It’s hard to believe, but already we’re less than a week away from Thanksgiving.

Admittedly most people don’t equate Thanksgiving with market research.  But at SmartPower we find many parallels between the Thanksgiving story and our nation-wide research on clean energy.  In our research, we have learned that the American people erroneously believe that if we used clean energy – energy from wind, water and the sun – then we would all wind up living like the Pilgrims. And it wasn’t meant as a compliment.

Rather, the image of wind power, solar energy and hydropower only conjured up the images of the hardships that the Pilgrims had to endure; long, cold, dark winters with none of the modern conveniences upon which we have come to rely.  Well, not to sound like a broken record, but clean energy today is real. It’s here. And it’s working.

The parallels continue. 

Like the Pilgrims of 1620, SmartPower landed on Cape Cod this past month to embrace a modern day version of the Mayflower Compact.  While we did not bring turkey and cranberry sauce as a means to assuage the natives, we did arrive in celebration of the cape compact – the “Cape Light Compact Green”, that is. 

As you will read further in this issue of the The Monthly Charge, we went to the Cape to help celebrate the friendly “Clean Energy Challenge” between the towns of Falmouth and Barnstable, Massachusetts.  This challenge states that whichever town gets the largest number of residential customers of Cape Light Green by the end of the year will have to pay a handsome reward to the winning town.  Specifically, if Falmouth wins they will enjoy a Renewable Barnstable Bounty from the sea, courtesy of the town of Barnstable, while a round of golf is in the offing from the town of Falmouth if Barnstable is victorious. Not a bad deal.

Of course you may recall that pizza and sodas are the prizes for a similar challenge made between New Haven and West Hartford, Connecticut this past summer.  But whether we are talking soda, pizzas, lobsters, golf and clean energy – can there really be any “losers”?

But this issue isn’t just about food and golf.  This month saw some ground breaking purchases of clean energy across our region.  Most notably, the Connecticut Department of Environment Protection (DEP) announced their purchase of clean energy.  The DEP announcement was another milestone in Connecticut’s national leadership on clean energy.  By actually buying clean energy for all the DEP buildings, Connecticut is making good on its commitment to 20% clean energy by 2010. 

And meanwhile, in another part of Connecticut, Middletown was busy working with the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund to determine where they will place their initial FREE 1 kW solar array.  As one of the first “Clean Energy Communities” Middletown is leading the way throughout the state, thanks to the strong leadership and broad support of government officials, local institutions and residents.

From solar arrays to fuel cells, the “clean energy” buzz kept moving along.  For the 10th year in a row the “Green Power Marketers” were meeting – this time in Austin, Texas.  Hundreds of industry experts, gathered to work collectively to move the clean energy market forward.  At the same time, The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund’s “Fuel Cell Summit” drew over 500 people to the Mohegan Sun Casino to exchange industry stories and share insights into fuel cells. These two major conferences, both heavily attended, are a dramatic signal that something exciting is happening in our industry.

Finally, as you’re carving your turkey, it will probably be a good time to reflect back upon the first Thanksgiving and to sincerely give thanks for all that we have.  These are exciting times in the clean energy industry.  A confluence of events, combined with a new openness among the American people towards clean energy is bringing us closer and closer to the reality of a vibrant and voluntary clean energy marketplace.  And in my book, that alone, is something to be thankful for. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Clean energy. It’s real. It’s here. It’s working.  Let’s make more!

Brian F. Keane is President of SmartPower.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) partnered at the end of October to present, Fuel Cell Summit 2005, a solutions-based event designed to accelerate the evolution of the fuel cell industry.  This was Connecticut’s third annual summit with CCEF offering attendees an intriguing workshop track entitled “Moving Cells into the Mainstream.” This track focused on promoting the fuel cell industry by highlighting tools that would expand existing markets.  Panelists offered anecdotes on successful applications of portable, small and large stationary fuel cells in industrial, commercial, international and military applications.  Discussions were centered on how market sectors are currently finding successes to commercialization and how best to tackle the challenges of existing barriers. 

Click for for closer view

Community Energy, Inc. has scheduled a dedication ceremony for the Jersey – Atlantic Wind Farm for December 12 at 11 a.m.  The facility, which is located at the Atlantic County Utility Authority wastewater treatment plant, will become the first wind farm in New Jersey when it comes on line.  The statewide Clean Power Choice Program, sponsored by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, allows residential and commercial electric customers to support clean energy generation, including wind and solar projects from within the state.  In addition to Community Energy, Green Mountain Energy, Native Energy and Sterling Planet are participating in the new program.  White Lotus Home, a natural home furnishings store with locations in Princeton and New Brunswick, NJ, has become one of the first small businesses in the state to sign up for the Clean Power Choice Program.

Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell (D-PA) was joined by local officials for a tour of the state’s newest wind project located in Bear Creek, PA.  The project, aptly named, The Bear Creek Wind Farm is located just south of Wilkes Barre and will consist of 12 wind turbines, each providing 2 MW of generation capacity.  The turbines, which will be the largest models in use in the United States, are supplied by Gamesa Eolica of Spain and will produce over 70 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy each year. 

“Pennsylvania continues to look for innovative energy solutions that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, encourage conservation, build and deploy clean energy technologies and build a diversified energy base,” said Gov. Rendell.  “As energy costs rise, it is increasingly important for the Commonwealth to reduce reliance on non-renewable sources of energy from overseas and invest in home-grown solutions such as the Bear Creek wind farm.”  

Community Energy, Inc. partnered with Central Hudson Energy Group, Inc. and investment banking firm, Babcock & Brown, as the long term owners of the project. The output of the project will be sold under a 20-year purchase agreement to PPL EnergyPlus, LLC.  The project received funding support from the five regional Pennsylvania sustainable energy funds and the newly authorized Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority

An exciting evening of environmental information, food & music is planned

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)and Congressman Christopher Shays (R-CT) will be honored Saturday, November 19, for their efforts to protect the public from nuclear terrorism. The award ceremony, sponsored by People's Action for Clean Energy (PACE) and supported by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), will also recognize the eligible solar installers and 2004-2005 residential and commercial photovoltaic system owners who participated in the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund's Solar Photovoltaic Program.

Connecticut State Representative Patricia Dillon (D-New Haven) and Hartford Courant staff writer, Thomas D. Williams, will also receive awards for their work regarding uranium testing for National Guard troops returning from Iraq and public health and safety issues relating to the Millstone Nuclear Power Complex in Groton, Connecticut, respectively.

This program, which is free and open to the public, will take place at the Watkinson School Amphitheatre, 180 Bloomfield Avenue, Hartford, CT from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.  For more information, call (860) 693-4813 or go to www.pace-cleanenergy.org.

PACE is an all-volunteer organization working for promoting clean energy and energy efficiency that has organized educational events on clean energy since 1976.

In October, the Clean Energy Group released the ground-breaking report “Energy Security & Emergency Preparedness: How Clean Energy Can Deliver More Reliable Power for Critical Infrastructure and Emergency Response Missions – An Overview for Federal State and Local Officials”.  The Report identifies opportunities for federal, state and local governments to improve power reliability at critical facilities. Further, the report discusses how without reliable power in a disaster public safety is at risk and that now in some states new technologies such as solar power and fuel cells are being used to reduce the risk of power failure at mission critical buildings.

By highlighting specific projects that are already working in the field the report shows that some states are already creating a new “energy security” model for emergency management.  The report concludes by recommending key actions to take in order to improve energy security for mission critical facilities on federal, state and local levels.

SmartPower and the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund recently sponsored and funded a clean energy poster that was distributed to approximately 3,000 teachers at the National Science Teachers Association – 2005 Eastern Area Convention that was held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford from October 20-22.  The poster, which was developed with the assistance of Laurel Kohl of the Institute of Sustainable Energy (ISE) and Roxanne Hosking, President of the Connecticut Earth Science Teachers Association (CESTA), was part of a popular exhibit staffed by the Connecticut Climate Change Education Committee.  The display side of the poster features the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) “Clean Energy. Let’s Make More” logo, while the reverse side includes duel teaching prompts for middle and high school students and links to further information on renewable energy.  Not only will thousands of teachers, students and visitors in classrooms throughout the northeast become aware of the sun-wind-water-smiley plug images that adorn CESA media ads and car magnets, but a whole new generation will be learning about the technologies that are already creating enough clean energy to power more than eleven states.  The teaching prompts also include lesson plans relating to community clean energy campaigns and information on how households can sign up for clean energy via the www.gocleanenergy.com website.

Mass Energy Consumers Alliance held its annual meeting on October 24 at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 103, in Boston, Mass.  One of the highlights of the evening was an award for Private Sector Leadership that was presented to Marty Aikens of Local 103 because of its recent installation of a 100 kW Furhlander wind turbine at the IBEW facility on Freeport Street (which is visible from I-93, the Southeast Expressway.)

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection recently announced that it will be the first state agency in Connecticut to make a clean energy purchase and urged Connecticut citizens, businesses and government entities to follow its lead. 

In a prepared statement prior to the event, Governor M. Jodi Rell (R-CT) lauded the DEP’s decision as “a smart move and the right move” in today’s energy environment.  She added, “I believe that as people become more familiar with the energy options that are available, more and more will decide to choose clean energy.”

DEP Commissioner, Gina McCarthy announcing DEP purchase of clean energy for 100% of its operations.

The action by the DEP represents the first state clean energy purchase since Connecticut joined the SmartPower 20% by 2010 CampaignSM in 2004.  Connecticut’s voluntary commitment to clean energy was among the first in New England and perhaps the most aggressive in the nation.  The state also received the highest grade among New England states in the 2005 Climate Change Action Report Card, thanks to its leadership with respect to clean energy.

Under the agreement (which was coordinated with the assistance of the Connecticut Office of Policy & Management, all DEP facilities will be enrolled in the CTCleanEnergyOptions^sm  program, to be split evenly between the state’s two clean energy suppliers, Community Energy and Sterling Planet.   The DEP currently uses approximately 7.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year and the enrollment of these accounts represents the largest institutional clean energy purchase since the Options program was launched in April 2005.

DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy declared, “today is the beginning of a new independence day.  We need to stop relying on fossil fuels.  We need to become independent in our energy choices.  We can do that if we continue to invest – all of us – in clean energy.”

Joining Commissioner McCarthy at the announcement ceremony were John Mengacci, of the Strategic Management Division of the OPM; Lise Dondy, Chief Operating Officer of the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund; Brian Keane, President of SmartPower; Bob Maddox of Sterling Planet; Jeff Keeler of Community Energy and representatives of the numerous organizations active in environmental and energy issues.

In her remarks, Ms. Dondy observed that, “throughout Connecticut, there are communities that are also joining the State in this move and encouraging their local residents, businesses and institutions to support clean energy.”