London, U.K. — As The New Economy announces the winners of the Cleantech and New Energy Awards, governments and organisations have made it clear that energy providers’ strategies are still fundamental to the future of business development.

The two-day blackout experienced across two thirds of India in July illustrated that the nation’s power demands rest on a knife edge. In a country whose cities use an estimated 40 percent of electricity on air conditioning to make working life tolerable, intelligent solutions are clearly required to utilise available energy to maximum efficiency. And India is far from the only country in this situation.

With the need for a smarter use of resources to meet ever-growing demands, the Cleantech and New Energy Awards 2012 offer commendation to the companies and projects whose work is pioneering new ways of generating energy and efficiency in energy usage. Their ingenuity in the field offers a brighter prospect for the use.

The award winners represent a large spectrum of intelligent ideas for the creation and saving of energy and resources. From better ways to preserve water to creating power via hydroelectricity, The New Economy has evaluated the projects that will serve and impact on the way of life well into the next century. The winners represent the companies who are delivering progress in this area while considering our relationship with the environment at the same time.

The Clean Tech and New Energy Awards 2012 also celebrate the companies who have pursued new thinking for existing technologies. Focusing on efficiency, these winners have demonstrated their excellence through projects such as achieving greater power generation from wind turbines and developing higher-yielding and less costly solar panels.

The New Economy presents these well-earned accolades and offers its warmest congratulations to all winners and looks forward to a brighter future they offer us.

The full announcement of The Clean Tech and New Energy Awards 2012, along with articles on some of the winning technologies, can be found in the Autumn edition of The New Economy in shops now. To see a full listing of award winners please visit their site.

World News Media is a leading publisher of quality financial and business magazines, enjoying a global distribution network that includes subscriber lists of the most prominent and senior decision-makers around the world, as well as comprehensive airport, hotel and conference site distribution.

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Huddersfield, England — Over the last few years many different companies have sprung up around the UK, all offering the same thing: solar panels.

Apollo Energy Technologies (formally Apollo Solar) are part of this industry, but also realise that carbon reduction is more than just installing solar panels. With this in mind, they evolved their business to offer customers independent advice on a range of alternative power technologies.

“We’re proud of our solar past,” states David Shaw, Operations Director “but when you look into our past, don’t just look at solar panels, look at the combined 50 years’ experience we have in electrical and mechanical engineering and renewable energies. Then you’ll realise how passionate we are.”

Indeed, Apollo Energy Technologies are a hub of products and information, not just installing renewable technologies but also offering a free energy audit to businesses in order to establish where they can reduce usage, save money and/ or make money.

“We don’t want to be the sort of company that say ‘you need this product’ we want to be the sort of company businesses can trust to give unbiased advice about the best way to save energy. We’re not tied to any one supplier or technology so our advice is independent.”

One business which understands the benefit of Apollo Energy Technologies’ expertise are a well known lace manufacturer in Somerset, who recently engaged in a GBP600k solar and biomass package. This investment saw them not only reduce their carbon emissions but also their dependence on oil and energy companies, future proofing their business.

As well as this, Apollo Energy Technologies offers favourable business finance options, which together with government incentives guarantees you get at least a cash neutral, if not a cost positive investment.

“There really has never been a better time to invest in green energy technologies.”

Although domestic renewable power has suffered from reduced pricing options from the government, large commercial funding has not been affected and there is no better time for businesses to invest in renewable energies.

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Minnesota, U.S.A, — For more than three decades, Minnesota Farmfest has been a destination for thousands of local residents, regional farmers, top producers, academic leaders, politicians and agriculture organizations and associations. This year’s event kicks off Tuesday, August 7  at the Gilfillan Estate, seven miles southeast of Redwood Falls, Minnesota.

In addition to political forums, issues affecting farmers will also be debated. The first – Water Quality Initiatives – will be led by Linder Farm Network Farm Director Lynn Ketelsen on August 7  at 1:15pm. The panel includes top ag policy makers including Dave Frederickson, MN Commissioner of Agriculture; Kevin Paap, President, MN Farm Bureau;  Doug Peterson, President, MN Farmers Union; and Lawrence Sukalski, Chairman, MN Ag Water Resource Center.

“Once again, Kent Thiesse has done an incredible job at putting together our Minnesota Farmfest forums,” says Raymond Bianchi, vice president and group show director of IDEAg. “These forums offer attendees access to policymakers that need to hear from them. This year’s forum is one of our best.”

At 2:45pm on Tuesday, U.S. Senator Al Franken will open “The Renewable Fuel Standard: Fueling the Agriculture and Energy Industries.” The discussion will be led by panel members - Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy; Tim Rudnicki, Executive Director, MN Bio-Fuels Assn.; Brad Nelson, President, MN Ethanol Producers Assn.; Chad Willis, Chair, National Corn Growers Assn. Ethanol Committee; and Doug Peterson, President, MN Farmers Union.

On Wednesday, the afternoon panel will discuss Consumer Preferences: Future changes for the livestock industry and on Thursday, Innovation in Agriculture: Opportunities from the University will be the topic for Thursday’s program. For more information, log onto http://www.ideaggroup.com/farmfest. Registration is sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts.  Qualified attendees can register for free admission at www.IDEAgGroup.com/Farmfest.

In its third decade, the IDEAg Minnesota Farmfest continues to connect industry leading manufacturers/providers with decision making producers. It is a leading agricultural event, drawing attendees from around the region. Minnesota Farmfest is visited each year by more than 35,000 attendees with over 600 vendors.

The Minnesota Farmfest forums are developed by former University of Minnesotaeducator Kent Thiesse. Each year, thousands attend to hear from leaders in the field discussing topics on national and state agricultural policy issues affecting rural Minnesota.

Minnesota Farmfest is produced by IDEAg, a property of Cygnus Business Media. The company reaches millions of professionals annually. As one of America’s top business-to-business media companies, Cygnus is leading the way in providing targeted content to top decision-makers and organizations.

The company’s corporate initiatives and organizational architecture are built with one goal: fully engaging audiences in aviation, building & construction, public safety & security, and agriculture vertical markets, as well as diversified industries such as transportation, printing, accounting, and vending. Visit Cygnusb2b.com to learn more.

Image Courtesy of  Chapendra

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Berlin, Germany and San Francisco, U.S.A. — Solar power accounted for 10 percent of Germany’s total electricity production in May, an increase of 40 percent from the previous year, as reported by the Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry. The significant jump stemmed from heightened capacity complemented by sunny days.

This surge in green power generation reveals that the nation is well on its way to expanding the proportion of renewables in the energy mix. The strong market is paving the way for new foreign investors such as bSolar, an Israel-based solar PV cell company. Solar industry experts from Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) will be at booth 7635 at the Intersolar North America Exhibition in San Francisco from July 10-12 to discuss opportunities within the sector.

“Germany’s decision to replace nuclear energy with other sources is proving to not only be possible, but is creating many valuable prospects for the renewables sector. The continued strength of the solar market has sparked greater investment from abroad,” stated Tobias Homann, photovoltaic industry expert from Germany Trade & Invest in Berlin.

With the support of GTAI, bSolar established a plant in Heilbronn that produces high-efficiency bifacial cells. Its decision to invest in Germany reflects the country’s longstanding status as the world’s key PV market. The rooftop cells have the ability to produce more electricity at lower costs.

“Germany is one of the largest producers of PV technology as well as the biggest consumer of per capita solar energy worldwide,” said Dr. Yossi Kofman, Co-founder and CEO of bSolar. “Strong demand partnered with a highly skilled workforce, intensive R&D and a political framework supportive of renewables make Germany an obvious point of investment,” Kofman continued.

Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The organization advises foreign companies looking to expand their business activities in the German market. It provides information on foreign trade to German companies that seek to enter foreign markets.

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On June 20 The Week of Sustainable Energy 2012 will host an interview with European diplomat Sven Giegold. The Twitterview, as interviews via Twitter are colloquially known as, will occur between 4:30 and 5:30 PM.

The European Commission, The Executive Agency for Competition and Innovation, and the partners of the “Sustainable Energy for Europe” campaign will support the initiative. The Twitterview is a great opportunity to ask all of those questions about energy and sustainability that anyone could have and to read the responses in less than 140 characters, something that seems like it would be difficult for the eloquent European diplomat.

Sven Giegold was a prominent member of the TEDxChange conference in Berlin that was about the changes Germany has done regarding sustainability in the last thirty years. Ultimately, Germany has been an inspiring message with the essence of change that will certainly be revisited in this Twitterview during The European Week of Sustainable Energy 2012.

Sven Giegold was born November 17, 1969 in Las Palmas. He studied Political and Economic Sciences in Luxembourg. He received his MA in Political Economics and Economic Development from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

He has collaborated on the creation of the Ecological Center in Verden, with forty work positions in ecological business and social finances. He is the co-founder of ATTAC Deutschland and the representative of the BUND Federation in the Coordination Circle and the Council of ATTAC. He is also the co-founder of International Network for Fiscal Justice. He has worked on the creation of the European Coordinator of ATTAC. He has also been a member of the European Parliament since 2009 and Coordinator of the Verts/ALE Group in the Commission of Economic and Monetary Issues.

He is an exceptionally busy man as he is a presenter of papers and author of interventions in all forms of communication about themes as critical as globalization, ecology, and fiscal politics and policies since 2001.

European Week of Sustainable Energy 2012

One of the most important events in the world of energy is just around the corner. From June 18 to June 22 2012 the world will celebrate the sixth edition of Europe’s week of Sustainable Energy. The objectives are clear: demonstrate, promote, analyze and celebrate efficient and renewable energy.

Since the first year of the week in 2006 until now there has been a huge leap regarding the events and participants. The first year there was only one event in Brussels, but 2010 saw more than three hundred events and more than 30,000 participants. Participants and companies endorsed good developments in ecology, social, and economics. In 2012 there will be even more with at least one thousand events.

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Milwaukee, U.S.A. – In celebration of Earth Day, Johnson Controls, the global leader in delivering solutions that increase energy efficiency in buildings, released its Top Earth Day Champions list to highlight organizations saving the carbon equivalent of 45,000 acres of pine forests through energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at their facilities.

Carbon emissions from building energy use are predicted to grow faster than any other sector in the next 25 years, according to the U.S. Green Building Council, making building efficiency critically important for the protection of the environment.

“These organizations have already made significant environmental improvements while at the same time attacking energy waste and reducing operational costs,” said Dave Myers, president of Johnson Controls Building Efficiency. “We recognize those who have committed to making their organizations more sustainable, their facilities more efficient, and their occupants more comfortable. Importantly, each one of these projects will also have strong financial paybacks.”

Here are the 2012 Top Earth Day Champions and the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide emissions they are saving annually through projects with Johnson Controls.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tenn. tops the list with its annual reduction of 49,135 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. In 2008, ORNL replaced a natural gas steam plant with a wood gasification biomass system, reducing its carbon footprint and cutting fossil fuel consumption by 80 percent.

The Champions earned a spot on the list by making their facilities more efficient using a variety of measures, including: utilizing building management systems to optimize energy and operational efficiency, installing distributed generation and renewable energy technology, using more efficient lighting, and updating heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Since January, 2000, Johnson Controls energy performance contracting projects have saved nearly 18 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to that saved by 3.5 million acres of pine forests, and generated savings of $6.5 billion in North America alone. With performance contracting, savings in energy consumption from facility upgrades pay for the project over the term of the contract.

If the savings are not realized, Johnson Controls pays the difference between the value of the measured and verified consumption and the guaranteed consumption under the contract.

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Echelon Corporation announced two micro grid deployments in India and South Africa that integrate distributed generation to compensate for disruptions in utility-supplied power. The first-of-its-kind in the two countries, the micro grid deployments involve dynamically managing demand and energy supply mix for a residential community and a retail mall to deliver reliable service cost-effectively.

The model micro grid deployments are at Palm Meadows in Hyderabad, India, and Clearwater Mall in Johannesburg, South Africa. Palm Meadows is an 86-acre integrated gated community with 335 homes and residential services. Clearwater Mall in Johannesburg is a retail building with more than 240 stores.

Such micro grids are likely to be a best practice in emerging countries grappling with intermittent power supply, and are also applicable in environmentally conscious countries that are aggressively incorporating renewable and intermittent energy sources into the distribution network.

“Smart micro grids are an ideal way to integrate local generation at the community level and allow for customer participation in the electricity enterprise,” said Michael Anderson, senior vice president of Worldwide Markets for Echelon. “Micro grids sit at the edge of the smart grid and provide real-time analysis, decision making and control.

The Palm Meadows and Clearwater Mall deployments are great examples of how Echelon’s commitment to leading the worldwide transformation of the electricity grid into an energy control network can foster market innovation. The concepts demonstrated in India and South Africa can be replicated worldwide to improve power reliability and to integrate energy efficiency solutions as well as renewable generation.”

The Palm Meadows community ties into the grid at a dedicated substation and sources energy in bulk from the utility. The community also runs diesel generators and will incorporate solar generation in the future. Residences within the community are equipped with Echelon smart meters that connect into data concentrators at distribution transformers and feed near real-time usage information to Echelon’s Networked Energy Systems (NES) system software.

Echelon partner Grene Robotics’ Skynet management application automatically turns on local generation if utility-delivered power is inadequate. The Skynet software interfaces with the NES system software and creates a bill for the customer that reflects the customers’ actual use of lower cost grid power and more expensive locally generated power.

Customers have the option of reducing usage at times when the more expensive energy is being supplied. The Palm Meadows micro grid is providing reliable service even during frequent utility grid outages and enabling the customer to make intelligent trade-offs between comfort and cost.

“When you flip that light switch, turn your television on, or boot up your computer, you expect power,” said Kiran Penmatcha, CEO of Grene Robotics. “Like a national power grid, the Palm Meadows micro grid manages generation, distribution, and the regulation of the flow of electricity to its households.

We are pleased to have helped implement a proven, open and multi-application energy control infrastructure that enables Palm Meadows to become distributors of energy within their community. Today, the community is evaluating the integration of solar generated electricity for the future. On March 29, the community may look to add other applications, such as outdoor lighting control on the same infrastructure.”

The frequency and length of blackouts in South Africa can have devastating effects on its commercial sector. For example, the local South African public utility had to institute a system of rolling blackouts over a period of four months to balance electricity demand, in which supply was interrupted at least once or twice a day on an average of four hours at a time.

The Clearwater Mall tenants, which consist of nine anchor stores, and more than two hundred other local and international fashion and quick serve food outlets, restaurants, banks, electronic goods and other specialty stores, require reliable electricity so they can continue to run their business.

The mall’s new retail micro grid solution based on Echelon partner PMT’s Meteringonline energy management application, employs Echelon smart meters, data concentrators, and NES system software to submeter individual tenant usage, so they can pay only for their actual energy usage rather than the industry norm of paying for energy on a square footage basis. Furthermore, tenants can opt-in to power supplied by local back-up generation when blackouts occur.

PMT’s Meteringonline application interfaces to Echelon’s system software and reconciles usage with energy source, allocating tariffs based on actual use. The on-demand energy services allow the store owners to manage their energy usage and associated costs and maximize revenues.

“South Africa experiences major power shortages with rolling blackouts on a regular basis, therefore implementing a rock solid energy control networking platform for Clearwater Mall and its tenants was of utmost importance,” said Graeme Mellis, director of PMT. “The Echelon solution with our Meteringonline system software created a perfect micro grid solution for Clearwater Mall to deliver multiple applications to its tenants, such as submetering, selective back up generation and consolidated billing.”

According to Pike Research, interest in implementing micro grids is spreading among educational, commercial, government, healthcare, industrial, and research campuses. A new report from Pike Research forecasts that total installed generation capacity for campus micro grids will increase by 164% between 2011 and 2017, rising from 620 megawatts (MW) to 1.6 gigawatts (GW).

By the end of the forecast period in 2017, the clean tech market intelligence firm anticipates that the campus micro grid market will reach $777 million in annual revenue.

“Micro grids are an aggregation and optimization platform that can squeeze the most value out of existing and new distributed energy assets, whether they are solar photovoltaic generation technology or smart meters enabling demand response.

Micro grids are the building blocks of a smart grid whose modularity can shrink energy consumption by 10 to 15% through more intelligent networking,” said Peter Asmus, senior analyst at Pike Research.

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American Security Project released the 2012 edition of its annual White Paper “America’s Energy Choices.” The paper details a range of options for America’s energy future, ranging from coal and natural gas to solar and tidal power.

The report sets out how each contributes to America’s energy make-up and how business and political leaders should weigh the competing priorities of energy security, economic stability, and environmental sustainability when making decisions.

“The domestic boom in fossil fuel production, particularly from shale gas and shale oil, is changing America’s views about energy security, while the development that American refiners have become major exporters of refined fuels has surprised many,” said Andrew Holland , Senior Fellow for Energy and Climate and the author of the report.

On the other hand Stephen A. Cheney, the CEO of the American Security Project, said that the politics of energy remain as frozen as they were then.

“Clean energy has become an even greater political football, while the return of rising oil prices has brought out the most short-term instincts in politicians. The way energy is used is clearly a national security issue. In the next decade the United States needs to make critical energy choices. We know we cannot carry on as we have been — the price of gas is but one example. We need to be more innovative and develop new technologies,” Cheney said.

“The choices we make on energy need to be informed by reality, not partisan bickering. This is what the American Security Project is here to do: forge that consensus for us to successfully move forward. We can solve these problems and in so doing increase national security.”

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With India’s highest solar radiation in western Rajasthan, half of India’s solar capacity in 2022 could come from this state, says Satya Kumar, managing director of Shri Shakti Alternative Energy.

The high radiation in combination with a large amount of sunny days in Rajasthan makes it by far the most popular location for projects under the National Solar Mission. The average tariff of all project bids under the second round of the National Solar Mission was as low as Rs.8.78/Kwh.

“The natural reaction of some investors to this outcome was that it’s too low. But if you analyse the conditions in Rajasthan, it will become clear that this tariff is viable,” says Kumar, who researched a case for a 10MW plant in Rajasthan. Shri Shakti Alernative Energy Ltd is developing the infrastructure for a 100MW private solar park being developed under an MoU with Government of Rajasthan.

“In western Rajasthan, a Capacity Utilisation Factor (CUF) of 21 percent can be achieved,” Kumar further explains. “In Germany, the world solar capital, this is typically 13 percent. This means that a 1MW solar plant in western Rajasthan can produce 1.85 million units per year, compared to around 1.6 million units elsewhere in India.”

“The conditions in Rajasthan are so favourable, that it will be amongst the most logical places in the world to implement solar power,” says Edwin Koot, CEO of Solarplaza, a Netherlands based information platform for international solar energy stakeholders.

Solarplaza is organizing the conference The Solar Future: India II on 29 February in Jaipur. “It’s only a matter of time for solar power to take off on a large scale in Rajasthan,” says Koot, explaining the choice of location.

Besides attention for the benefits of Rajasthan and other local developments, the conference will host internationally renowned speakers with an eye for global trends and inspirational future visions. This in combination with an informal networking atmosphere gives the event a unique character.

Speakers include Ravindra Raina, President of India operations, Astonfield; Ravi Khanna, CEO of Solar Power Business of Aditya Birla Group; Jigar Shah – CEO, Carbon War Room; Vishal Shah – Managing Director & Senior Analyst Alternative Energy Deutsche Bank; Ashok Bhalotra, Ambassador, KuiperCompagnons; Madan Mohan Vijayvergia – Director (Technical), Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation.

http://www.thesolarfuture.in

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On February 22, Globeleq Generation Limited (Globeleq), the emerging markets power company, celebrated the inauguration of Honduras’ first wind farm and the largest in the Central American region. The 102 MW Cerro de Hula (CdH) facility started commercial operation in December 2011.

The project was implemented by Globeleq Mesoamerica Energy (GME) which is 70% owned by Globeleq and 30% owned by Mesoamerica Power, a group of Central American investors managed by Mesoamerica. Globeleq is owned by Actis, the leading pan-emerging market private equity firm.

Hosted by GME, the leading renewable energy company in Central America, together with its locally owned entity, Energia Eolica de Honduras, S.A. (EEHSA), the event was attended by the Honduran President Porfirio Lobo, embassy officials from the UK, US, Spain, Costa Rica and Guatemala, key government officials, executive management from international and local organisations involved in the project, contractors, employees and members of the local community in the project area.

Located 24 kms south of the capital, the wind farm supplies the national utility, Empresa Nacional de Energia Electrica (ENEE) through a 100 MW, 20 year power purchase agreement.  CdH will produce more than 360 GWh/year – enough to supply power to 150,000 Honduran households using clean and renewable power.

Mikael Karlsson, Globeleq’s CEO noted:  “Adding clean and renewable wind energy has reduced the country’s reliance on expensive fossil fuels for electricity generation.  The environmental and economic benefits are realised immediately, continuing to reinforce Globeleq’s commitment to sustainable development and lower greenhouse gas emissions.”

CdH is in the final stages of its submission as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol which will enable it to earn carbon credits to sell into the international carbon trading markets. CdH will be the first of wind CDM project in Honduras.

The wind farm was constructed in less than one year and well within budget. “Despite significant logistical and geographical challenges, completion of CdH was due to incredible team work, dedication and commitment by all partners involved in the project,” said Jay Gallegos, Managing Director for Globeleq Mesoamerica Energy.

He added, “The successful commissioning of this project would not have been possible without the strong support and cooperation we’ve received from our contractors, the local communities, ENEE and key members of the government of Honduras.”

Being the first wind park in Honduras, the team can appreciate the pioneering spirit and ingenuity required to reach this significant milestone.  Mikael Karlsson added: “It truly has been a remarkable adventure with many obstacles and challenges overcome to reach commercial operation. Building a large infrastructure project for the first time in an area with extremely difficult terrain certainly brought out the best in the team’s resolve and dedication.”

Commenting on the inauguration, Torbjorn Caesar, Co-Head of Energy at Actis and Chairman of Globeleq said, “Actis is excited to support Globeleq’s efforts in the region and through GME, the company has unrivalled access to investment opportunities in the renewables sector. CdH is a key asset in the region, generating around six per cent of Honduras’ power.”

Using the technology and expertise of the Gamesa Wind US LLC and Iberdrola Ingenieria y Construccion Mexico consortium, crews erected 51 x Gamesa G87 2.0 MW turbines over a project area of 6,500 hectares.

During construction, 650 additional jobs were created and local businesses benefited from the increased activity. Going forward, the local communities and municipalities will receive a package of benefits valued at more than $20 million over the lifetime of the farm due to construction and operation permits and lease agreements with landowners.

Beyond the obvious economic and environmental benefits of the project, the Cerro de Hula wind project has also undertaken many social, environmental and health and safety procedures that have set the standard for the country’s future construction projects.

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Germany recently passed the 20 percent mark for renewable energy in the electricity mix. And the federal KfW bank group has introduced a new plan to further accelerate this shift to renewables, with increases in multimillion euro business loans now available. As more renewable energy is generated, energy management and storage are also receiving increased focus.

Germany Trade & Invest, together with representatives of Germany’s six E-energy model regions, will be at this year’s E-world from February 7-9 in Essen to highlight opportunities for international companies in these growing market segments.

“With such a large share of renewable energy in the mix, it is becoming more urgent to implement smart grid and storage technologies to balance the fluctuating supply. Germany is making an exceptional team effort to achieve our ambitious goals, with businesses, banks, researchers and the government all working together” said Heiko Staubitz, renewable energy expert at Germany Trade & Invest in Berlin.

The new KfW plan outlines efforts to ease the financial burden of a wide-ranging shift to renewable energy. Previously, loans were available to small businesses for their efforts to move to renewables, and these have been expanded to cover companies with annual revenue of up to 3 billion euro. At the same time, loans are available to support research and development of energy storage, transmission, production, and efficiency techniques with grants up to EUR 25 million, marking an increase.

In light of last year’s decision to phase out nuclear power, Germany is further ramping up investments in renewable energy. Already, Germany features the world’s strongest photovoltaic market, with nearly half of all global installations worldwide. In wind power, Germany leads Europe in total installations and is currently preparing for a major expansion in the offshore segment.

Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The organization advises foreign companies looking to expand their business activities in the German market. It provides information on foreign trade to German companies that seek to enter foreign markets.

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The California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) is spearheading a statewide initiative to better educate the public, regulators, and local, state and federal leaders on the role they need to play in achieving new state and national clean energy goals.

In Governor Jerry Brown’s 2012 State of the State address, he called for “…a goal of 20,000 megawatts of renewable energy by 2020.” In President Barack Obama’s 2012 State of the Union address, he set a goal of having 80 percent of all Americans’ electricity provided through clean energy by 2035. California’s clean water agencies are listening and responding to the demand for clean energy.

Many of California’s publicly owned clean water agencies and wastewater treatment plants are successfully generating clean energy to offset their individual agency needs. Wastewater plants are identified as resource recovery agencies producing energy in the form of biogas, biosolids, and methane.  They are also able to produce energy when processing foods, fats, oil and grease provided by restaurants and residents.

“California’s clean water agencies are ready to be active partners at the state and national level to achieve these clean energy goals,” CASA President Gary Darling said. He added, “Local wastewater treatment and recycled water facilities are the ideal places to look at when investing resources into clean energy generation.  Increased clean energy production at local wastewater facilities is just one of the ways we are protecting the environmental and local waterways.”

CASA’s initiative is not only aimed at educating about the value of clean energy, but it will identify opportunities in public forums to advocate for investing in its members’ clean energy production, as well as removing any obstacles for funding and production.

“Clean energy production is a relatively new industry, both the public and the decision-makers need to understand dollars invested today will reap benefits in the future by helping to significantly reduce our reliance on traditional, and rapidly dwindling, energy supplies such as oil,” Darling said.

In April 2009, a Water Environment Research Foundation report stated, “The energy potential contained in wastewater and biosolids exceeds by at least five times the energy used to treat it.”  Currently, someCalifornia wastewater facilities are striving for a net zero energy consumption, literally becoming energy neutral by generating their own heat and power and even having excess energy available for outside use.

“This is an exciting time for California’s clean water agencies,” said Darling. “We have the opportunity to be part of our nation’s transformation from energy users to energy producers by expanding our everyday resource recovery work practices. Waste to watts, that’s our vision.”

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Juhl Wind Inc., the Leader in Community Wind Power, has announced the official commercial start-up and operation of the two turbine project for Gundersen Health System in Winona County, MN. The 4.95 megawatt project (the “GL Wind project”) is the first-of-its-kind in North America to be constructed specifically to address the energy concerns of a large regional health organization, in this case, Gundersen Health System.

“This unique wind project represents the continued activity by Juhl over the past two years and highlights our strength and diversity in the community wind energy market,” stated Corey Juhl, Vice President of Development for Juhl Wind Inc.  “We are seeing an increased demand for large commercial and industrial organization projects such as Gundersen’s as they fit extremely well within Juhl Wind’s area of expertise. This community-based project will provide significant economic benefits to the region. As one piece of their Envision program, the wind farm project will help Gundersen Health System achieve their goal of becoming 100% energy independent by 2014.”

“This is an exciting time for Gundersen and our Envision program. This community wind project we have done with Juhl Wind was about two years in the making, and we’re happy to report that the turbines are now creating energy,” said Jeff Rich, executive director, GL Envision.

Rich added, “As a healthcare organization, it is important for us to lead by example. Creating renewable energy through programs, like the GL Wind project in Lewiston makes good business sense, creates local jobs during construction and ties directly to our mission of improving the health of the communities we serve. The money we generate from renewable energy projects, like the wind farm, and the money we save through energy conservation can be passed on to patients in the form of lower healthcare costs. The renewable energy projects are also allowing us to improve our environmental footprint in the communities we serve.”

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Thanks to new technologies and incentives, more U.S. companies now see generating their own electricity and other alternative energy projects as viable options.

But as c-suite executives mull these exciting possibilities, they should be sure their checklists of potential pros and cons fully reflect the realities of today’s energy markets, write two members of LeClairRyan’s Energy Industry Team in the latest issue of Executive Counsel.

In “Weighing the Pro & Cons of Power Co-Generation,” published in the magazine’s Dec. 2011/Jan. 2012 issue, Roy M. Palk, a 40-year veteran of the energy business and the firm’s senior energy industry advisor, and Samuel R. Brumberg, a veteran associate in LeClairRyan’s Glen Allen, Va., office, provide a clear-eyed look at the types of questions c-suite executives should ask as they explore more diverse sources of energy supply.

Companies now stand to gain additional freedoms, reap new revenues and enjoy substantial cost savings by embarking on the likes of distributed generation or large cogeneration projects. Doing so, however, requires an informed and deliberate strategy, even in cases where power generation is not part and parcel of the company’s core business. These issues of cost and risk are not just “bottom line” questions—likely they are lawyers’ questions, too, the attorneys note.

“Ideally, the team studying and potentially executing the project should include members who can answer questions that require specific expertise—on technology, markets, legal considerations and more,” write Brumberg and Palk. “All of these considerations can have a major bearing, not only on the ease or difficulty of securing financing for the project, but also on its overall risk profile.”

Indeed, without proper mitigation of inherent risks, lenders may not be keen on pumping money into unknown or unproven technologies, they advise. Nor are they enthusiastic about backing firms that lack experience in operating, maintaining or repairing alternative energy equipment. “A well rounded team of experts, and proper maintenance and warranty contracts, can help make sure the project’s financial modeling is informed and realistic,” they explain.

Renewable energy projects also tend to come with unique risks. “Imagine a company that bought a fuel cell for $250,000. From the perspective of the c-suite, the fuel cell is essentially a black box: It can be turned off or on, but the company cannot break it open to conduct routine repairs or maintenance,” write Palk and Brumberg.

“This has important implications for the contract itself. Does the fuel cell come with a warranty? Does the deal include a service contract? If the fuel cell ends up being, essentially, a big paperweight sitting outside of the building, what kind of recourse does the company have?”

Likewise, the risk assessment for renewable projects must take operational concerns into account, including the potential power-replacement costs if the unit fails, where executives should go to buy that replacement power, and regulatory constraints, they note. The team should also take a close look at the potential liability, insurance and installation and maintenance risks.

Brumberg and Palk additionally discuss risks related to the deal itself, such as the tendency to cling to ill-advised transactions for the sake of perceived branding benefits. “Ensure that any particular deal rises or falls based on its business merits, even if it does happen to mesh perfectly with a high-priority corporate strategy,” they write.

Lastly, Brumberg and Palk discuss dynamics related to today’s energy incentives, from the possibility that they might change or expire to state-specific allowances for the likes of “net metering”–the ability to sell power back to the grid. “Oftentimes, executives forget about the potential role of tax credits or the sale of renewable energy certificates in offsetting some of the capital expense associated with renewable projects,” they note.

“Depending on the local utility’s tariff rate, the company could not only save on its energy costs, it might also receive credits for staying off the grid for certain periods of time and using its own supplemental power. Various renewable energy credits are sometimes available for specific types of technologies as well.”

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Michigan’s energy landscape saw major changes in 2011 with growing renewable energy supplies, significant customer savings through energy efficiency, and a rebalancing of its energy supply portfolio. “As Consumers Energy celebrates its 125th year of service, we’re taking a look back at significant energy developments this year.

Looking to 2012 and beyond, Consumers Energy plans on investing $6.6 billion in Michigan over the next five years to improve the environment, boost the economy and create jobs, and add value to the electric and natural gas service we provide to 6.8 million people in the state,” said John Russell, Consumers Energy’s president and chief executive officer.

Major energy developments in Michigan this year included: Customers set all-time record: Economic improvement picked up in the part of Michigan served by Consumers Energy.  On July 21, Consumers Energy’s 1.8 million electric customers set an all-time hourly peak record of 8,930 megawatts (MW), the highest level in the company’s 125-year history.

Electric sales to industrial customers in 2011 returned to pre-recession levels, with sales to residential customers expected to return to that level in 2012. Severe weather: Severe weather was a staple in 2011, and weather-related  challenges to Consumers Energy’s electric system increased dramatically.  Severe weather warnings for thunderstorms and tornadoes increased by 100 percent over last year, and the occurrence of ice and freezing precipitation conditions increased by 600 percent.

Lightning strikes increased by 300 percent over last year.  Consumers Energy aggressively responded to this challenge through increased pre-storm planning, technology advances and outage analysis. Renewable energy costs decline, wind moves forward: Renewable energy is emerging as an important factor in Michigan’s energy supply.

Consumers Energy reduced the estimated cost of its renewable energy plan by $54 million per year due to improved wind turbine technology.  Following approval by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), customer costs for the program were lowered in September. Separately, construction began in November of the utility’s first wind energy project, the Lake Winds Energy Park in Mason County.

The addition of Lake Winds, scheduled to begin production by year-end 2012, will increase to 8 percent the amount of renewable energy that Consumers Energy provides to customers. Economic gardening takes root: The Snyder Administration’s philosophy of strengthening the state’s economy by stimulating business to business sales between Michigan-based companies is gaining traction.

Consumers Energy was one of the first  companies to join Gov. Rick Snyder and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation in the new Pure Michigan Business Connect initiative, created to help state businesses expand and grow. At year-end Consumers Energy increased its spend with Michiganbusinesses by $170 million in multi-year contracts awarded to 89 companies.

The utility’s new “Michiganpreferred” purchasing strategy is helping state businesses create jobs and retain workers. Energy efficiency helps customers save money:  Energy efficiency is the cheapest source of new energy supplies.  Consumers Energy customers are seeing significant savings by implementing energy efficiency measures, part of Michigan’s energy reform law.

Customers have saved more than $92 millionsince programs were launched in July 2009. Renewed focus on energy policy:  State and federal policy makers closely examined energy issues in 2011.  Michigan’s landmark energy reform law of 2008 was comprehensively reviewed and reaffirmed during several weeks of hearings and testimony by more than 60 participants before the state Senate Energy and Technology Committee, led by Sen. Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek/Jackson).

The law, which includes provisions for expanding renewable energy, energy efficiency programs, and regulatory reform, is creating jobs and strengthening Michigan’s economy.  The Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition, comprised of statewide energy providers, business organizations, labor organizations and renewable energy advocates, led efforts to uphold the law.

Air quality regulations take effect:  Michigan’s air quality continued to improve in 2011.  Consumers Energy continued its progress and has achieved about a 60 percent reduction in total emissions from its power plants.  Meanwhile, the U.S. EPA issued a series of controversial environmental regulations that will have a major impact on coal plants in Michigan and across the country.

Consumers Energy announced $1.6 billion in further investments in ongoing air quality improvements at its five major coal plants, cancellation of a clean-coal project at its Karn/Weadock Complex, and anticipated suspension in operations in 2015 at seven smaller coal plants.  The air quality investments are expected to produce 2,000 construction jobs. Protection for vulnerable customers: Ensuring energy bill assistance for low-income customers received significant attention.

On Dec. 20 Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation authorizing the Vulnerable Household Warmth Fund to provide emergency financial assistance to low-income customers struggling to pay their energy bills. The MPSC quickly implemented the law.  Consumers Energy is a participant in a workgroup led by State Sen. Bruce Caswell (R-Hillsdale) to develop long-term strategies to reform the state’s low-income energy assistance programs.

Stability and community outreach:  On Dec. 6 Consumers Energy celebrated the start of its yearlong celebration of 125 years of service to Michigan.  The celebration highlight was the Consumers Energy Foundation’s announcement of $1.25 million in matching grants to 10 communities, including Bay City,Flint, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Muskegon, Pontiac, Saginaw and Traverse City.

“Consumers Energy is proud that we’ve been serving customers in Michigan for 125 years.  Michiganfamilies and businesses know they can ‘Count of Us’ to provide them with reliable, safe and affordable electric and natural gas service.  Our employees are fully committed to making Michigan successful as we begin a new year,” said Russell.

Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides natural gas and electricity to 6.8 million of Michigan’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

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The Gas Company (TGC), Hawaii’s clean gas energy provider, is now producing renewable natural gas (RNG) for Hawaii. The Gas Company is transforming non-food-grade oils and fats into clean, reliable gas and biofuels at its renewable natural gas pilot plant in West Oahu.

The renewable natural gas plant is capable of processing up to one million gallons of feedstock per year, and it is designed to allow for expansion to accommodate increasing demand and feedstock supply availability. The facility was designed in association with Primoris Renewables, a leading innovator in renewable energy technology, and is located on the premises of TGC’s synthetic natural gas (SNG) manufacturing plant in Oahu’s Campbell Industrial Park.

The Hawaii Renewable Energy Development Venture, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, awarded a $1 million grant to The Gas Company to support the RNG plant demonstration. No tax credit or further taxpayer support is required for the project. ”The production of renewable natural gas is a major milestone that will allow us to provide sustainable energy from local agricultural products that were previously discarded or shipped out of state,” said TGC’s president and CEO, Jeffrey Kissel.

The Gas Company is working with companies in Hawaii to purchase locally produced, sustainable non-food-grade oils and fats for the production of renewable natural gas. Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie participated in today’s dedication of the RNG plant.

“Hawaii’s clean energy industry is becoming a test bed for clean technologies because of our rich portfolio of renewable energy sources and strong partnerships,” he said. “Our state government has put in place the most aggressive clean energy policy in the nation, and The Gas Company’s renewable natural gas pilot plant is a prime example of how Hawaii is investing in itself rather than exporting its dollars elsewhere.”

Because Hawaii relies on imported petroleum for approximately 90 percent of its energy – more than twice as much as any other state – Hawaii’s state government launched the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative in 2008, calling for 70 percent clean energy by 2030. The Gas Company is working toward producing half of its gas from renewable and sustainable sources.

The new facility transforms fats and oils in a process that uses the heat from its existing gas production facilities, surplus hydrogen, and steam to produce renewable natural gas and biofuels.

The renewable natural gas and biofuels that the RNG pilot plant produces will be incorporated into The Gas Company’s existing manufacturing and distribution operations. Renewable natural gas will displace gas produced from petroleum and will be distributed through The Gas Company’s 1,100-mile Oahu pipeline network. The cost for renewable natural gas should be the same as, or less, than gas produced from current sources without relying on taxpayer subsidy.

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The world-famous jazz trumpet and saxhorn player Paolo Fresu celebrated his 50 birthday with 50 concerts throughout Sardinia, a beautiful Italian island in the heart of Mediterranean Sea, invading it with the light sound and soft words of jazz music in the warm summer atmosphere.

From June 12 to July 31 he played every evening for a self-planned and directed tour, changing places, performances and partners day by day. A full immersion of jazz music in the most uncontaminated and wild areas of the island. An actual collection of fascinating places full of mystery, culture, magic and history.

Arts and culture join nature in the total respect of environment. Indeed, all the energy needed for the stage was provided by an ecological electrical generator, supplied through solar panels exposed to the day light before any concert. The intention was to create a relationship between music and landscape, promoting renewable energy and trying to sensitize public awareness of environmental issues.

The sound of Fresu’s trumpet re-echoed around green mountains, mines, archeological areas, accompanied by several musicians, actors, writers, orchestras from all around the world. Just to mention some of these musicians, Ralph Towner from Washington U.S., Richard Galliano from France, Omar Sosa from Cuba, Enrico Rava from Italy, Dave Douglas from New York U.S., Eivind Aarset from Norway, Glenn Ferris from Los Angeles U.S., Dhafer Youssef from Tunisia, Ludovico Einaudi from Italy, Nguyén Lé from France, and Uri Caine from Philadelphia U.S.

!50 music tour offered to all jazz lovers a special gift made by music, nature and culture. Words and music merged in an explosion of warm sounds and surreal atmospheres. And all for free, in fact there was no ticket to pay , only passion and taste for good jazz music were needed. The concerts performances were also available on live streaming.

The “sleepless trumpeter”, as Fresu is being called for his incessant musical activity – more than 300 recorded albums and 2500 concerts up to present -, never stops surprising his fans and his island with his skill as an artist and his simplicity as a man.

Paolo Fresu was born in Berchidda, a small village in north Sardinia. He started playing trumpet at the age of 11 and after different musical experiences in 1980 he began his jazz career. Nowadays he is one of the most appreciated and popular European jazzman. Since the ‘80s he has won several awards as best jazz musician in different countries, such as the prestigious Django d’Or in France. In 2005 he was one of the nominees for the Latin Grammy Awards of Santa Monica, California.

Over the last 30 years he has performed all over the world with a wide set of international artists such as John Zorn, Dave Holland, Gil Evans, John Abercrombie, Trilok Gurtu, John Taylor, Palle Danielsson, Jon Christensen, Gerry Mulligan, David Liebman, Kenny Wheeler, Richard Beirach, Jim Hall, Helen Merril, Ralph Towner, Richard Galliano, Michel Portal, Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, Jeanne Lee, Gunther Schüller, Paul McCandless, Toots Thielemans, Andy Sheppard, and many more.

There is not much more to say about this great jazzman, his music can speak better than thousands of words.

!50 Paolo Fresu & Uri Caine video

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