wind and other renewable energies

• The burgeoning industry around electric vehicles and other clean transportation systems

• Conservation potential and business opportunities in Smart Grid

• New options for biofuel production and energy from biomass

• Superior energy management in the built environment

• Policy issues for clean energy ventures

Participants will identify options, issues and action strategies to produce winning outcomes for Maryland in the clean energy economy.

Speakers at Clean Energy Summit 2010 include experts from industry, academia and government with experience in the Mid-Atlantic, national and international energy markets:

• Robbie Diamond, CEO of Securing America’s Energy Future

• Bob Noun, Executive Director of External Affairs, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

• David Walls, California Building Standards Commission and implementer of the California Green Building Standards Code.

• Elizabeth Porter, Director of Corporate Energy Initiatives at Lockheed Martin

• Kevin Madden,VP of Sales, Honeywell

• Michael Mahan, Global Product Manager of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment at General Electric

• Katherine Hamilton, President of GridWise Alliance

• John Christmas, Senior Vice President of Hannon Armstrong, specializing in financing clean energy and energy efficiency ventures

Table space is available at the CONSUMER TRADE SHOW area which will be open and free to the public from 9 am to 9 pm.

Full day conference registration including the AWARDS BANQUET is only $295! Tickets can also be purchased for the banquet only for $150.

To register for Clean Energy Summit 2010, sign up for the summit’s newsletter

or get more information about sponsorship opportunities, go to http://www.mdcleanenergysummit.org/.

Maryland Clean Energy Summit October 4th, 2010

This conference brings thought leaders from industry, academia and government together to focus on the job creation and business development opportunities inherent in addressing the climate change challenge. Looking to the development of future technologies, policies, and finance - participants will identify options, issues, and action strategies to obtain winning outcomes for Maryland.


Morning panelists will build a foundation for change, covering the topics of energy as a national security concern, challenges of project finance and the policy landscape, as well as cutting edge research - some that is taking place right in Maryland! Afternoon breakout sessions and strategy sessions will be convened for conferees to participate in more in-depth discussions guiding the development of specific technologies. Topics include:

TRANSPORTATION

Getting from place to place is one of the most significant impacts on energy consumption and a large piece of the carbon footprint. Manufacturers are building the vehicles of the future! What will it take to adopt these new modes of transportation and how can we assure that we are ready for the ride?

RENEWABLES
Solar and wind power technologies are now mainstream for generation across the state but what will it take to truly ramp up capacity in the future? Panelists will examine supply chain challenges of sourcing panels; how private capital can pick up where incentives leave off; and engaging utilities in implementation of successful commercial scale projects. Qualifying installers, standardizing permitting and inspection protocols to mitigate permitting delays, and driving consumer demand are also on the agenda for this track.

ALTERNATIVE FUELS & BIOMASS
Fuels for heating, and various modes of transportation are now being developed with feed stocks that avoid the “food versus fuel” issue. How can Maryland agriculture and forestry feed stocks contribute and add value for farm operations? What feed stocks will we find for energy in waste management, and is algae the only biotech solution under development?

ENERGY MANAGEMENT & THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Energy consumption will be managed differently in the homes of the future, power distribution and security will be controlled by a Smart Grid, and distributed generation could be a game changer. As we move beyond green building technologies and towards new advancements, how can Maryland lead the way?

Consumer Trade Show Exhibits will be open to the public throughout the event.

For More Information contact MCEC at (301)738-6280 or George Lopez at (410)761-1752

Tesla Motors goes public, will partner with Toyota on all-electric RAV-4

Tesla Motors, the maker of a super-quick, long-range, all-electric sports roadster, began offering stock for sale on June 29. Tesla, which is based in Palo Alto, Calif., is the first American automaker to go public since Ford did more than 50 years ago.


Tesla, which goes by “TSLA” on the NASDAQ exchange, raised $226.1 million in its initial public offering, according to Wired.com. Its shares sold for $20.64 apiece as of July 16.

A Tesla roadster owned by Bill Clark of Maryland was one of the biggest hits at the first Solar and Wind Expo, which took place in May – especially for those persons lucky enough to go for even a brief spin in the car. The roadster can accelerate from zero to 60 in under four seconds.

In another recent development, Tesla and Toyota announced that they plan to revive an all-electric version of Toyota’s RAV4. The small SUV will combine the RAV4 body with a Tesla electric powertrain. Toyota manufactured an all-electric version of the RAV4 in the 1990’s, and a number of these cars were sold in California. An electric RAV4 owned by Robert Neighbour, a member of the Electric Vehicle Association of D.C., that he brought to The Solar and Wind Expo also drew many visitors and much attention.

Next Md. Expo set for May 13-15, 2011, plus two more possible next year

We've already started the renewable energy wheels turning for next year: The 2011 Maryland Solar and Wind Expo has been set for May 13-15, the weekend after Mother’s Day, like this year at the State Fairgrounds in Timonium.

And we're looking to take The Solar and Wind Expo to one or even possibly two additional locations next year to help further encourage the spread of renewable energy: the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pa., with a tentative date of June 10-12; and Northern Virginia, outside Washington, D.C., with that date yet to be determined.

Stay tuned to our newsletters and blogs for all the exciting news and details.

Attendees, exhibitors impressed by, get lot out of Solar and Wind Expo; Baltimore man wins electric scooter grand door prize

Attendees and exhibitors alike said they were impressed by and got a lot out of The Solar and Wind Expo, held May 7-9 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium.

“I am so glad the Solar and Wind Expo came to Baltimore,” said Jillian Borchard, a healthcare practitioner from Owings Mills. “I went to all the booths and got ideas for how to make my house less dependent on fossil fuels.”

“I was real impressed,” said Elijah Clark of Bowie, Md. The Solar and Wind Expo “was very engaging, with great speakers such as Malcolm Woolf,” head of the Maryland Energy Administration, “and lots of great information on solar, wind and other topics – and all for only $10,” said Clark, a veterans’ green jobs specialist with the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. “You are definitely ahead of the curve and should stay there,” he added.

The Expo’s exhibitors, which included many Maryland as well as national companies and organizations, were also enthusiastic about the event. “This was the most successful show we have participated in this year,” declared Susan Fausnaught, an operations specialist at A+ Solar in Darlington, Md. “There were significant numbers of attendees who had already researched different products and knew exactly what they were seeking.”

“Astrum Solar was proud to sponsor the first-ever Maryland Solar and Wind Expo,” said Vadim Polikov, Ph.D., president of the Annapolis Junction-based company. “We were able to connect with hundreds of Marylanders interested in clean energy options during the event and educate many more on why now is such a great time to go solar.”

"The Solar and Wind Expo… was the best renewable energy show we have attended, declared Gary K. Sorrelle, a wind specialist with Atech Energy of Oxford, Pa. “We were very impressed with the quality of the attendees. They came prepared to learn about and to see the latest in renewable energy equipment,” Sorrelle said. “The show was well organized. It was obvious that renewable energy was the passion of the organizers. It was not 'just another show' being put on by a show promoter.” And Atech is already looking forward to next year’s show, Sorrelle concluded.

“The number of people attending the Expo was excellent and everyone was committed to going green,” said David Woolley-Wilson, executive director of the Green Building Institute, an environmental education organization based in Jessup, Md. “Going green is gaining momentum and this is a must-attend event,” Woolley-Wilson continued.

Paul Snyder of Baltimore also had to be very pleased by the Expo’s results. Snyder won the top door prize at The Solar and Wind Expo, a Motorino all-electric scooter from Green Rider, located in the Fells Point area of Baltimore. He plans to use the Motorino for tooling around the city and some commuting.

The 2011 Solar and Wind Expo will take place the weekend of May 13-15 in Timonium – and we’re already starting to look forward to it, too.

make green a reality!
www.thesolarandwindexpo.com

The Solar and Wind Expo 2010: Large, interested crowds see cool exhibits, hear informative speakers – and ride Segways

It’s hard to believe it’s been a week since The Solar and Wind Expo 2010 wrapped up on a beautiful spring day at the Timonium Fairgrounds north of Baltimore. Throughout the three-day event, we saw large, steady crowds keeping the show’s vendors occupied, with attendees saying they were excited by what they saw and learned, and vendors commenting that visitors to their booths seemed well-informed and serious about renewable energy.

Among the highlights inside and outside Exhibition Hall:

• ATR’s innovative solar tracking device, where you could see, right before your eyes, several pole-mounted panels turning to face the sun from sunrise to sundown;

• The candy-red Tesla roadster that drew constant “oohs” and “ahhs” just sitting on the exhibition floor, and even more excitement when it left noiselessly for brief but thrilling rides, courtesy of owner Bill Harris;

• The numerous excited attendees zipping around on Segways, provided by SegZone;

• The many folks touring the Living Zero Home set up just outside the Exhibition Hall (by Daylight Solar) to get tons of energy-saving ideas, and checking out the solar-powered carport (Timber Rock) next to the home;

• The futuristic-looking Extreme Bug-E – a sleek, three wheeled electric motorcycle pulling a trailer covered with solar panels – that Charlie Garlow unveiled at the Expo and will drive across the U.S. in June;

• The visitors taking advantages of free rides to the Exhibition Hall in all-electric e-Cruisers;

• The steady flow of attendees checking out the powerful and sleek-looking Endurance wind turbine propeller prominently displayed by Atech Energy; Astrum Solar’s online calculator; Groundloop/A+ Solar’s combined wind, solar and geothermal exhibit; the Electric Vehicle Association of D.C.’s all-electric Toyota RAV-4; the U.S. Department of Energy’s informative exhibit; Green Rider’s snazzy collection of electric bikes and scooters; Viridian’s innovative model for buying renewable energy and getting off the grid; and the many other informative and interesting exhibits throughout the Expo.

The Expo was also fortunate to land three wonderful and gracious main speakers. Malcolm Woolf, director of the Maryland Energy Administration, in addition to giving a very informative presentation about Maryland’s extensive renewable energy activities (and participating in our press conference) stuck around for much of the afternoon, making himself available for the numerous folks who wanted to speak with him.

Our great keynote speaker, Mayor Bob Dixson of Greensburg, Kansas, kept a large crowd enthralled with the story of how his town was utterly devastated by a tornado three years ago, and then decided to start rebuilding as the first all-green town in America, with environmental stewardship as its guiding principle. It was one of the most inspiring talks we’ve ever heard (and one of the most inspiring people this writer has ever met), and any community or city that wants to become truly sustainable can look to Greensburg as a wonderful living laboratory and example. (For more information, visit www.greensburggrows.com.)

Paul Scott, vice president of Plug In America, first related the gripping story of how electric vehicles (EVs) such as General Motors’ EV-1, started catching on like wildfire in California in the late ‘90s, only to be squashed – literally – by the car manufacturers (also told in the documentary, “Who Killed the Electric Car?”). He then spoke of how the new generation of EVs, such as the Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt and Tesla that are coming out now, are picking up where the EV-1 left off and paving the way for a transportation future based on renewable energy. California is already developing a network of charging stations where EV owners can recharge their vehicles, and other states are going to have to do the same for EVs to truly take off and reach their potential.

And last but certainly not least, let’s not forget the many informative, well-attended seminars – all given by experts – held throughout the Expo, such as “Solar 101,” “Wind Energy 101,” “Geothermal 101,” “Intro to Going Green,” “Green Building Design,” “Why Now is the Time to Go Solar” and “Will a Wind Turbine Work for Me?”

make green a reality!

http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/

Why do we continue to ignore what is so obvious!

The huge, devastating oil spill in Louisiana, including a tragic loss of life among oil workers, has fouled thousands of square miles of water and is now threatening to do the same to the shore. Recently, 25 coal miners died in West Virginia in the worst mining disaster in decades.


The earth is bleeding oil, the sky is crying acid rain, and people and wildlife are dying because of our efforts to extract energy from it the hard way to let us maintain our modern lifestyle with all of its conveniences. What a waste, when will the public stand up against fossil fuels and start buying renewable energy products. Mother Nature has already given us the sun and wind to provide virtually all our power needs. And not only are they going to be much better for the environment and Mother Earth: Renewable energy manufacturing, installing, maintenance and related endeavors already are producing thousands of safe, well-paying jobs in the U.S. and could produce hundreds of thousands more while giving us a badly needed economic boost. It may sound corny, but solar is the new gold and wind is the new silver. Together – including other renewables such as geothermal, wave power and even biofuels – they could become an extremely valuable new energy currency.

Sadly, many other countries are realizing the vast potential of renewable energy much more than we are. In getting power from the sun, wind and other renewables, the U.S. lags behind (and in some cases far behind) nations such as Brazil, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Israel and China, to name a few. The largest nation on earth does continue to build many new coal plants for its current power needs. But it’s also going gang-busters with both large and small-scale wind and solar projects. China and these other countries realize that renewable energy and energy efficiency are the future.

The U.S. is taking steps to show that it’s seeing the light (literally) and jumping on the rapidly accelerating renewable energy train. President Obama, marking the 40th Earth Day at a wind turbine plant in Iowa, said that renewable energy will simultaneously create jobs, increase national security and help the environment. He declared, "The choice we face is not between saving our environment and saving our economy -- it's a choice between prosperity and decline." Obama predicted, "The nation that leads the world in creating new sources of clean energy will be the nation that leads the 21st century global economy." We better hurry!!
(written by George Lopez and Alan Cohen)
make green a reality!

http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/