Alteris Renewables to merge with Real Goods Solar

Alteris Renewables, one of the largest design-build solar integration companies in the Northeast is undergoing a merger with Real Goods Solar, the leading solar integrator in Colorado and California. The merger will result in a solar integration powerhouse with a coast-to-coast reach.  Real Goods Solar has offered Alteris equity holders 8 million unregistered shares of its class A common stock (approx. $20 million) for the entirety of Alteris' outstanding equity.  The merger is currently pending approval from Real Goods Solar's stakeholders.

With each company boasting 30 years experience in solar energy installation, the merger has the potential to set the company as the nations leading solar integrator.

For more information on the merger visit http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/06/solar-merger-real-goods-to-snap-up-alteris.

The EPA's Clean Air Transport Rule

The EPA has developed a package of clean air measures that will have a dramatic impact on the health and vitality of the Adirondack Park in upstate New York. The measures, titled The Clean Air Transport Rule, require power plants in 31 states to reduce their sulfur dioxide emission levels by 71% and their nitrogen oxide levels by 52% (below 2005 levels) by 2013. With more than half of such particulates from Midwest power plants carried to the Adirondacks by prevailing winds, the reductions have the potential to make the chronic acidulation of Adirondack Lakes a thing of the past.

For Adirondackers, The Clean Air Transport Rule brings a sigh of relief. Acid rain and smog carried to the Adirondacks from the Midwestern United States has decimated wildlife populations, reduced tree populations due to soil calcification and have made fish unfit for consumption by natural predators.

For more information on the Clean Air Transport Rule visit http://www.epa.gov/airquality/transport/basic.html.

The ScienceCenter at SUNY Oswego

With construction of SUNY Oswego's new ScienceCenter underway, the University is setting the bar high for sustainability initiatives taken by public institutions. The ScienceCenter is designed to be LEED Gold and incorporates the largest geothermal heating/cooling system in New York State. The system is composed of 240 holes, drilled to a depth of 499 feet where there is a constant temperature of 56 degrees Fahrenheit. Water will be pumped through the holes and heat exchangers will be affixed for summer cooling and winter heating.

In addition to the geothermal system the ScienceCenter will have a terra cotta exterior material made from recycled materials, the exterior will utilize natural light, and alternative energies will be employed. The building will serve as a living laboratory where students can learn about the buildings technology and is even planned to house a planetarium.

SUNY Oswego's renovation is estimated to create 350 construction jobs over the next 5 years.

For more information visit http://www.oswego.edu/about/centers/obcr/campusrenovation.html.

The New York State Senate passes the Power NY Act!

In an attempt to secure New York's energy future, the New York State Senate has passed the Power NY Act.  To achieve such an objective, the bill reauthorizes and modernizes the licensing process for electric generating facilities, provides consumer incentives for investments in energy efficiency and explores the potential for solar power generation in New York State.

Included in the Power NY Act is On-Bill financing, a consumer incentive program that has been widely supported. On-Bill financing allows homeowners to pay energy efficiency measures over an extended period of time on their utility bills. Along with placing energy efficiency measures in closer reach to a diverse demographic, contractors are expanding their workforce to meet the expected demand. As a result of the bill Damian Hodkinson, Co-Owner of True Energy Solutions in Rochester, New York has expressed the intention to hire 25-30% more employees over the next 2-4 months.

For more information visit http://www.prlog.org/11554876-rochester-based-true-energy-solutions-expects-to-add-jobs-as-on-bill-financing-legislation-passes.html.

Marble River Wind Farm to install the largest wind turbines in the state

After a vote by the state Public Service Commission, the Marble River Wind Farm has been cleared to install the largest turbines in New York State. The new 3-megawatt turbines tower 492 feet and are designed to be more efficient than their smaller, 2.1-megawatt counterparts.

The Marble River Wind Farm is located in the Clinton and Ellenburg, New York and is owned by Horizon Wind Energy LLC, the subsidiary of EPD Renovaveis SA.

For more information visit http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110619/NEWS05/306199980.

NYS Thruway Authority in the preliminary design stage of a wind energy project

The New York State Thruway is in line for an economic, aesthetic and environmental makeover in the coming years. The Thruway Authority has sent letters to multiple communities along I-90 with the intention to install as many as 5 wind turbines along the route. Although the project is still in the design phase, the Public Information Officer at the NYS Thruway Authority, Betsy Feldstein has indicated the prospective locations of the turbines to be the Dunkirk Interchange (exit 59), the Eden/Angola Interchange (exit 57A), the Silver Creek Interchange (exit 58), the Ripley Toll Barrier and Westfield Maintenance Facility (exit 50).

The Thruway Authority is using Clough, Harbor and Associates as project engineers and will release a press release during later stages of the project.

For more information visit http://observertoday.com/page/content.detail/id/560497/Windmill-construction-possible-by-Thruway.html?nav=5047.

MicroGen Systems and Infinite Power create a complete wireless power board

At the recent Sensors Expo and Tradeshow 2011, MicroGen Systems, Inc. demonstrated the worlds first commercial MicroElectroMechanical System (MEMS)-based Piezoelectric Vibrational Energy Harvester (PZEH) which operates at low relevant frequency and acceleration levels. MicroGen, a CleanTech Center portfolio company headquartered in Ithaca, New York, demonstrated it's BOLT 060 model PVEH, which vibrates at a frequency of 60Hz and an acceleration amplitude of 0.7 g. The BOLT 060 produces up to 200 microWatts and is composed of an extremely small silicon chip. How small you ask? Each silicon chip is 1 centimeter squared or smaller!

MicroGen has teamed up with Infinite Power Solutions, a Littleton Colorado producer of thin-film micro-energy storage cells to produce a complete wireless sensor board. Infinite Power Solution's IPS-EVAL-EH-01 is a universal energy harvesting evaluation kit that accepts energy from a wide array of energy harvesting transducers and stores the energy in a micro-energy storage cell the size of a postage stamp with virtually no energy lost. With the technologies combined, the companies have created a reliable vibration harvesting power supply solution that can operate for decades without the need for maintenance.

To learn more about MicroGen visit http://www.microgensystems.com/.
To learn more about Infinite Power Solutions visit http://www.infinitepowersolutions.com/.

Fulton Thermal Corp. exands NYS operations

Fulton Thermal Corp., an international boiler/heater manufacturer headquartered in Richland, New York, is in the process of expanding its New York operations. The company is adding a 112,000 foot addition to its plant outside of Pulaski. The new space is estimated to create 50 high quality jobs within the state.

Fulton Thermal Corp. is currently seeking assembly people, welders, engineers, an accountant and a recruiter.

To learn more about Fulton Thermal Corp. visit http://www.fulton.com/.

Linc to host two solid-state lighting workshops

The Lighting Cultivator (Linc), a nonprofit corporation with a mission to create a vibrant network of sustainable lighting businesses in New York, is hosting two workshops to educate the private/public sector about solid state lighting. The workshops will focus on the latest solid-state lighting technology, NYSERDA funding opportunities and will provide an opportunity to network with lighting/ energy-efficiency stakeholders in New York State.  The workshop will be held in New York City on July 6th and in Syracuse on July 19th.

Due to space limitations, registration is required for the workshops and can be completed virtually at http://lincnyc.eventbrite.com and http://lincsyracuse.eventbrite.com/.

EPD Renovaveis SA secures contract to sell RECs

EPD Renovaveis SA, the owner of Horizon Wind Energy LLC, has secured a contract from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the Public Service Commission to sell the 45 MW worth of renewable energy credits (RECs) from the Marble River Wind Farm Project. The Marble River Wind Farm is located in Clinton and Ellenburg, New York and has a capacity of 216 MW. The contract runs for 10 years and is expected to start in 2012.

The REC contract is not the first of its kind for the Marble River Wind Farm. In April 2010 EPD Renovaveis SA, secured a contract to sell 171 MW worth of RECs.

For more information visit http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5207787/edp-secures-contract-from-nyserda-to-sell-recs-from-marble-river-wind-farm.

17 renewable energy projects receive state funding

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New York State Public Service Commission have awarded $191 million to 17 renewable energy projects throughout the state.  The funding, which comes from New York's 30% by 2015 renewable portfolio standard, is expected to produce $500 million over the next 20 years and annually produce 1,000,000 MWh of renewable energy.

The projects receiving funding include 4 wind projects, 4 hydroelectric projects, 7 landfill gas-to electricity projects and 2 anaerobic digester projects.

For more information refer to http://nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.8017.

Brownfield remediation and reuse grants awarded to three New York Communities

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has granted Rochester, Rome and Niagara County a total of $1.2 million in funding for brownfield remediation and reuse.  The funding comes from the EPA's Brownfields Program which aims to redevelop an estimated 450,000 waste sites throughout the state.

Rochester has received a total of $600,000 to clean four ex-industrial sites as well as assess the pollutant content of other contaminated sites throughout the city.

Rome has received $200,000 to clean/convert the former Nolan Manufacturing Building, which is heavily contaminated by hazardous polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).  The city of Rome plans on using the property as either a manufacturing site for clean technology/arts or as a commercial-residential live-work space.

Niagara County has received $400,000 to assess the county's 355 brownfield sites.

For more information visit http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/.

NYS Energy Planning Board seeks public input

In an effort to update the New York State Energy Plan, The New York State Energy Planning Board is seeking public input on draft regulations for the upcoming 2013 plan. The Energy Planning Board is accepting comments through July 11, 2011.


To access the draft regulations as well as an online comment form visit http://www.nysenergyplan.com/regulations.aspx.

The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering recieves grant from National Grid

National Grid has granted the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at SUNY Albany $225,000 to help fund a solar demonstration initiative. The solar initiative will employ rooftop solar panels on the University, generating power for the grid, and providing researchers with the information necessary to increase the deployment of solar technology throughout the state.

The grant shows National Grid's appreciation for the state of New York. With 11,000 employees in New York State, the London based utility company employs more people in New York than it does in the United Kingdom. New York also provides the company with 60 cents of every dollar they collect in rates.

For more information visit http://www.timesunion.com/business/article/National-Grid-makes-solar-donation-1407680.php.