When SmartPower put together it's "Clean Energy Week In Pictures" for our recent special issue of The Monthly Charge, we realized how many people are part of the clean energy movement in Connecticut. We are still impressed by the tremendous growth in the Connecticut clean energy marketplace.  There is little doubt that the SmartPower and the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund initiaive, Clean Energy Week, is yet another indicator of our collective success.

In a fitting build-up to Clean Energy Week, the New York Times carried a lengthy article by Jan Ellen Spiegel on the clean energy revolution in Connecticut (“Putting New Energy into Clean Power”, April 16, 2006.)   The author noted that Connecticut’s emergence as a clean energy leader is the result of “smart marketing, clever inter-program coordination” and other factors.  Ms. Spiegel reported that the Connecticut program “has met with so much success that many observers say the state could become the national prototype for how to run a clean energy initiative.”

Solar PV system installed at Middletown High School Vo-Ag Center during Clean Energy Week.

Clean Energy Week began with the announcement that New Haven had bested West Hartford with their friendly inter-city challenge to sign up the most customers of the CTCleanEnergyOptions^sm program and ended with yet another community, Middletown, being the first Clean Energy Community to realize a free solar energy system from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund.  In between, we heard testimony and met people that made us realize how communities like West Hartford, New Haven, Middletown and the other 22 cities and towns that have committed to the 20% by 2010 Campaign were able to achieve their leadership status.

Another important part of Clean Energy Week was that it gave us all the opportunity to thank organizations such as New Haven Action, and the West Hartford Clean Energy Task Force. We also said a 'job well done' to individuals like Ann Berman of Milford, Larry Kaley of Fairfield and Darek Shapiro of Stamford for their efforts to publicize the options program and to build community enthusiasm and a sense of pride for clean energy sign ups.  City officials such as Ron Klattenberg of Middletown, John DeStefano, Jr. of New Haven, Scott Slifka of West Hartford and Dan Malloy of Stamford and future leader Chad Vincente of Mansfield are also to be congratulated for their leadership in placing Connecticut at the forefront of the clean energy movement in the United States. 

Middletown Council Member Ron Klattenberg and Deputy Mayor Joseph Bibisi proudly display the town’s “Clean Energy Community” award.

While the actions of these people and others helped ten cities and towns receive awards for their status as Clean Energy Communities, this leadership and commitment to cleaner air, healthier communities and energy independence will ensure that another ten, twenty or possibly thirty municipalities will realize the status of ‘clean energy community’ by this time next year.

With the foundation built over the past year for the clean energy options program, the SmartPower 20% by 2010 Campaign and the Connecticut Clean Energy Communities program, we realized throughout clean energy week that the best was still to come and that we have yet to scratch the surface of those individuals, organizations, and communities that will join CCEF and SmartPower next year for another clean energy week.

Iberdrola S.A., a Spanish-based electric utility that is the world’s leading wind energy company in terms of installed capacity, has acquired full ownership of Community Energy, Inc. (CEI).  CEI, which is headquartered in Wayne, Pennsylvania, has a portfolio of wind projects representing approximately 2,000 MW in addition to 200 MW that are in an advanced state of development.  CEI is also a leader in the renewable energy certificate market in northeastern United States with approximately 75,000 residential and 350 commercial customers.

Iberdrola’s Strategic Plan is centered around rapid expansion of its renewable energies sector with goals of 6,200 MW of installed capacity by 2008 and 10,000 MW by 2011.  The company currently has wind facilities in Spain, Greece, Portugal, France and Brazil and has mature projects in the UK, Italy, Poland, Germany and Mexico.  Furthermore, Iberdrola recently signed a framework agreement with the municipal government of Bayannaoer in the north of China to research the feasibility of wind farms there with a goal of 1,000 MW.  While wind has been a primary focus for the company, it also plans to accelerate development of other technologies, such as solar.
 
Because wind energy has emerged as a strong competitive alternative in the world markets, smaller companies have experienced difficulty in obtaining equipment such as turbines on good terms.  In addition to providing an infusion of capital, Iberdrola will offer access to wind turbines because of its status as the largest shareholder of the Spanish manufacturer, Gamesa S.A.  Gamesa recently established its US headquarters in Philadelphia and opened a turbine-manufacturing plant in Jonestown, PA.

CEI's Chairman, Brent Alderfer, commented on the merger, stating that "it represents a perfect marriage, combining the innovation and leadership of CEI in the US wind power sector with the strength of Iberdrola, the world's wind energy market leader, which will enable us to accelerate the growth of our business."  CEI will remain a separate company with its executive and senior management team intact and plans to continue to expand its marketing partnerships with utilities and customers throughout the country, accelerating the development of wind generation to meet growing demand in the United States

It’s Real.  It’s Here.  It’s Working!  And, apparently Google wants us all to make more clean energy.

That was the message from the search engine Google as they utilized their widely used service to promote clean energy to their audience during the week celebrating Earth Day. 

Over the years, Google has creatively tied graphic images in with their corporate logo when visitors used the Google search engine.  We have seen the Olympic Rings, Irish clovers, Mount Rushmore and other highly recognizable icons to bring attention to important dates on the calendar or cutting edge news and themes.  Now, we have seen solar panels and wind turbines.

“The millions of visitors who used the Google search engine that week saw firsthand that clean energy was mainstream,” said SmartPower President, Brian F. Keane.  “If solar panels and wind turbines are real enough for Google, they should be real enough for the millions of Americans who use Google on a daily basis.  And, these millions of Americans should now demand from the market that ‘We Make More.”

They're lean, they're clean, they use solar energy to mash the trash and they clearly demonstrate that clean energy is real, here and working in your community.

Designed to replace or complement standard outdoor trash cans, the BigBelly® cordless compaction system generates 1,250 pounds of force – enough power to crush 200 gallons of trash to ¼ its original volume, saving 3 out of 4 collections trips.  That saves time, money and fuel – all using silent, abundant solar power – anywhere under the sun. 

And people love to use it – it’s neat, clean, and showcases a practical, hands-on application for solar energy.  “Some people think of solar as not powerful or reliable,” says BigBelly inventor Jim Poss of Seahorse Power Company in Massachusetts, “but the BigBelly demonstrates to every user that solar power can safely, reliably and cost-effectively compact trash even during extended periods of bad New England weather.”

The BigBelly system has proven effective in a wide range of applications and climates, from ski resorts to beaches, sidewalks to remote parks.

Who’s got a BigBelly?  Fifty of the machines have been keeping New York City business improvement districts clean for nearly a year.  “This is technology for the people!” said Queens Borough President, Helen Marshall.  The BIDs in the Queens pilot program unanimously report success: “The BigBelly has made Queens a cleaner, greener place.  There is less litter on the streets, and we spend less time collecting trash,” said Mabel Law, Flushing BID Executive Director.  “The machines are beautiful pieces of street furniture,” Law added.

Other locations include Boston (which recently ordered 45 units), Worcester, Needham and Spencer, MA; Easthampton and Riverhead, NY; the US Forest Service; Washington, DC parks; Carnegie-Mellon University, PA; Harford County, MD; Bergen County, NJ; Ventura, CA; and Vancouver, BC, Canada.  Seahorse Power recently inked a deal with an Australian partner to distribute solar compactors Down Under.

"First and foremost, this is about using modern technology to improve the quality of life for our residents," Providence, RI Mayor David N. Cicilline said recently at a ceremony marking the start of a 4-unit trial program. “The BigBelly has a proven track record for reducing litter in other cities like Boston and New York.”  The compactors are particularly well suited for private sponsorship opportunities, and provide unique advertising spaces for businesses or non-profits interested in making a statement about supporting neighborhoods or the environment, according to the Mayor.

The potential for avoided emissions using solar compaction is significant.  The Cincinnati, Ohio Parks Department unveiled its first 5 BigBelly compactors on Earth Day, announcing plans to obtain 20 this year and 150 units over the next few years.  According to Gerald Checco, Superintendent of the Cincinnati park system, those 150 units will allow the department to go from two garbage trucks to one garbage truck – saving enough money in fuel, maintenance and labor costs to pay for the entire BigBelly system in about 3 years.  (Garbage trucks average only 2.8 m.p.g., so avoided collection trips add up to big savings.)  After 5 years, Mr. Checco estimates he will have saved $178,000 in his budget, having paid off his investment in the BigBelly system after year three, and also will have saved 7,750 gallons of diesel fuel and avoided putting 86 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.  That effectively means he’d be paid more than $2,000 per ton of avoided CO2 – making for a very appealing climate change initiative.

Finally, with signage or even advertising panels, the BigBelly gets messages out in a uniquely effective way – people use it, interact with it, and even small children can see a solar panel at eye level performing a task everyone can relate to (feeding the BigBelly to reduce litter and the trash collection burden).  As such, it’s a great awareness tool to help promote clean energy campaigns like Clean Energy Choice in Massachusetts.

Clean energy was on the minds of many New England residents who attended People’s Action for Clean Energy’s (PACE) 2006 Solar Tour this month. Co-sponsored by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, this year’s Solar Tour featured a variety of clean energy technologies including solar photovoltaic, geothermal, small hydro, solar hot water heaters, passive solar, green roofs, and straw bale construction in homes throughout the beautiful lower Connecticut River Valley.  Tour-goers were invited into homes to view the various technologies and talk to installers about the costs and logistics of installing similar clean energy technologies in their own homes.  Visitors also had the opportunity to learn about both the residential and commercial solar photovoltaic rebate programs provided by CCEF, the 20% by 2010 Campaign and the Connecticut Clean Energy Communities program.

Congratulations to PACE for coordinating a wonderful and inspiring tour of clean energy homes throughout Connecticut.  All of the featured homes on this tour clearly demonstrate that clean energy is real, is here and is working!

One of the featured homes on the tour was a beautiful Victorian farmhouse located in Higganum, CT, with a solar hot water heater installed by Sunsearch, Inc.  According to Sunsearch, Inc., up to 25 percent of the total energy consumed by the average household in the Northeast is for heating domestic water making the solar hot water systems one of the wisest clean energy choices today.		This Killingworth house which featured passive solar, a highly efficient wood burning Avalon stove and a 4.6kW solar photovoltaic grid-connected system.  Installed by Sunlight Solar the owners of this energy efficient home received a rebate from CCEF’s residential solar program which help to reduce the overall costs of purchasing the system.  Producing approximately 10,120 kilowatt-hours per year this system significantly reduces the home owners electric utility bills.