$29.5 million in NYSTAR budget extends matching grants program

The $68.2 million FY 11 budget approved last week for the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR), allows the foundation to continue to provide 10 percent matching funds for research institutions and businesses in order to attract federal, private and industry funds. The budget allocates $29.5 million in FY11 for a matching grants program started with ARRA stimulus funding and $5.2 million for the state's six Centers of Excellence.

The appropriation is scaled down from Gov. David Paterson's original budget recommendation that would have provided $100 million for the program.  The NYSTAR budget also includes $1.5 million for state matching funds for the Manufacturing Extension Program and $343,000 for the Research Development Program.

A. 9705, providing the budget detail, is available at: http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us.

Virtual Design Studio wins $560,296 DOE grant

New York State has advanced in its goal to lead the nation in the development of energy efficient building technologies through a $560,296 DOE grant to Syracuse University Professors Jensen Zhang and Michael Perkins to develop a virtual design studio, which will aid building designers in maximizing energy efficiency. CDH Energy, The Florida Solar Energy Center and the Syracuse Center of Excellence are all working closely with the SU professors and have collectively provided $84,122 towards the project. An additional $57,936 is also being put up by Syracuse University in the form of professor salaries and student scholarships.



With the use of a virtual building database, performance simulation models and a knowledge base of architectural design, the studio will allow for designers to make a coordinated, integrated and optimized building design. Such designs mean a reduction of energy costs by 30-75 percent along with significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. With 40 percent of national energy consumption attributed to buildings, such efficiencies have the potential to increase national security by reducing dependence on foreign oil.



The design studio is one of five federally funded projects falling under the category of “analysis, design, and technical tools” which goes along with the federal economic recovery efforts as quality jobs will be created on all ends of the energy-efficient building market.

Top 20 environmental firms in Central Upstate New York

The Central New York Business Journal has recently ranked the top environmental firms in the area by number of environmental professionals.  The Top 20 list includes:

1. O'Brien & Gere, (315) 437-6100, www.obg.com
O'Brien & Gere of Syracuse, NY specialize in 360-degree engineering and project delivery solutions for industrial and governmental agencies.

2. OP-Tech Environmental Services, (315) 437-2065, www.op-tech.us
OP-Tech Environmental Services of Syracuse, NY offers a wide array of services ranging from civil construction to sediment remediation.

3. AECOM Environment, (315) 432-0506, www.aecom.com
AECOM Environment of Syracuse, NY specializes in health-based services including industrial hygiene, air-quality, asbestos, lead paint surveys, mold investigations and stack testing.

4. Barton &Loguidice, P.C., (315) 457-5200, www.bartonandloguidice.com
Barton & Loguidice of Liverpool, NY offer a wide array of services ranging from brownfield redevelopment to hazardous waste site design.

5. SRC Inc., (315) 455-2000, www.srcinc.com
SRC Inc. of Syracuse, NY specializes in providing governmental agencies with biological warfare defense, toxicology/health risk assessments and health/environmental review.

6. C&S Companies, (315) 455-2000, www.cscos.com
C&S Companies of Syracuse, NY specialize in conducting environmental assessments, LEED building certifications, solid waste management and water treatment/distribution.

7. Stearns & Wheler GHD, (315) 655-8161, www.ghd.com
Stearns & Wheler GHD of Cazenovia, NY offer a wide array services ranging from energy management to municipal solid waste and wastewater treatment.

8. Environmental Products and Services of Vermont, (315) 451-6666, www.epsofvermont.com
Environmental Products &Services of Vermont offers environmental cleaning services such as spill response, waste transportation/disposal, vacuum truck service and tank clean/removal.

9. Environmental Design & Research P.C., (315) 471-0688, www.edrpc.com
Environmental Design & Research of Syracuse, NY specializes in providing commercial businesses with environmental-impact, natural resource, cultural-resource and visual-impact analyses along with a myriad of other services.

10. FPM Group, Ltd., (315) 336-7721, www.fpm-group.com
The FPM Group of Rome, NY specializes in providing government agencies and municipalities with services including environmental engineering and analysis, environmental compliance and planning, due-diligence assessments and geographic information systems.

11. Shumaker Consulting Engineering & Land Surveying, P.C., (607) 798-8081, www.shumakerengineering.com
Shumaker Consulting Engineering & Land Surveying of Binghamton, NY provides governmental agencies and municipalities with environmental engineering and science services ranging from waste-site investigation/remediation to air quality testing.

12. CDM, (315) 434-3200, web: www.cdm.com
CDM of Syracuse, NY offers commercial and governmental institutions water, wastewater, transportation, environmental remediation and construction services.

13. Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, (315) 724-4860, www.gomezandsullivan.com
Gomez and Sullivan Engineers of Utica, NY offer environmental science/engineering expertise for water resources.

14. Strategic Environmental, LLC, (315) 635-8936, www.strategicenv.com
Strategic Environmental of Baldwinsville, NY specializes in a wide array of site-specific services ranging from property transactions to the brownfield restoration.

15. CHA, (315) 471-3920, www.chacompanies.com
CHA of Syracuse, NY specializes in site assessments, brownfield restoration and a wide assortment of design services.

16. Paragon Environmental Construction, Inc., (315) 699-0840, www.paragonec.net
Paragon Environmental Construction of Brewerton, NY specializes in various cleaning and removal services ranging from tanks to demolition sites.

17. Plumley Engineering, P.C., (315) 638-8587, www.plumleyeng.com
Plumley Engineering of Baldwinsville, NY specializes in petroleum spill cleanups, wetland delineation/permitting, emission controls and chemical storage design.

18. CH2M HILL, (315) 451-7100, www.ch2m.com
CH2M HILL of Liverpool, NY offers a wide range of services ranging from remediation design/remediation actions to munitions response.

19. HSE Consulting Services, LLC, (315) 698-1438, www.hseconsultingservices.com
HSE Consulting Services of Cicero, NY provides environmental safety trainings ranging from lead-based paint renovator to the OSHA 40 hour Hazwoper training for workers on hazardous material sites.

20. Abscope Environmental Inc., (315) 697-8437, www.abscope.com
Abscope Environmental of Canastota, NY specializes in remedial soil excavation, asbestos abatement, barrier walls and groundwater treatment.

New private equity group to be headquartered in Syracuse.

Bryan Luce, the chief executive officer at Reliance Capital Partners and Owner of Reliance Funding Group, Inc. has recently announced the formation of a new private equity group to be headquartered in Syracuse, New York.

Reliance Capital Partners is a strategic, growth oriented equity fund structured as a business development corporation. The purpose of the fund and the company is the strategic acquisition of mature companies with strong and recurring cash flows. Facilitating integration, consolidation and growth in synergistic merger of portfolio companies with profitable exit within 5-7 years.

Reliance Funding Group, is a small regional boutique Lending and Consulting firm specializing in Obtaining Financing, Financing Strategies, Feasibility, Due Diligence, Merger/ Acquisition / Disposition Services. We provide Lending, consulting and other related services to help companies of all sizes and types, with a concentration in Agri-business and Energy related companies in the New England Region.

Clean Tech Center Recognized for Advancing Innovative Sustainable Business Practices

The Clean Tech Center, a Syracuse-based business incubator funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), has been recognized for its accomplishments by the Institute for Sustainable Development.

The Center, which has assisted more than 100 emerging companies in its first year of operation, received the Institute’s 2010 Green Plus North American Sustainable Enterprise award for its work to help the nation, Central New York, and its members understand the economic benefits of sustainable business practices. It is the second national award the Center received this year for its work to grow Central New York’s economy.

NYSERDA president and CEO Francis J. Murray Jr. said, “This award recognizes that, in just one year, The Clean Tech Center has established itself as an important player in the development of Central New York’s growing clean energy economy. I commend the leadership of The Clean Tech Center and our partners at the CenterState CEO for their vision and hard work to position Central New York for economic growth in the future.”

Linda Hartstock, Vice President of Innovation and Technology for CenterState CEO and Executive Director of The Clean Tech Center said, “We are proud to be part of NYSERDA’s ecosystem. NYSERDA vision in creating innovative programs such as its portfolio of clean energy incubation centers, is positioning New York State as a global leader in advancing sustainability. We’ve enjoyed a tremendous partnership with NYSERDA and look forward to working together to grow the clean energy economy.”

Among The Clean Tech Center’s portfolio of innovative programs and services cited in the award is its annual Green Business Showcase, the largest event of its kind in the northeast, with more than 7,000 annual attendees. In addition, the Institute recognized the Clean Tech Center’s “Green Innovation Exposition” program, which is designed to engage young entrepreneurs in idea formation around green business concepts.

The Center was established with $1.5 million in financial assistance from NYSERDA and provides a facility for the incubation and acceleration of early-stage clean energy companies, and direct financial support.

In April, The Clean Tech Center was selected one of the “Top 10 Global Cleantech Cluster Organizations 2010” in a report produced by Sustainable World Capital.

For more information, visit www.thecleantechcenter.com  or www.nyserda.org

MicroGen on YouTube

Watch a great new video about MicroGen, an emerging technology company that is developing a MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) based piezoelectric vibrational energy harvester technology to provide long lasting power for non-wireless electronics and wireless sensor network (WSN) applications. The technology extends the lifetime of rechargeable batteries or eliminates them altogether using ambient vibration as the energy source (see Energy Harvesting Forum), and storing power on a ultra-capacitor. MicroGen's product development efforts are being carried out at the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility. These efforts are currently funded in part through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB2a8OhlW9A
For more info:  www.microgensystems.com

Two NYS companies win Clean Tech Business Plan Competition at TechConnect World in Anaheim

New York-based Ener-G-Rotors captured top honors at the Clean Tech Business Plan Competition last week at the TechConnectWorld 2010 Conference at the Anaheim Convention Center. Judges included a panel from the electric, water and venture-capital industries. The contest, presented by the Anaheim Center for New Energy Technologies, seeks out market-ready, clean-tech innovations.

New York-based Ener-G-Rotors garnered the first-place award for its innovative technology that converts waste heat sources of less than 400 degrees Fahrenheit into electricity. The company specializes in the industrial waste heat market. A California-based company, Flex Energy, came in second for its generator that produces electricity from previously unusable gasses. New York-based Prism Solar Technologies scored third for its holographic film for solar modules that lowers the cost of solar energy while also boosting its output. California-based EcoCover, a manufacturer of organic mulch from recycled office paper, and Pennsylvania-based PaceControls, a maker of energy-saving retrofit controls, scored fourth and fifth.

For more info: http://www.ocmetro.com/t-clean_tech_business_plan_06252010.aspx

PowAIR Sail wind turbine to be employed at SUNY ESF.

The PowAIR Sail wind turbine by Impact-Technologies Group, Inc. of Syracuse, NY is making its commercial debut on the roof of SUNY ESF’s Walters hall.  The small-scale wind turbine has unique  blades that are sail like in shape and can produce electricity while wind speeds are as low as 3 mph. The turbine is silent, light and produces minimal vibrations, making it ideal for rooftop use in urban settings. Unlike other turbines of its size the PowAIR Sail turbine can operate in higher wind speeds, allowing it to operate while others of its kind are deactivated.  SUNY ESF will be assisting with the commercial scale performance testing of the turbine.

Impact-Technologies unveiled its PowAIR Sail wind turbine to the public at the Syracuse Chamber's Green Business Expo and again at a Tech Garden press conference April of this year.

For more information on Impact-Technologies visit www.impact-technologies.com

Alteris Renewables, Inc. expands into New York.

Alteris Renewables, Inc. based in Wilton, Connecticut has assured its spot as the largest design/build renewable energy company in the northeast after purchasing ISI Solar of New City, NY on May 13, 2010.  The acquisition comes only a year after the company bought Renewable Power Systems of Albany, New York. With new offices in Albany and New City, Alteris has gained full control of both the northern and southern markets of New York State.

Alteris Renewables, Inc. was formed in 2009 when northeast solar     companies Solar Works, Inc. and SolarWrights, Inc. joined forces to offer solar electric, solar thermal and wind energy solutions for the northeast.

Alteris Renewables, Inc.: www.alterisinc.com

2009: A year to remember for Atlantis Energy Systems

Atlantis Energy Systems is building on its recognition in 2009 as the winner of both the Frost and Sullivan and the Small Business Commerce Association Award. Frost and Sullivan recognized Atlantis Energy as the 2009 "World Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Niche Player of the Year," an award given to companies that have shown great success in offering a focused product line within its market segment.

The award does not come as a big surprise as Atlantis Energy Systems invented the building-integrated photovoltaic in 1998 with its product “Sunslates” and continues to lead the field. The Small Business Commerce Association recognized Atlantis Energy Systems in their “Best of Business” awards for the photovoltaic category. The awards acknowledge the top 5 percent of small businesses on a national level.

Atlantis Energy Systems is a company headquartered in Poughkeepsie, NY that specializes in producing and innovating building-integrated photovoltaic systems(BIPV). Atlantis Energy is a world leader in BIPV production and has dealers in the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe.

For more information about Atlantis Energy Systems visit www.atlantisenergy.com.

Conserval Systems, Inc. wins praise for its Solar Wall PV/T system.

RenewableEnergyWorld.com has awarded Conserval Systems, Inc. “best building integrated renewable” in the 2009 Renewable Energy World Awards. The award was for Conserval System’s “Solar Wall” Photovoltaic/ Solar Thermal (PV/T) technology. The Solar Wall PV/T system employs a thermal energy heating system that uses solar energy to pre-heat a buildings ventilation air along with photovoltaic for electricity production. The system produces four times more electricity than a traditional photovoltaic panel and displaces up to 50 percent of a buildings heating fuel consumption.

Conserval Systems, Inc. is an international company headquartered in Buffalo, NY that specializes in renewable energy solutions for the Industrial-Commercial-Institutional building sector. Conserval’s “Solar Wall” has been on the market since 1990 and has been proven effective by such companies as Ford Motors, GM, 3M, Prologis, FedEx and Bombardier.

For more information visit www.solarwall.com

Widetronix offers a solution to battery longevity.

Widetronix, Inc., of Ithaca, NY specializes in creating long life, low-power batteries for microelectrics.  Widetronix’s batteries are composed of silicon carbide and have life spans reaching more than 25 years.  Such longevity gives great potential for employment in military and medical applications where battery life is critical to the security and survival of its users.  The functionality of Widetronix’s batteries has received great attention as they have recently been granted 2.2 million dollars by the federal government.

Amongst efforts to increase the power/efficiency of their batteries, Widetronix is currently working on developing batteries alongside Lockheed Martin for use in military anti-tamper systems that protect classified information. Widetronix is also developing batteries to be used in medical monitoring devices and aims to someday employ their batteries in such devices as pacemakers and neurological devices.

For more information on Widetronix, Inc. visit http://www.widetronix.com

NY delegation joins to support federal energy hub application to create national center for building energy sustainability systems

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/su_seeks_federal_funds_to_crea.html

Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand joined with Congressman Daniel B. Maffei to support a New York State proposal for a New York Energy Regional Innovation Cluster (NYE-RIC) -- a $130 million federal interagency grant opportunity through the Department of Energy, Economic Development Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Small Business Administration

"The NYE-RIC proposal is an unprecedented collaboration between the substantial assets of New York State in research, manufacturing, finance, policy, and media to dramatically accelerate the pace of development and deployment of energy efficient technology," they said.

The proposal would create a Building Energy Sustainability Systems Laboratory (BESSL) as a collaboration between Syracuse University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Columbia University, New York University, the City University of New York (CUNY), Cornell University, Clarkson University, Pace University, Stony Brook University, the Brookhaven National Laboratory, and the Research Foundation of the State University of New York.  Co-applicants include CUNY’s Sustainable Works, NYSTAR and The New York State Small Business Development Center.  The consortium also includes business and industry partners through the leadership efforts of CenterState CEO and the Partnership for New York City.

Only one federal award will be made for designation of a national center.  The decision is expected in late summer or early fall.

National Grid creates Transactions Delivery Center -- Investment coincides with filling 450 positions in Syracuse

National Grid VP Susan Crossett and Steve Lucas, National Grid Executive Director of Finance and Shared Services

National Grid yesterday launched a new center for key transactions-related services in downtown Syracuse, coinciding with the company’s filling of 450 positions during the last 18 months in the Syracuse area. To accommodate additional employees, National Grid is refurbishing the interior of its downtown Syracuse campus, ultimately expanding the possible capacity to 2,100 occupants, up from 1,500.

“National Grid is committed to the Syracuse community and the economic vitality of Upstate New York,” said Steve Lucas, National Grid Executive Director of Finance and Shared Services. “We reviewed several location options for our Transactions Delivery Center across our U.S. market area, and elected to expand in Syracuse because of our strong ties to the local community, the area’s high-quality work force, low costs of working and living, strong educational presence and its reputation as a developing hub for new ‘clean energy’ technologies.”

National Grid continues to rank as one of Syracuse’s largest employers, and is a leader in terms of total payroll and capital investment in the regional economy.

During the last 18 months, National Grid has hired nearly 450 individuals to work in its downtown Syracuse facility. More than 100 of these jobs have been management and union positions related to the Transactions Delivery Center, with the remaining balance belonging to engineering, field management, and customer contact center communications.  National Grid expects to have as many as 500 employees in the Transactions Delivery Center in the next few years. For current job listings, interested individuals can visit www.nationalgridus.com

In addition, National Grid is taking action to address the challenge of workforce development with its innovative and comprehensive “Engineering Our Future” initiative to inspire youth and attract and develop utility workers. National Grid already has invested more than $3 million in this program to target students of all ages and backgrounds to encourage them to study science, technology, engineering and math, collectively known as “STEM.”

For more information about employment at National Grid, visit the Careers section of www.nationalgridus.com

 Source:  National Grid

NYPA begins review process for Great Lakes Offshore Wind Project

New York Power Authority (NYPA) President and Chief Executive Officer Richard M. Kessel came to Syracuse today to talk about the start of a multi-phase review process for five proposals vying to construct the Great Lakes Offshore Wind (GLOW) project or projects in the New York State waters of Lake Erie and/or Lake Ontario. The session was part of a forum hosted by the CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CEO) to connect with wind component manufacturers and suppliers as part of the process. More than 80 companies attended the event designed to broker supply chain relationships between the successful developers and New York companies.

During the NYPA initial review phase, the proposals are being evaluated by a team of NYPA staff and its consultant specialists to determine which best meet the requirements set forth in the RFP. This is expected to take about six to seven months/ Following that review NYPA trustees are expected to select a preferred developer(s) by early 2011, pending successful contract negotiations. The preferred developer(s) will then begin regulatory and environmental reviews which will include additional public input.

The regulatory and environmental review process is expected to take about two years.  Construction is expected to take approximately two to three years following contract signing.  The project -- which would be the first off-shore fresh water wind project in North America -- could begin operation in late 2015 or early 2016.

Companies in Syracuse today participated in a "Get Listed!" NYPA initiative to develop a business registery of companies who are capable of supplying products or services for project GLOW.   The successful bidder will have to demonstrate how it is using NYS goods and services, as part of the competitive review process.

For more information:  www.nypa.gov

Low Carbon Transportation Alternatives: Pathways to Energy Efficiency, Enhanced Economics, Sustainability and Livability

In partnership with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Program Opportunity Notice (PON) 2078 seeks proposals that have the potential of reducing the carbon intensity of the existing multi-modal transportation system in New York State. For the purpose of this solicitation, carbon intensity is defined as CO2 emissions per unit of passenger or freight transport. Total available New York State funding is $1,500,000. All, or none, of the available funding may be allocated.

For more information:  http://www.nyserda.org/funding/2078pon.asp

Existing and proposed wind projects in NYS

NYPA brings its Great Lakes Offshore Wind (GLOW) outreach to Syracuse this week for a forum with developers and suppliers of wind components.  New York State has a strong wind industry, and a robust infrastructure to support wind energy development.  The DEC maintains a list of existing and proposed wind projects in NYS, with available websites.  Here is that list, updated as of June 2010:

Cattaraugus County

• Allegany Wind Project -- http://www.alleganywindfarm.com/

 Chautauqua County

• Arkwright Summit Wind Farm -- http://www.horizonwindfarms.com/northeast-region/under-dev/arkwright-summit.htm
• Noble Ball Hill Windpark -- http://www.noblepower.com/our-windparks/BallHill.html
• Ripley-Westfield Wind Farm -- http://www.ripleywestfieldwind.ene.com
• Clinton County
• Beekmantown Wind Farm -- http://www.pennrealestategroup.com/renewable-energy/beekmantown-wind-farm.html 
• Marble River Wind Farm --http://www.marbleriverwindfarm.com/index.cfm
• Noble Altona Windpark -- http://www.noblepower.com/our-windparks/altona/index.html
• Noble Clinton Windpark -- http://www.noblepower.com/our-windparks/clinton/index.html
• Noble Ellenburg Windpark -- http://www.noblepower.com/our-windparks/ellenburg/index.html

Delaware County

• Moresville Wind Energy Center -- http://www.invenergyllc.com/moresville/index.html

Erie County

• Steel Winds -- http://bqpes.com/wind-projects-steelwinds.php

Franklin County

• Jericho Rise Wind Farm -- http://www.jerichorisewind.com/
• Noble Bellmont Windpark -- http://www.noblepower.com/our-windparks/Bellmont/index.html
• Noble Chateaugay Windpark -- http://www.noblepower.com/our-windparks/Chateaugay/index.html

Genesee County

• Alabama Ledge Wind Farm -- http://www.horizonwindfarms.com/northeast-region/under-dev/alabama-ledge.htm

Herkimer County

• Hardscrabble Wind Power Project -- http://www.iberdrolarenewables.us/hardscrabble/index.html
• Jordanville Wind Farm -- http://www.iberdrolarenewables.us/jordanville

Jefferson County

• Cape Vincent Wind Farm -- http://www.erm.com/BPNYWind
• Horse Creek Wind Farmhttp -- www.iberdrolarenewables.us/horsecreek/
• Hounsfield Wind Farm -- http://upstatenypower.com/index.html
• St. Lawrence Wind Farm -- http://www.stlawrencewind.com/

Lewis County

• Maple Ridge Wind Farm -- http://www.horizonwind.com/projects/whatwevedone/mapleridge/
• Roaring Brook Wind Power Project -- http://www.iberdrolarenewables.us/roaringbrook.html

Madison County

• Fenner Wind Farm -- http://www.fennerwind.com/home.html
• Madison Wind Farm -- http://www.horizonwind.com/projects/whatwevedone/madison.aspx
• Munnsville Wind Project -- http://www.citizensenergy.com/english/pages/26/our-projects
• West Hill Wind Farm -- http://www.westhillwind.com/index.html

Steuben County

• Cohocton Wind Farm -- http://www.cohoctonwind.com/cohocton/index.cfm
• Howard Wind Project -- http://www.howardwindfarm.com/
• Prattsburgh-Italy Wind Farm -- http://www.ecogeneis.com/home.html
• Steuben Wind Project -- http://www.eon.com/en/businessareas/35696.jsp

Tompkins County

• Black Oak Wind Farm -- http://www.ccbconstructiononline.com/enfieldenergy/index.htm

Wyoming County

• Dairy Hills Wind Farm -- http://www.horizonwindfarms.com/northeast-region/under-dev/dairy-hills.htm
• High Sheldon Wind Farm -- http://www.invenergyllc.com/projects/sheldon.html
• Noble Bliss Windpark -- http://www.noblepower.com/our-windparks/bliss/index.html
• Noble Wethersfield Windpark -- http://www.noblepower.com/our-windparks/wethersfield/index.html
• Stony Creek Wind Farm -- http://www.invenergyllc.com/stonycreek/index.html
• Wethersfield Wind Farm -- http://www.enel.it/northamerica/powerPlants

Another interesting source of information is the Wind Power Law website, which covers incentives, programs and policy debates related to wind in NYS. 

That website also contains a good list of projects: 
http://windpowerlaw.info/wind-power-law-resources/new-york-state-wind-projects/

ACT Bioenergy boiler helps the Wild Center save money, reduce its carbon footprint and win praise.

The Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks, also known as The Wild Center, in Tupper Lake, NY has recently replaced its propane fired hot water heating system with an ACT Bioenergy wood pellet gasification boiler and solar thermal heating system.    The new system is estimated to reduce The Wild Centers greenhouse gas emissions by 400 tons annually while simultaneously reducing its heating costs by 40%, saving the museum approximately $80,000 per year. 

The new system has been awarded “Best Solar Thermal Innovation” in the New York Solar Energy Industries Association’s 2010 6KC Awards.

Advanced Climate Technologies (ACT) is based in Schenectady, New York and is the first of its kind to produce bioenergy gasification boilers in the US.  In partnership with a leading Austrian manufacturer of wood chip/pellet boilers, ACT has introduced a highly efficient bioenergy boiler to the North American market.

For more information:  Advanced Climate Technologies: www.actbioenergy.com

New York State publishes innovation wiki: www.Knowledgeny.org/wiki

The New York State Task Force on Industry-Higher Education Partnerships has created a new tool: www.knowledgeny.org, as a web portal with links and useful reports on growing the Innovation Economy. 

In addition, the Task Force has also just created and launched a New York State Innovation Asset Inventory -- an open-forum, wiki-based website which includes brief profiles and contact information of many of the state’s most important investment, research and development and business startup assets.  The wiki website is www.KnowledgeNY.org/wiki.

The wiki provides brief profiles of New York-based assets, listed within eight profiles:

• State and City agencies with innovation programming and funding
• Business incubators
• Angel Investor Networks
• Venture Capital Funds
• University centers and laboratories
• Centers of Excellence, Centers for Advanced Technology
• Individual researchers
• Other innovation assets

The Clean Tech Center wins Green Plus North American Sustainability Enterprise Award

From Green Plus ... 
In its annual Green Plus North American Sustainable Enterprise Awards, the Institute for Sustainable Development recognized The Clean Tech Center for its leadership efforts to help the nation, region, and its members understand and benefit from the relationship between economic competitiveness and sustainable business practices.

2010 Green Plus national co-winners included The Clean Tech Center, a Syracuse based clean energy business incubator, which is catalyzing economic development in the central upstate region of NYS and The Greater Cleveland Partnership / Council on Smaller Enterprises which is helping its members become more sustainable.

The CenterState Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and The Clean Tech Center are at the core of organizing a regional innovation cluster that has gained international recognition for its efforts to build a comprehensive and connected infrastructure to support the development of renewable and clean energy companies, and help existing companies advance energy and climate change initiatives to support sustainability.  They were instrumental in organizing a nearly 200 member “green” consortium of education, industry, government, investor and small business leaders to develop a regional strategy around green innovation, and worked with the New York State Energy Research Development Authority to create The Clean Tech Center at The Tech Garden — a clean energy incubator to accelerate the launch of renewable energy businesses and technologies.

In addition, The Clean Tech Center hosts a regular calendar of “Green Business Development” Days for members, in partnership with the NYS Small Business Development Center and the U.S. Small Business Administration. More than 100 companies have already been served in the first year of the program. The Chamber hosts an annual Green Business Showcase, which is the largest event of its kind in the northeast, with more than 7,000 annual attendees, and this year also launched a student “Green Innovation Exposition” to engage young entrepreneurs in idea formation around green business concepts. Finally, the Chamber is an active partner with New York State policy makers and has had a hand in helping to shape some of the most ambitious statewide clean energy programs and sustainability goals in the nation.

The Clean Tech Center’s blog/news site: www.cleantechny.blogspot.com has become one of the most widely consulted central clearinghouses of information on sustainability news and issues in New York State – with readers in more than 60 countries. The Chamber’s efforts were recently recognized by Sustainable World Capital in the Cleantech Group’s February 2010 report for creating one of the “top ten clean tech cluster organizations in the world.” According to an independent study by the Battelle Group, there are more than 400 clean tech businesses, employing more than 10,000, in the region – evidence of strategic growth in this sector. 

About The Green Plus North American Sustainable Enterprise Awards / Green Plus Chamber of the Year Awards:  The field of chambers considered for the prize was formed by considering the work of Partners for Livable Communities — a non-profit leadership organization working to improve the livability of communities by promoting quality of life, economic development, and social equity. Since its founding in 1977, Partners has helped communities set a common vision for the future, discover and use new resources for community and economic development, and build public/private coalitions to further their goals. Recently, PLC published its second volume of case studies of best practices among chambers of commerce in sustainability leadership, “The Dollars and Sense of Business: Chambers of Commerce as the New Champions of a Green Economy“.

The mission of the Institute for Sustainable Development is to democratize triple bottom line sustainability by making it accessible to smaller employers and their communities, fostering a new generation of sustainability leaders, and developing a common understanding of sustainability principles across cultures. Green Plus is the Institute’s program to provide affordable education, networking, and recognition to smaller enterprises interested in pursuing triple bottom line sustainability practices in People, Planet and Performance. Through Green Plus, the Institute offers online and in-person small business education through its Sustainability Fellows, a national business-to-business network for mentorship and business opportunities, and brand support for those businesses that earn Certified Green Plus status.

The Institute partners with the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) as the key channel to market to offer Green Plus to regional chambers of commerce. ACCE’s mission is to support and develop chamber professionals to lead businesses and their communities. The organizational vision is that ACCE is the organization of choice for chamber professionals. ACCE currently has over 7,800 professional members in 1,400 chambers of commerce, which in turn represent over 1.2 million small business members. These professionals represent local, regional, and state chambers of commerce of all sizes across the United States and Canada.

SUNY ESF and O'Brien and Gere launch "Leading Sustainability in Public, Private and Nonprofit Organizations"

SUNY ESF, in partnership with the Syracuse and Philadelphia offices of O’Brien & Gere, are launching an exciting program to help individuals who are responsible for thinking strategically and technically about their institution’s sustainability agendas: Leading Sustainability in Public, Private and Nonprofit Organizations."

The program will help sustainability officers gain a better understanding of the aspects of institutional plans and operating procedures that are critical to future success and how to close the gap between best intentions and practice. Leading Sustainability will prepare key personnel to meet current and future challenges by being better able to initiate, establish, and advance sustainability planning, implementation, and reporting in a variety of organizational contexts.

The program is designed to accommodate working professionals with two opportunities to participate. Options are a two-day seminar on the SUNY ESF campus in Syracuse, New York on either: Tuesday, September 21 from 8:15 AM to 4:00 PM and Wednesday, September 22, 2010 from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM; - or - Friday, October 1 from 8:15 AM to 4:00 PM and Saturday, October 2, 2010 from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. After completing this two-day program, all participants will engage in a series of facilitated work sessions and three Webinars. These three sessions are: Thursdays, October 7, October 14, and October 21, 2010 from 4:15 – 7:00 PM.; The program will culminate in an on-campus session: Thursday, October 28, 2010 from 8:15 AM – 1:15 PM.

Participants will work with a team of experienced practitioners and instructors who will provide:

• Real-world examples of the benefits and costs associated with the adaption and use of renewable technologies and sustainable practices; and
• Authoritative and reliable perspectives, recommendations, information and resources that will inform r sustainability-related decision-making, practice and policy.

To learn more and register: www.esf.edu/outreach/ls  

With support from a New York State Department of Labor grant through CNY Works, this program is available at a substantially reduced cost.

Smart tech solutions: SATOP

Photo:  Madi Kalibala, Senior Project Engineer
 
CenterState CEO and The Tech Garden are proud to support the (SATOP), providing businesses across New York State with free engineering assistance.  SATOP will provide up to 40 hours of FREE engineering help to solve a technical challenge. The engineers are supplied through SATOP's network of Alliance partners, aerospace industry companies, NASA sub-contractors, and universities doing NASA research.

Any U.S. - based business with under 500 employees can apply. SATOP does not charge for its services. It is funded by a grant from NASA and its mission is to transfer knowledge from the U.S. space program to small businesses to help spur economic growth.

How Does it Work?
Submit a simple Request for Technical Assistance (RTA).The SATOP Project Engineer will match your RTA to an Alliance Partner who has the necessary engineering expertise.  The Alliance Partner accepts the RTA and provides your with up to 40 hours of free assistance. Communication is by phone, fax and e-mail.

Get started by visiting www.spacetechsolutions.com

High tech manufacturing on upswing in Upstate NY

A number of high-tech manufacturing sectors are emerging in parts of upstate New York despite the impact of the recession, according to a report released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The report highlights positive aspects of a sector that has otherwise seen major declines in jobs over the past several decades.  While manufacturing continued to shed jobs, from 2000 to 2008 advanced high-tech jobs increased by more than seven percent – adding over 7,000 jobs.

DiNapoli’s report highlights the signs that this sector has already begun a positive transformation:

• Manufacturing is still a major force in the upstate labor market – One in every nine employees works in a manufacturing job. These jobs account for 20 percent of private sector wages.
• Upstate increased its high-tech job offerings – Computer and electronic manufacturing industries showed improvement from 2004 to 2008, increasing employment by nine percent. As of 2008, there were more than 250,000 jobs in high-tech industries in upstate New York, and 44 percent were in the most advanced technology areas.
• Other good quality jobs have come with high-tech – From 2005 to 2008, upstate’s metro areas added over 1,500 jobs in computer and mathematics occupations and nearly 7,000 jobs in architecture and engineering. These jobs require more skills and education and typically carry higher salaries.
• Growth occurred in leading-edge industries – 6,000 jobs in information and communications were added from 2004 to 2008, and 1,800 jobs in life science technologies. Both of these industries carry average salaries in excess of $70,000.

DiNapoli noted several reasons why upstate is well positioned for high-tech employment growth:

• The state has an excellent higher educational system, with many top engineering, scientific and professional program offerings. Statewide, college enrollments have increased by 16 percent from 2000 to 2008, and there were 1.2 million students enrolled in degree-credit programs in New York State’s 270 colleges and universities;
• Upstate communities already offer close proximity to major urban centers, major recreational areas, and high-quality public schools, colleges and universities; and
• The manufacturing workforce mix continues to evolve and growth is occurring in the more technically advanced sectors of the manufacturing industry, as well as in other scientific and computer-based industries, creating a larger pool of skilled workers.

The report suggests a coordinated effort at the state, regional and local levels in order to build on these strengths and address the challenges that exist in each region of New York.

DiNapoli noted that the New York State Common Retirement Fund’s In-State Investment Program is targeted to companies in New York State to help create jobs in the state. DiNapoli has increased the program's commitment to nearly $1 billion since he took office.

What does Green mean? Check this viral video

Gotta see this video from our friends at Earthsense!
http://vimeo.com/12643854

What does Green mean?
Earthsense took it to the streets of Syracuse ...
Check out this video, tweet it, forward it to a friend, and help make it go viral.

Earthsense, based at The Tech Garden in Syracuse, NY, is widely known in sustainability circles for its Eco-Insights national survey, as well as for its creation of the Green Confidence Index, which has been adopted as the gold standard for understanding consumer perceptions of green companies. Earthsense was featured recently at global sustainability conferences as part of Earth Week, and appeared on Fox Business Network on Earth Day.

Earth Sense recently launched a new initiative to track the environmental and investment performance of the 100 largest companies traded on the Nasdaq.

Read a great feature story about Earthsense at Green CNY:
http://blog.syracuse.com/green/2010/05/whats_the_green_consumer_think.html

Learn more about Earthsense, including its new Nasdaq initiative at: www.earthsense.com

The company is actively seeking investors.  Contact Wendy Cobrda or Amy Hebard through the company website.

Central New York selected for US EPA Climate Showcase Communities grant award

The Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board has received nearly $500,000 from the US EPA Climate Showcase Communities program to provide financial and technical assistance over the next three years to nine local municipalities to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gases. 

Each year, the CNY RPDB will competitively award sub-grants to three local governments to support energy efficiency retrofits, measures to introduce alternative-fuel vehicles and fueling systems, vehicle travel reduction projects, or transportation efficiency improvements.

Those awarded sub-grants will be required to develop a climate action plan, apply for financial and technical assistance through programs offered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and receive training on no-cost evaluation tools such as ENERGY STAR's Portfolio Manager. The program will encourage these governments to adopt community planning controls to support GHG emission reductions from local residents, businesses, and institutions. To help them meet these requirements, CNYRPDB will provide technical assistance throughout the process and publish a Municipal Energy Planning Guide to highlight case studies of projects funded through the sub-grants.

Read the article on syracuse.com
Read the follow-up to the grant announcement.

Unique student sandbox opens this week at The Tech Garden

The Syracuse Sandbox -- one of the most unique student entrepreneurship programs in the country designed to develop student- run businesses -- officially opens this week at The Tech Garden.  The formal launch and ribbon cutting, at 2:30 pm, Friday June 18 at The Tech Garden, is open to the public.

This year’s fully implemented Sandbox program will be launched in a newly renovated 4,000 square foot state-of-the-art space at The Tech Garden. The facility, designed by a team from Syracuse University’s COLAB at Visual and Performing Arts School, facilitates collaboration and the creative process.

The Sandbox provides an experiential environment with access to professional resources, investors, business mentoring, legal advice, technical and subject matter support. Teams receive a full 12 weeks of mentoring and coaching with the goal of becoming investor or cash flow ready by the end of the period. Over 40 community professionals have volunteered their services to mentor these student teams this summer.

This same program, during its prototype phase in 2009, helped develop Brand-Yourself, a company with a web-based reputation management program that has raised over $250,000 in private equity financing in the last six months and been acclaimed nation-wide.  Brand-Yourself is currently located at The Tech Garden.

Brand-Yourself CEO Pete Kistler, recognized last year as one of the top five student entrepreneurs in the U.S. by Entrepreneur magazine said, “Our experience in the Sandbox last year was instrumental in launching our business.  The connections made, the mentoring received and the assistance provided were invaluable to our young venture.  The entire Sandbox concept will result in many more start-ups developing in Central New York and creating jobs and wealth in the community.

Student teams in the Sandbox program include: Dreamfetcher, a connection site for professionals seeking an ideal employment position; Jamlynx, a social network site for musicians allowing them to connect with others with similar musical interests; Skill Addiction, a gaming website providing a platform for players to connect and compete in tournaments for cash and prizes; Grafighters, the first online game for hand drawn characters to compete with each other.  Other companies participating in the Sandbox are Brewing History, Campus Mosaic, CapeSquared, Higher Limits, Patch Work, Re-Circle, Safe Sip, and The Front.  In addition three companies are participating virtually from remote locations.

The Student Sandbox program at The Tech Garden helps capture student talent from the region’s colleges and universities by providing them with a structured assistance program to launch new business ideas with the supervision of mentors that include seasoned entrepreneurs. The Sandbox program is a collaboration between The Tech Garden and Kauffman Foundation Enitiative schools (Syracuse University, LeMoyne College, Cayuga Community College, Onondaga Community College, Morrisville State College and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry). Student teams from each of the Enitiative Schools are eligible to apply for the intensive twelve week summer program.

The Tech Garden's mission is to stimulate high-tech entrepreneurship, foster the development of emerging growth companies and support technology commercialization throughout the region. Start-up technology businesses are offered business plan assistance, mentoring and marketing advice, targeted referrals, networking opportunities and state-of-the-art office space from which to grow their businesses.

For more info:  www.thetechgarden.com

NYSERDA announces PON for Electric Power Transmission and Distribution (EPTD) Smart Grid Program

PON 1913:  Electric Power Transmission and Distribution (EPTD) Smart Grid Program

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today announced the availability of up to $16.5 million in funds to support projects that improve the reliability, efficiency, security, and overall performance of the electric power delivery system in New York State. Projects must demonstrate significant statewide public benefit and quantify all energy, environmental and economic impacts. Technology demonstrations and engineering studies are eligible for funding under this solicitation.

For Technical Questions please contact: John Love 1-866-NYSERDA   Ext. 3317
For more information on the program please visit http://www.nyserda.org/funding/1913pon.asp

Be Green NY

Want a beautiful yard using organic practices without conventional pesticides and synthetic fertilizers?  Businesses that participate in DEC's new Be Green Organic Yards NY program can take care of lawns, plants, and trees organically.

When you hire a Be Green business, only products and materials that meet DEC's conditions for organic management should be used in your yard. The conditions include prohibitions against certain pest management practices.   The organic approach focuses on preventing problems before they occur, and building a sustainable landscape that is healthy for all - plants, wildlife, pets, and people.

Be Green landscape services can range from a simple regimen of weeding, mulching and pruning, to all aspects of yard care, including plant selection and tree and lawn installation and maintenance.

Homeowners in many areas of the country are choosing organic yard care management, as a way of reducing their risk of exposure to pesticides and potential hazards for family, pets and the environment.

How Be Green Organic Yards NY Works:  Be Green businesses sign an agreement with DEC for the right to use the Be Green service mark (logo). In return, businesses agree that, when they provide Be Green services, they will avoid the synthetic pesticides and other materials prohibited by the organic conditions in the agreement. The businesses also take a Be Green training course, before signing the agreement.

Questions about the program? Email us at begreen@gw.dec.state.ny.us

How to Find a Be Green Business:  The Department expects that, by the fall of 2010, yard care businesses will be able to begin taking the training required to participate in Be Green. Homeowners and commercial customers looking for a Be Green landscaper can visit this page in the fall of 2010 for a link to DEC's list of trained businesses. At that time, DEC expects to start adding businesses to the list and will be updating it regularly.

To Learn More About Organic Lawn Care:  Interested in learning more about the nuts and bolts of organic landscaping? Take a look at DEC's resources on Green Lawns and Gardens.

How to Participate in Be Green Organic Yards NY:  Course providers, landscapers and other yard care professionals - learn more about the Be Green program and becoming licensed to use the Be Green service mark. DEC provides information on how to participate in Be Green as a course provider or business, including the license agreement, application forms, and helpful instructions.

Launching of the Be Green Program:  There are several steps to launching the Be Green program. They are listed below, to help with understanding how the new program will unfold:

• First, course providers would sign up to participate and begin offering training needed by future Be Green businesses. The Department encourages and welcomes course provider participation. Materials to help make that easy can be found on our website.
• Second, before being licensed by DEC to use the service mark, businesses must have staff trained in organic practices. Once that occurs, businesses can enter a license agreement that includes basic conditions for providing Be Green services.
• Finally, when the program is fully up and running, which we anticipate will be by fall 2010, trained Be Green landscapers will begin to be listed on our website. The public can then search for Be Green businesses in their area.

More about Be Green Organic Yards NY:

How to Become a Be Green Course Provider - Information on how to become a Be Green Organic Yards NY course provider.
List of Be Green Course Providers - Course providers approved to participate in Be Green Organic Yards NY.
How to Become a Be Green Business - Information on how to become a Be Green Organic Yards NY business.
Pest Management Prohibitions - Practices prohibited for businesses when providing Be Green services.
Resources for Course Providers & Businesses - List of resources which provide information related to Be Green practices.

High Tech Rochester recognized for its EIR program

High Tech Rochester's Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) program was recognized as one of three EIR programs with industry best practices at the recent International Conference on Business Incubation.  Additionally, HTR's EIR program is featured in a new book from the National Business Incubation Association entitled "Best Practices in Action: Guidelines for Implementing First-Class Business Incubation Program."

HTR began its EIR program in 2002, with a goal of improving startup company success by connecting experienced entrepreneurs with fledgling new firms. EIRs are typically successful entrepreneurs who have cycled out of their most recent companies, and are interested in giving back to the community by helping new companies. Since the program was started, HTR EIRs have assisted dozens of local startups, through coaching, mentoring, and in some cases, by taking the reigns as full-time CEOs - such as at New Scale Technologies, Adarza BioSystems, Diffinity Genomics, and SiMPore.

The International Conference on Business Incubation is an annual event hosted by the National Business Incubation Association, the world's leading organization advancing incubation and entrepreneurship. NBIA has over 1,900 members worldwide, and this year's conference drew attendees from more than 40 countries.

About High Tech Rochester


HTR is a non-profit economic development organization that serves as a catalyst for entrepreneurship and innovation-based growth in the Greater Rochester, NY Region. HTR manages two startup business incubators - the Lennox Tech Enterprise Center and the Rochester BioVenture Center - and works with small manufacturing companies to help them become more competitive, through operational improvement and new growth strategies.


HTR serves as the NYSTAR-designated Regional Technology Development Center for the Rochester / Finger Lakes region, through which it operates programs of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). Learn more at: www.htr.org.

Four NYS companies recognized at Smart Start

Companies receiving special recognition at this year's event -- the 10th anniversary of the Smart Start Venture Forum -- include:

• Best Presentation – Brand-Yourself.com, a Syracuse company that specializes in on-line reputation management.
• Most Promising Technology – ADispell Inc., a Rochester biotech development company that develops new treatments for Alzheimer's
• UNYTECH Most Innovative Technology – Propulsive Wing, a company in Syracuse that is developing unique unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform.
• Most Likely to be Funded – Hibernaid, a Troy life-science company developing innovative drug therapies for heart attack and stroke 

The SmartStart UNYTECH Venture Forum is presented by the Center for Economic Growth and is made possible through the generous contributions and support of a number of public and private contributors. Many upstate research universities also played an active role in recommending high-potential spin-out companies and contributing promising spin-out technologies to this year's program.

Global Foundries to invest additional $75 million in NYS

GLOBALFOUNDRIES has announced that it will be investing at least an additional $75 million in New York State to expand its Fab 8 computer chip plant at Luther Forest Technology Campus in Saratoga County. GLOBALFOUNDRIES will be building 90,000 square feet of additional cleanroom shell space, bringing the total available cleanroom space to approximately 300,000 square feet and adding to the 1.3 million square foot facility. The additional capacity will allow for the future fit up and equipment necessary to enable GLOBALFOUNDRIES to better serve its customers on a global scale.


New York State is providing GLOBALFOUNDRIES with $15.8 million in assistance for the expansion project, which is expected to require an additional 500,000 construction man-hours to complete. Work on the shell expansion is expected to begin later this month pending final approval of an investment agreement with the company.

“We are making additional investments in leading-edge capacity to better serve our global customers today, tomorrow and in the future with aggressive, long-term expansions of our 300mm facilities in Singapore, Dresden and our future Fab 8 facility in upstate New York,” said Doug Grose, chief executive officer, GLOBALFOUNDRIES. “By expanding the cleanroom shell of Fab 8 now during the current construction process we will create much needed flexibility and room for additional future capacity to ensure that we are well positioned to provide new and existing customers with the best option to get advanced products to market in the volumes they need to compete and win. Construction of Fab 8 is on schedule and moving forward successfully and we look forward to a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership with the State of New York.”

GLOBALFOUNDRIES broke ground on the $4.2 billion Fab 8 plant in Saratoga County in July 2009. New York State has been a key partner in the development of the facility, committing up to $1.2 billion worth of financial incentives towards the project — the largest private-public investment in the history of the state. The fabrication plant will bring immediate economic growth and opportunity to upstate New York and will create approximately 1,400 new, direct semiconductor manufacturing jobs at full scale production, providing an estimated annual payroll of more than $88 million. In addition, the project will create approximately 5,000 new, indirect jobs in the region. Construction on the new clean room shell will begin in June, coinciding with the current ongoing construction.

GLOBALFOUNDRIES is the world’s first truly global leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing company. Launched in March 2009 through a partnership between AMD [NYSE: AMD] and the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC), GLOBALFOUNDRIES provides a unique combination of leading-edge technology, manufacturing excellence and global operations. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is headquartered in Silicon Valley with facilities in Austin, Dresden and New York.

So, if we add all this wind generation, how do we integrate it back into the grid?

"Wind power is growing as a generation resource in New York State. The number of wind plants operating in the state has increased significantly over the past two years.  Wind-powered projects also comprise a dominant portion of the proposed new generation projects in the New York Independent System Operator’s (NYISO) interconnection queue.

Wind capacity in New York is projected to grow to more than 1,200 MW by the summer of 2009. The projects currently under review in the interconnection queue indicate the potential for another 6,500 MW of wind capacity to be developed by 2011.

Due to the location of these resources and their intermittent nature, this presents a new challenge for grid and market operations in New York. Many of the proposed wind plants are seeking to interconnect in concentrated clusters located in the northern and western regions of the state. These regions are supported by an existing transmission network that will not be capable of delivering all the potential wind output to the load centers in the southeastern regions of the state.

The expected level of wind penetration as well as the concentration or clustering of the wind plants in areas of the grid not built to accommodate that level of generation may require that wind output be re-dispatched when system security and reliability is threatened. Dispatching other resources around wind plant output may not alone be adequate to efficiently manage the expected levels of wind generation in New York. Long-term solutions may include the need for additional transmission to move wind power, energy storage devices to absorb excess power in off-peak hours, and new operational rules to protect system security."


Read the full text of this interesting white paper commissioned by NISO.

More on Project GLOW

New York Power Authority (NYPA) President and Chief Executive Officer Richard M. Kessel and CenterState CEO invite you to the “Syracuse Get Listed!” business-to-business conference, to help support and grow New York State's clean energy economy through development of the wind power industry.

Get Listed! is being held, in collaboration with the CenterState CEO and New York’s Creative Core on June 24 from 1 to 3pm at the Syracuse Center of Excellence.

Five proposals were received on June 1 resulting from an (RFP) issued by NYPA last December for what could be the nation’s first fresh water wind project, the Great Lakes Offshore Wind Project (GLOW). GLOW aims to help increase the use of renewable energy and spur economic development opportunities.

The NYPA RFP to develop the Great Lakes Offshore Wind Project calls for between 120 and up to a maximum of 500 megawatts to be located in the New York State waters of Lake Erie and/or Lake Ontario. The proposals received in response to the RFP on June 1, presently under and extensive review process with a preferred bidder or bidders expected to be announced in late 2010/early 2011. Developers who commit to utilizing New York labor, materials and to development of wind manufacturing in New York State will receive preference during the RFP review and selection process.

“Syracuse and all of Central New York offer unique advantages for businesses looking for opportunities in the development of the wind power industry,” said Richard M. Kessel, president and chief executive officer, NYPA. “With the region’s rich history of manufacturing, access to transportation and central geographic location, it makes a logical location for the next Get Listed!”

“Central New York has long been a hot-bed for talented and intelligent business people leading the way in innovative enterprises," said Mayor Stephanie A. Miner, City of Syracuse. "The Get Listed! Conference represents an opportunity for business leaders in the clean, renewable energy field to network, exchange ideas and push Central New York’s green economy into the future.”

Get Listed! is free but reservations are requested. Businesses can reserve a seat online via a link on the home page of NYPA’s Web site www.nypa.gov or by contacting Megan Rasbeck, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, at 716-842-1357, ext. 110 or mrasbeck@buffaloniagara.org. While attending Get Listed! is helpful, businesses can sign up to be listed on the GLOW Business Registry, without attending the conference, at www.nypa.gov/glowbusinessregistry.

The program for Get Listed! includes presentations about the Great Lakes Offshore Wind Project; resources needed for development, construction, maintenance and operation of offshore wind projects; and a panel discussion on getting your business involved with an introduction to economic development incentives in the state.

Get Listed! and the GLOW Business Registry are an opportunity for New York State manufacturers and service providers, especially in upstate New York regions, to make themselves known to wind power developers and take part in this growth industry. In addition, NYPA is interested in attracting new and innovative companies to New York for offshore wind development. Another aim of Get Listed! and the GLOW Business Registry is to help build a domestic wind industry in New York and keep job-creating dollars from going overseas.

Businesses that should consider participating in Get Listed! include but are not limited to:

• Manufacturers and suppliers of a wide range of mechanical and electrical components including: generators, hydraulics, sensors, hardware, drives, power distribution, composites, cabling, big steel, castings, forgings, bearings and gearboxes.
• Construction equipment and suppliers including: cranes, concrete and rebar.
• Transportation companies supporting large-scale items over land, rail and sea.

Get Listed! Syracuse on June 24 is a NYPA initiative in association with CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity, New York’s Creative Core, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, New York State Energy and Research Development Authority, and Empire State Development.

About NYPA:


The New York Power Authority uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. NYPA is a leader in promoting energy efficiency, new energy technologies and electric transportation initiatives. It is the nation's largest state public power organization, with 17 generating facilities in various parts of New York State and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. About 75 percent of the electricity it produces is clean renewable hydropower. For more information, www.nypa.gov