CT GBC and U.S. GBC Reach Accord

June 26, Rocky Hill , Conn.– Last week the Connecticut Green Building Council (CT GBC) and the United States Green Building Council (U.S. GBC) reached a formal agreement that the CT GBC would serve as the official Connecticut chapter of the U. S.GBC further increasing the value of membership and participation of the CTGBC. CTGBC will soon be announcing a number of new educational programs that will provide the CTGBC membership more detailed information and implications of the new rules. The Connecticut Green Building Council is a non-profit organization that seeks to improve the quality of life in Connecticut through the promotion of intelligent design and construction of high performance buildings. Among many activities the Connecticut Green Building Council holds frequent workshops on green building topics, educational forums, seminars on green buildings and periodic CT based LEED™ training in connection with the US Green Building Council. The CTGBC monitors activities in Connecticut related to high performance green buildings and maintains a green building Product and Services Directory and a speaker’s bureau.

Source: Connecticut Green Building Council

Distributed Energy Signs Two Deals

June 26, Wallingford, Conn.– Distributed Energy Systems Corp. (Nasdaq: DESC - News) today announced an order for a hydrogen- generation and storage system for a new electric power plant in Africa. The company, which creates and delivers products and solutions to the emerging decentralized energy marketplace, also said it completed installation and commissioning of an advanced hydrogen vehicle fueling station in Florida, under a contract with a major global energy corporation and a large international chemical company. Terms of the two projects were not disclosed.

The North African sale, to a major international generator manufacturer, is for a complete hydrogen supply and storage system to "cool" the electricity generators that will be installed at a new power plant now under construction. The installation will include two HOGEN® H-Series hydrogen generating units and gas compression and storage systems, to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2007. The company said the order reflects growing demand for its products in the global generator cooling market.

The Florida project involved successfully installing and commissioning an on-site hydrogen vehicle fueling system at a service station in Orlando. The station showcases the company's proton exchange membrane electrolysis (PEM) technology, which uses electrical energy to convert water into hydrogen fuel that can be safely stored at the station, and dispensed into clean and efficient hydrogen-fueled automobiles. The Orlando station is one of 14 such hydrogen fueling locations Distributed Energy Systems has helped develop since 2002.

Source: http://www.distributed-energy.com/

Developer Receives Huge Grant to Install Solar Panels

June 17, Rocky Hill , Conn.– The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), a ratepayer fund administered by Connecticut Innovations Inc. (CI), today announced that the Connecticut Clean Energy Investment Committee has approved a grant of $1.95 million to help defray close to half of the total project cost of installing a 525-kilowatt DC solar photovoltaic (PV) system at 60 Shelter Rock Road in Danbury, Connecticut, an industrial condominium facility.

CCEF's funding will be provided through its On-Site Renewable Distributed Generation (DG) Program.

The solar PV system at 60 Shelter Rock Road will consist of over 3,000 roof-mounted solar panels and 16 inverters, components that convert the electricity produced from DC to AC. When installed, the system will supply about one third of the facility’s total electrical needs.

Stuart Longman and J. Peter Lynch, of 60 Shelter Rock Road Associates, LLC, the owners, have been long-time advocates of renewable energy. In addition to making this commitment to outfit the 60 Shelter Rock Road building with solar arrays, Mr. Longman has recently made the commitment to outfit the industrial building located at 2 Great Pasture Road in Danbury with a solar PV system. What’s more, Mr. Longman built one of the first active solar homes in Connecticut in the 1970s, as well as a passive solar condominium project in the 1980s, and Mr. Lynch is one of the leading experts on renewable energy on Wall Street.

American Capital Energy of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, will function as the general contractor for the project with Aztech Engineers of Hartford, Connecticut, performing system design and engineering.

“This investment by Mr. Longman and Mr. Lynch is a testament to the long-term benefits and attractiveness of alternative energy sources in a competitive commercial environment,” said Lise Dondy, president of CCEF.

Stuart Longman and J. Peter Lynch commented, “This photovoltaic system will enable our tenants to reap the ultimate benefits of long-term, fixed-rate power from this clean, renewable source. It will also serve as strong marketing advantage for our tenants which they can utilize in all of their marketing and promotional material to distinguish themselves as forward thinking green companies.”

“We are pleased to be working with Mr. Longman on our second significant solar project together,” said Tom Hunton, president of American Capital Energy. “He is leading the field in implementing solar energy technology on his properties to not only capture the environmental benefit but also improve the financial return.”

Source: CT Clean Energy Fund

Solar Connecticut Names Michael Trahan As New Executive Director

June 9, Hartford, Conn.– Solar Connecticut, an association of more than 50 area business professionals, state government representatives, and citizen groups working in the solar power industry, has named energy communications professional Michael Trahan to be the group’s new executive director. Trahan succeeds SolarOne® Solutions President and CEO Moneer Azzam who, as Solar Connecticut’s founding executive director, successfully guided the groupduring its first two years of existence including its designation as a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit. Azzam will stay on as a member of the board directors.

“The Solar Connecticut membership is largely responsible for the growth of solar power in Connecticut,” said Trahan. “My job is to work with ourmembership to develop a strong and sustainable industry involving theworkforce, retailers, supply chain and others, and then wrap their concernsinto a cohesive and persuasive message and campaign that unlocks the potential for widespread usage of solar power throughout the state.”

Since 2003, Trahan has worked in the clean energy sector handling communications and marketing roles for companies and state government agencies working in the solar, wind, landfill gas-to-energy, biomass, emissions reduction, energy efficiency, microturbine, and fuel cell powerindustries. Previously, Trahan was a senior communications director at the Connecticut General Assembly, a spokesman for gubernatorial and presidential campaigns, and director of public relations at several leading marketing firms across the state.

“Across the State, from every major building project to every proposed energy-related piece of legislation, the use of solar power should be seriously considered,” says outgoing Director, Moneer Azzam.

For more information, go to www.solarconnecticut.org

Connecticut Leads Nation in Energy Efficiency

June 6 , Washington D.C.– Based on a report released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) which ranked states based on actions each has taken to adopt energy efficiency policies, programs and technologies, Connecticut tied with Vermont and California.

Past versions of the ACEEE Scorecard have ranked states on utility-sector energy efficiency spending; however, this report is a new and expanded effort to rank states on a broad array of policy initiatives, including appliance and equipment standards, building energy codes, transportation and land use policies, and other policy innovations that are increasing U.S. energy security while sustaining economic prosperity and protecting the environment.

Rounding out the top ten are Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, New York, and New Jersey in spots four through eight, respectively, and Rhode Island and Minnesota tying for ninth.

To recognize leadership among the states and identify best practices, ACEEE developed The State Energy Efficiency Scorecard for 2006 as a comprehensive ranking of:

* Fuel economy standards for vehicles
* Energy efficiency resource standards for utilities
* Appliance efficiency standards
* Building energy codes
* Combined heat and power (CHP) technologies
* Smart growth and public transportation policies
* Tax incentives for efficient technologies
* Energy efficiency in public buildings and fleets

The State Energy Efficiency Scorecard for 2006 is available for free download at www.aceee.org/

Playback of the webcast of today's Capitol Hill news conference where the ACEEE report was released is available at www.aceee.org/ through June. ACEEE is a non-profit organization that is driven by a board made up of corporations, R & D facilities, NGOs and non-profits.

Source: http://www.industryweek.com/