Sacramento Gets Green with Enterprise Zone

Clean-energy firms getting capital welcome

By Clint Swett - Bee Staff Writer

Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Story appeared in BUSINESS section, Page D1

Here's the news portion of the article "By a unanimous vote, council members approved a resolution to market the existing enterprise zone to clean-energy firms in an effort to make the city a center for the fast-growing industry."

Here's another nugget from the article:

"Barbara Hayes, executive director of the organization, said about one-third of her group's 60 active prospects are green-related companies, and that the enterprise zone status is a powerful recruiting tool."

Any chance we could invite those twenty companies to the Sacramento Region Clean Energy Showcase on October 11?

Sony, Waste Management to start recycling program

Sony Electronics partners with the trash hauler to help customers recycle all Sony products for free at 75 Waste Management centers.

By Reuters

Published: August 17, 2007, 7:26 AM PDT

Trash hauler Waste Management and the Electronics division of Japan's Sony announced on Thursday the establishment of a consumer electronics recycling program.

Starting September 15, customers will be able to recycle all Sony products for free at 75 Waste Management recycling centers, the companies said in a statement. The number of centers is set to increase to at least 150 sites within a year, with at least one location in every state.

Story Copyright © 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

from News.com - original article here.

OK, how does this apply to the Sacramento area? Folsom happens to be home to Waste Connections, the I believe third largest waste management company in the US. So, maybe Waste Connections could hook up with another company with a large presence in the area like maybe Intel or HP?

John Edwards Thinks There's Opportunity in Green Collar Jobs!

"Which is why America needs to make a switch from our addiction to oil and carbon-based fuels to wind, solar, safer biofuels, and cleaner renewable energy, which will have positive impacts far beyond economic impacts. No. 1: It will create at least 1 million "green-collar jobs" in this country."

This is from an interview with Salon that ran Monday here. Green collar jobs are already happening here in the Sacramento region. Some of the companies hiring in this area in this sector are SunTechnics, Solar Power Inc, EcoStream and I'm sure there are many others. Anyone know of any other companies that are hiring green collar workers?

Politics - Lockyer: Sell bonds for 'green' buildings - sacbee.com

Politics - Lockyer: Sell bonds for 'green' buildings - sacbee.com:

"State Treasurer Bill Lockyer on Tuesday proposed a $5 billion bond measure to combat global warming by getting California's largest building owner -- the state government -- to improve its energy efficiency."

I think Mr. Lockyer should come to the Sacramento Region Clean Energy Showcase! Mr. Lockyer, I've got a pass for you if you want to attend. Can you accept that?

How to Green Your Work (TreeHugger)

How to Green Your Work (TreeHugger)

This one was pointed to me by Kevin Maney at Portfolio. Some good, simple easy to implement ideas including using less paper, encouraging working from home, teleconferences etc.

Any Sacramento-area companies embracing these ideas that want to jump in and be profiled here?

"Green Jobs Bill" Passes US House

From a press release from US Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA)

Washington, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representative approved the Green Jobs Act of 2007, legislation introduced by Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-CA) to help train American workers for jobs in the renewable energy and energy-efficiency industries – industries that are key to U.S. and world efforts to combat global warming. The bill was passed as part of H.R. 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act.

We're not endorsing the bill just using it to point out the momentum and opportunity for businesses and municipalities to build with 'green jobs.'

CalChamber Has Resource for "Climate Change Policies"

The California Chamber of Commerce has launched a new website providing information on climate change policies for its members, businesses, policymakers and the public.

This actually launched in June, but we hadn't yet so here it is.
The website can be found at www.climateconnect.org.
Their release is here.

Looks like a great resource for California businesses that are trying to learn how to balance being green with being successful.

Sacramento Region Clean Energy Showcase - 10/11/07

Great event in Davis on October 11. Information below. Click here to register or here for more information.

Bay Area using Solar for Public Transit

Follow up to a recent article on public transportation going green. This is from Earth2Tech, Om's 'green blog':

Bay Area Transit Agency Lights Up Solar

Written by Katie Fehrenbacher

Posted August 3rd, 2007 at 7:55 am in Energy

The Bay Area bus agency AC Transit showed off a brand new 621-kilowatt solar power system at its Oakland and Hayward facilities yesterday. Nice. The solar photovoltaic system is expected to generate roughly 767,000 kilowatt hours of power each year and save the company $5 million in utility costs over the 30 year life of the system.

The deal is the latest move by an organization to save money through solar, but without the company providing a large upfront capital investment. That’s because the solar system is actually financed and owned by MMA Renewable Ventures, which provides funding for energy projects and is being built and installed by San Jose, Calif-based SunPower.

AC Transit will pay MMA Renewable Ventures for the solar electricity generated over a multi-year power purchase agreement (PPA). After several years AC Transit can either renew the agreement, or purchase the system from MMA.

This deal structure is increasingly common in the solar world where the upfront cost of building and owning a solar system has been a barrier to companies adopting one. In the release MMA CEO Matt Cheney called the deal proof that:

“solar power is an affordable option for public agencies concerned with reducing carbon emissions.” — MMA CEO Matt Cheney

A few weeks ago Arno Harris, the CEO of another company specializing in solar PPA’s, Recurrent Energy, told us that:

“this is the year of the emergence of the solar purchase power agreement. After 50 years of innovation, solar has a competitive offer. — Arno Harris, CEO Recurrent Energy”

There are several startups that sell into the solar PPA market, like SunEdison, Recurrent Energy, MMA and newcomer Tioga Energy.

There’s significant money to be made with PPA’s and PG&E is actually providing a $1.9 million solar rebate, under California’s Self Generation Incentive Program. Through that program PG&E will also provide $950 million in incentives over the next 10 years to help customers build solar systems.

We couldn’t make it to the official event yesterday afternoon where Oakland’s mayor Ron Dellums praised the companies involved. But we’ll go check it out soon enough.

Gillian says "Californians Want Gov't Action on Environment"

From Gillian Parrillo at the Sacramento Executive:

My own two cents, the eye-opening number is "significantly more San Joaquin Valley residents (35%) than residents statewide (25%) identify air pollution as a very serious health threat to them and their families." This is because it is a significant threat in San Joaquin Valley which according to a Kirsch Foundation study has 1 in 3 families with a member with a respiratory ailment and 1 in 6 of the region's children and 1 in 8 adults suffer from asthma.

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Californians Want Government Action on Environment

For the first time, a majority of Californians (54%) say they think global warming poses a very serious threat to the state’s future economy and quality of life.

A majority of the state’s likely voters (54%) say that presidential candidates’ positions on the environment will be very important in determining how they cast their vote in 2008.

Significantly more San Joaquin Valley residents (35%) than residents statewide (25%) identify air pollution as a very serious health threat to them and their families.

These findings from a newly released statewide survey conducted by the Public Policy Insitute of California. You can read the full report here.

Gillian Parrillo
The Sacrmento Executive