GREEN SHEET :: APRIL 2011
MEMBERSHIP OUTREACH
This month we welcome our newest member company Iberdrola Renewables. Iberdrola Renewables is the U.S. division of parent company Iberdrola Renovables, an energy pioneer with the largest renewable asset base of any company in the world with over 12,000 megawatts of renewable energy spread across 23 countries. Iberdrola Renewables is the second-largest wind operator in the U.S., with more than 4,600 MW in operation. Also joining the roster is Enel Green Power North America, which produces hydroelectric, geothermal, wind and biomass energy. It is the only operator in the North American market that applies four different technologies for renewable generation. Its plants are located in 20 US states and three Canadian provinces, for a total of around 800 MW. Additionally, we welcome the membership renewal by our partners at DPR Construction, Lockton Insurance, and San Diego Gas & Electric.
ADVOCACY
Concentrix Solar Selects San Diego Region for its U.S. Solar Manufacturing Expansion
CleanTECH San Diego Chair, Jim Waring, co-hosted a March 10 press conference with San Diego Mayor Sanders and executives from Soitec, Concentrix, Tenaska, SDG&E, and UC San Diego to announce the solar site selection of San Diego and Imperial Valley. At the press event Jim Avery, CleanTECH San Diego Board Member and Vice President of SDG&E, announced the utility's plan to sign a 25-year purchase power agreement from a 150-megawatt solar farm in the Imperial Valley, owned by Tenaska. Working in tandem withCleanTECH San Diego member LightSource Renewables, Tenaska will develop the solar farm using panels provided by CleanTECH San Diego member Concentrix. As a result, Concentrix committed to build a manufacturing facility in the San Diego region that will create 450 direct jobs and 1,000 indirect jobs. The manufacturing facility is scheduled to open in 2013. CleanTECH San Diego applauds Jim Avery's leadership on this project and the team at Soitec and Concentrix for their commitment to the San Diego region. We salute the entire regional coalition who worked collaboratively in promoting the region's competitive advantages and winning over the other US markets in contention.
CleanTECH San Diego Advocates to Avoid Erosion of DOE's Loan Guarantee Program
On behalf of its members, CleanTECH San Diego advocated for the continuation of the U.S. Department of Energy's Title XVII Loan Guarantee Program created in 2005 to support clean energy technologies, and is now subject for termination in the ongoing congressional budgetary negotiations. This loan program leverages federal dollars by allowing the DOE to guarantee the debt of privately owned clean energy developers and manufacturing companies instead of investing directly into these companies through grants or tax subsidies. The DOE program plays a critical role in the development of Soitec, Concentrix, LightSource Renewables, and Tenaska's already approved solar farm project in Imperial County. CleanTECH San Diego and its membership sent letters and called congressional staff urging the support of this program. A decision is expected later this month in an effort to avert a larger government shutdown.
CleanTECH San Diego Advocates for Enterprise Zone Program
CleanTECH San Diego mobilized grassroots support aimed at San Diego's state legislative delegation urging the continuation of California's Enterprise Zone Program. Enterprise Zones were created 25 years ago to reward businesses for going into areas with high unemployment and large, difficult-to-employ work forces. They reimburse businesses when they hire disadvantaged workers or buy new equipment. Governor Brown's budget proposal would eliminate Enterprise Zone programs to help bridge a $25.6 billion state budget shortfall. However the program, a proven job creator and tax generator, is one of the few tools the state has at its disposal to attract new business and create jobs, especially in some of the most distressed communities.
Biofuels Jobs Placement
As part of the EDGE Initiative, CleanTECH San Diego is seeking to identify biofuels companies to provide internship opportunities to pre-trained interns as part of their workforce training. Hiring an EDGE sourced intern will not only benefit local biofuels companies, but also help ensure the region has a highly skilled biofuels workforce. For more information, contact jasona@cleantechsandiego.org
CleanTECH San Diego Endorses RPS in State Legislature
As an association representing a range of entities interested in furthering our state's clean energy economy, CleanTECH San Diego joined efforts in expressing support to the Governor and House leadership to pass a 33 percent by 2020 Renewable Portfolio Standard during the current special session. Now more than ever, investors need the regulatory and policy certainty, which can only be established through legislation, in order to move forward with new renewable energy investments in California. California's first special session of 2011 is addressing the budget deficit.
Smart Grid Stakeholder Working Group Partners with SANDAG and EcoTality to Address Electric Vehicle Impact on Region
CleanTECH San Diego's Smart Grid Stakeholder Working Group is convening on April 19 to examine the impact of electric vehicles on the greater San Diego region. With the advent of the largest deployment of electric vehicles in history, San Diegans are well poised to get ahead of this curve. CleanTECH San Diego, working with SANDAG, EcoTality and SDG&E, will host the third in a series of meetings to highlight the challenges and opportunities associated with transitioning to a digitized grid with a particular focus on the significant work under way to integrate electric vehicle planning into the regional transportation plan, and to ensure a robust infrastructure is in place to support the deployment of electric vehicles. More information is forthcoming on this invitation-only working group meeting.
Clean Renewable Energy Bonds Update - CREBs
The California Solar Initiative incentives remain indefinitely suspended in Step 8. Over the last month, the backlog has increased to 64 projects totaling 5.46 MW representing $5.0 million in total incentives on the Non-Residential Waiting List. California Center for Sustainable Energy received a number of cancellations in the process of determining how much and when these cancelled reservations can be reassigned to wait listed projects. CleanTECH San Diego and CCSE encourage any non-residential entities that are proceeding with solar PV installations to submit their applications to secure a spot on the wait list.
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Greening San Diego
The City of Santee submitted an official request for reallocation of EECBG block grant funds to support a second phase of streetlighting retrofits. The balance of EECBG grant funding will be applied to lighting and HVAC upgrades at City Hall, renewal of CleanTECH San Diego membership, and membership in ICLEI which will provide the tools and guidance for the city to take the recently completed GHG Baseline Study and evolve it into the city's Energy and Environmental Action Plan. Padre Dam Municipal Water District is resubmitting the Street Cleaner/Sewer Recycled Water project Engineering Plans with requested modifications to the County Department of Environmental Services. Upon approval, this project will pave the way for savings north of one million gallons per year of potable water in Santee, with CleanTECH San Diego collaborating with the County Water Authority to promote this application county wide. CleanTECH San Diego is joining the San Diego Foundation and ICLEI in hosting an April 14 meeting of the Regional ClimateProtection Network to organize critical mass around the next regional sustainability initiative.
Street Lighting Work Group
The City of San Diego received bid proposals on March 10 in response to its Design/Build RFP to retrofit 38,700 streetlights with more efficient induction luminaires. Proposals are currently under review with atarget of conducting a public ranking meeting during the first week of April. The City of Chula Vista is awaiting final review from the CEC for application of its 1% loan for implementation of the city's Phase I retrofit of 4,600 residential streetlights (~50%) with energy efficient LED fixtures. CEC approval is expected in April with Notice to Proceed to the winning bidder anticipated shortly thereafter. The City of Santee completed their Phase I installation of 940 induction streetlights (~50%) that were wholly funded with EECBG grant funds. SDG&E and CleanTECH San Diego announced a peer group "Best Practices in Street Lighting Retrofits Workshop" being held in San Juan Capistrano on April 20th to expand the impact and energy savings benefits of this program to SDG&E service territory including eight cities in Orange County.
MEDIA AND OUTREACH
CleanTECH San Diego Members Advanced to Semi-Finalists Stage of Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 Awards
Congratulations to our Member companies in their selection among the 25 San Diego EOY Semifinalists for 2011. With over 100 nominations submitted PCN Technology, President & CEO, Venkat Shastri, Solar Gard President and COO, Christophe Fremont and SG BioFuels, President & CEO, Kirk Haney were honored for their leadership and success in the clean technology category and now advance to the semi-finalists stage. The final announcements will be made in June.
CleanTECH San Diego Member Honeywell International Inc. Wins $213 million, 20-year Contract
CleanTECH member Honeywell International Inc. won a $213 million, 20-year contract for construction intended to reduce energy use at the Food and Drug Administration's sprawling campus in Silver Spring, MD. The contract was awarded by the U.S. General Services Administration, which manages federal facilities.
Education and Outreach Committee Appoints New Chair
The Education and Outreach Committee has a new chair. Lisa Easterly of Latham & Watkins will serve as chair of the Education &Outreach Committee. Latham &Watkins is a founding member of CleanTECH San Diego and Easterly has been an active board member from day one. We thank her in advance for her leadership. Any member interested in participating in advancing the committee's outreach agenda should contact: hollys@cleantechsandiego.org
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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
APRIL EVENTS
EDC and CleanTECH San Diego Celebrate Earth Day!
APR 20 2011
08:00AM - 09:30AM
Learn More
La Jolla Research & Innovation Summit
APR 21 2011
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SD-CAB Algal Biofuels Symposium
APR 22 2011
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SDG&E's 6th Annual Energy Showcase
APR 28 2011
07:15AM - 02:00PM
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SD-CAB Symposium
APR 29 2011 - APR 30 2011
Learn More
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