GREEN SHEET :: OCTOBER 2011
MEMBERSHIP OUTREACH
This month we welcome our newest Members at LS Power and Manpower. LS Power is engaged in the development, acquisition and management of power generation and transmission infrastructure. Highly regarded in the financial community, LS Power has raised approximately $15 billion to support investment in energy infrastructure since 2005. We also welcome Manpower into the ranks. Manpower is the global leader in contingent and permanent recruitment workforce solutions, providing the personal flexibility and agility businesses need with a continuum of staffing solutions. We also welcome the membership renewals from our partners at Bank of America, AUSTRADE, and San Diego Workforce Partnership.
ADVOCACY
CleanTECH San Diego Supports Key Legislative Initiatives: Governor Signs CSI Bill to Authorize $200MM
Through its affiliation with statewide cleantech organizations, CleanTECH San Diego and its member companies led a delegation to advocate on a number of targeted legislative issues in September. CleanTECH San Diego met with legislative and administration officials expressing support and rationale on several pieces of pending legislation including SB 585 (Kehoe) California Solar Initiative, SB 870 (Padilla) Public Goods Charge and AB 1150 (Perez) Self Generation Incentive Program. Last month, Governor Brown signed SB 585, authorizing $200 MM for the California Solar Initiative (CSI). Senator Kehoe previously met with our CREBs coalition to discuss this important initiative. We thank the Governor and Senator Kehoe for their leadership on this issue and appreciate the collective work of our members in ensuringthis measure passed.
San Diego State University Receives $1.6 Million Job Creation Grant
CleanTECH San Diego is pleased to be a partner in the recently announced $1.6 million grant award to San Diego State University to establish the Renewable Energy Generation Training and Demonstration Center that will further develop the clean technology industry in San Diego and the Imperial Valley. The grant is funded by three separate funding agencies: the Economic Development Administration, the Employment Training Agency and the Small Business Administration. The funding will help SDSU-Imperial Valley's Renewable Energy Generation Training and Demonstration Center by creating renewable energy demonstration sites for companies to test their ideas and innovations, installing a generalized power plant simulator that will provide technical skills training for power plant managers in geothermal, solar and traditional power plant installations, and expanding the pipeline of demonstration technologies with specific focus on disadvantaged small businesses in San Diego.
EDGE Initiative Salutes its First Graduating Class
On September 7, the first 50 graduates of biofuels courses developed through the EDGE Initiative received their certification to work as general science technicians in the region's leading biofuels industry. Thirteen of the graduates and other EDGE participants already landed jobs or are headed to graduate school for further training. The students, who began their technical training earlier this spring with classes at UC San Diego Extension and Mira Costa College, are the first graduates of the program designed to support the region's advanced biofuels sector.
Grid ComForum West 2012 Comes to San Diego
CleanTECH San Diego is the official associate sponsor ofGrid ComForum West held March 7-9, 2012 at The Westin San Diego. Hosted by San Diego Gas & Electric, this coveted annual industry event brings together the western smart grid community including all of the major electric power utilities, regulators and key stakeholders involved in the deployment of the region's smart grid technology. This high level, three-day conference begins with a private programming day for SDG&E, key stakeholders and event sponsors. March 8-9 opens up for the entire industry and will highlight the critical business issues of smart grid deployment and management with a special emphasis on San Diego's leadership in this area. This event coincides with the 1-year anniversary of the Smart City San Diego announcement that is bringing together the leadership of SDG&E, GE, UC San Diego, The City of San Diego and CleanTECH San Diego as they create a model smart city for mass export. Registration opens in November: More information
Wilson Sonsini Hosts SCRUB Event
On September 8, CleanTECH San Diego's capital formation committee held its popular, quarterly SCRUB event hosted by member company Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. The CleanTECH San Diego SCRUB is an opportunity for a set of prescreened early-stage companies to present their business to a wide cross-section of CleanTECH San Diego members for guidance and connections. This round's SCRUB candidates included Biogas & Electric, which is looking to market their newly patented NOx and SOx reduction technology. They are alsopartially funded by member company Waste Management. As a case study working with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, EarthRisk Technologies provides atmospheric research designed for industry analysts who link the weather tofinancial decisions. Kelvin Storage Technologies is commercializing its Thermal Matric Energy Storage system for the electric grid that can be installed ateither solar or wind power generation sites. Los Angeles-based Nularis brought a vast line of LED light bulbs for the home and business. We look forward to advancing the continued success of these SCRUB graduates within our ecosytem.
Smart City San Diego Collaborative Explores On-ramps with CleanTECH San Diego Smart Grid Subcommittee
OnSeptember 8, the CleanTECH San Diego Smart Grid subcommittee convened at SDG&E to explore regional synergies and existing innovative projects with "Smart City San Diego's" energy efficiency project team. The subcommittee members pitched potential ideas on how the project team might extend its reach and collaboration within targeted and related initiatives. The CleanTECH San Diego Smart Grid subcommittee is comprised of CleanTECH San Diego smart grid member companies and meets monthly to ensure the success and timely execution of the Smart City San Diego initiative.
San Diego Hosts First All-Electric Fleet Through Car Sharing Program
On September 13, in an effort to push for a net-zero emission system of transportation, the San Diego City Council unanimously passed a resolution establishing the nation's first all-electric car sharing pilot program, powered by car2go. Through this program, 300 electric vehicles will be distributed throughout populated areas of the city. Program benefits include mobile device applications that locate nearby vehicles, provide rates by the minute, and ability to return the vehicle to designated areas. The car2go pilot program is a model movement to accelerate the larger EV deployment in the San Diego region. CleanTECH San Diego has been advocating for this in collaboration with SDG&E, The City of San Diego, ECOtality and car2go.
CleanTECH San Diego Partners with GE Energy on Diverse Supplier Event
On September 13, CleanTECH San Diego partnered with GE to advise small minority owned companies how to do business with GE and SDG&E. Representatives from all over the state came to hear keynote speaker CPUC Commissioner Michael Peevey and panelists from GE and SDG&E on the need for innovative technologies that small and diverse companies may bring to bear. One-on-one meetings were arranged between SDG&E and GE representatives and those businesses eager to explore commercial partnerships.
North County Chamber of Commerce Organizes Cleantech Legislative Conference
On September 16, CleanTECH San Diego partnered with the North County Chamber of Commerce to bring together the region's key political leaders at the Cleantech Legislative Conference held at the Sony Electronics headquarters. Mayor Jerry Sanders delivered the keynote address on San Diego's success with drawing in new companies to the region and what keeps our citycompetitive. CleanTECH San Diego President & CEO Jim Waring moderated the panel dedicated to "Call to Action for Legislators" in order to explore what the cities and county are doing right, and what still remains to advance our cleantech agenda.
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Greening San Diego
Padre Dam Municipal Water District and the City of Santee achieved a key milestone on their recycled water for street cleaners and sewer flushing project with the recent approval from the California Department of Public Health. Thisaction paves the way for the final two remaining approvals from the County Department of Environmental Health and the State Regional Water Quality Control Board. For PDMWD, this project will save ~60,000 gallons/year of potable water, which is currently used for street sweepers and 1.6 million gallons/year insewer flushing. Once all approvals are received, CleanTECH San Diego will collaborate with the San Diego County Water Authority to introduce this potable water saving project across the region.
Grossmont Union High School District completed the required redesign elements on their first 176kW ground-mounted solar PV system at the Monte Vista campus. Current plan is to present for Board approval in November.
Street Lighting Work Group - SLWG
Mayor Sanders and Southern Contracting's Tim McBride led a September 19 press conference to feature the City's first high pressure sodium citywide streetlight retrofit project. This officially launched the installation phase of 35,311 city-owned streetlights retrofitted with energy efficient, dark sky compliant induction cobra-head replacements. Congratulations to CleanTECH San Diego membercompanies Southern Contracting and GE Lighting Solutions who partnered on this bid. Southern Contracting and GE Lighting Solutions will be the primebeneficiaries of this ~$16 million ARRA-funded project, along with the city and citizens of San Diego who will see $2 million in annual electricity and maintenance cost reductions.
The San Diego Regional Street Lighting Working Group is now positioned to target the next low-hanging regional energy efficiency opportunity, which is the retrofit of parking structures, parking lots and outdoor walkways. Twelve of the region's largest public agencies are actively participating in the biweeklyParking Lighting Working Group Meetings, which are again being sponsored bySDG&E and conducted at its new SDG&E Energy Innovation Center. The PLWG's goal is to take advantage of significant incremental ETAP incentives for bi-level parking light retrofit projects that meet a year-end completion date.
CREBS Update
The California Center for Sustainable Energy, which administers the California Solar Initiative program in the SDG&E service territory, completed its review process of all projects on the CSI Non-Residential Waitlist that previously received CSI reservations. CCSE is now invoicing and notifying each waitlisted project of their approval through August 26, 2011. This represents 47 projects totaling 5.7MW that will be receiving $4 million in CSI incentives.
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
AMSOLAR Acquired By German Integrator
AMSOLAR announced in September its acquisition by Germany solar systems integrator, Payon Solar AG. AMSOLAR was one of many U.S. companies being considered for acquisition by Payom. The sale comes on the heels of AMSOLAR's June installation of the 5MW solar power system at the San Diego Unified School District.
Silicon Border Facility to Generate Power for Both Sides of Border
CleanTECH San Diego member Silicon Border will break ground in November to build a facility to manufacture solar cells that will generate power for both sides of the California-Mexico border. The Taiwanese-backed,Baja Sun Energy project will be the first in Mexico to integrate manufacturing of solar cells with energy production. This is a terrific case study highlighting the mega region's work to incorporate its combined border assets.
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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
OCTOBER EVENTS
EnergySec Smart Grid Security Summit 2011 (San Diego, CA)
OCT 03 - 05, 2011
Learn More
BIOCOM Presents: California Industrial Biotech Conference (Palo Alto, CA)
OCT 04 - 05 2011
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Infocast's Developing Grid Storage Projects Conference (Dallas, TX)
OCT 05 - 06 2011
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Procopio's Environmental Breakfast Club (La Jolla, CA)
OCT 12 2011
7:30AM - 11:30AM
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CleanTECH San Diego Executive Committee Meeting (San Diego, CA)
OCT 18 2011
7:30AM - 9:00AM
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CleanTECH San Diego and UK Trade & Investment Water Technology Mission (San Diego, CA)
OCT 20 - 21 2011
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Algae Biomass Organization's Annual Summit (Minneapolis, MN)
OCT 25 - 27 2011
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CleanTECH San Diego New Member Breakfast Orientation (La Jolla, CA)
OCT 26 2011
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CleanTECH San Diego Education & Outreach Committee Meeting (San Diego, CA)
OCT 26 2011
4:00PM - 5:00PM
Learn More
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Why San Diego?
San Diego is world renowned for
its culture of collaboration and
collegiality and is a natural setting
for a clean tech “collaboratory.”
Through meaningful partnerships
with private and public sector
champions, CleanTECH San Diego
promotes sustainable best
practices in the San Diego region
and promotes the region’s high
concentration of clean tech activities.
By collaborating with the multitude
of stakeholders, we leverage these
assets and position ourselves
effectively as a world leader in
the low carbon economy.
See our list of San Diego
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