In a world where natural resources continue to dwindle while global consumption remains on the rise, no one is immune to the changes in policy that these trends necessitate.  The FMA promotes the most up-to-date green technologies and programs that are both conceived and made available by today’s industry leaders.

The Congress event focuses on next-generation environmental initiatives being implemented in today’s energy conscious operations.  The event focuses on connecting hundreds of corporate decision-makers with the top solution providers, in an environment that opens the doors for discussion, initiative and unique business opportunities, lasting far into the future.  The Congress concentrates on successful strategies aimed at reducing facilities’ operational costs, providing a great return on investment, and minimizing any negative effects on the environment.

For more information about FMA Congresses or this event, visit http://www.fmaintl.com/index.htm

Solar Energy Through History

• In 1515, Leonardo da Vinci began building a parabolic mirror four miles long that could “supply heat for any boiler in a dyeing factory, and with this a pool will be warmed, because there will always be boiling water.”

• In the early 1800’s, the Frenchman Mouchot, a professor of mathematics, cautioned others that with the expansion of industry, France was going to run short on coal very quickly because of it’s aggressive mining operations. Before coal is foolishly used up, he exclaimed, “We should reap the rays of the sun!” and then embarked upon two decades of pioneering solar energy research.

• In 1868, an American engineer named John Ericsson prophesized that with commercially viable solar engines the sunnier parts of the world could become the source of virtually limitless power. “A great proportion of our planet enjoys perpetual sunshine. The field therefore awaiting the application of the solar engine is almost beyond computation while the source of the power is boundless.” Thus he declared that he would dedicate the balance of his life to making solar engines an economical alternative.

• In 1931, Thomas A. Edison said, “We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Natures inexhaustible sources of energy — sun, wind and tide. … I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”

Fun Facts on Solar Power

• Sunlight travels to the earth in approximately 8 minutes from 93 million miles away, at 186,282 miles per second.

• In a single hour, enough sunlight reaches the earth’s surface to meet the entire world’s energy needs for a full year.

• As early as 1921, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for experiments with solar power and photovoltaics. It was awarded to Albert Einstein.

• When silicon is taken from just one ton of sand, and used in photovoltaic solar power panels, that silicon can produce as much electricity as 500,000 tons of burning coal.

• The price of photovoltaic (PV) solar power panels has dropped 200 percent over the last 30 years, according to the Department of Energy. Owners now pay between 10 and 40 cents per kilowatt-hour.

• In 2009,  the largest solar electric system in the world (25 MW) will be built in DeSoto County, Florida. If will provide electricity to 3,000 homes and will cover 180 acres.
• A 1-kilowatt home solar system will prevent approximately 170 lbs. of coal from being burned, 300 lbs of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere and 105 gallons of water from being consumed each month! The average size house system is 5 kilowatts.
• Da Vinci predicted a solar industrialization as far back as 1447.

• Accounting for only 5 percent of the world’s population, Americans consume 26 percent of the world’s energy.

• Worldwide photovoltaic installations increased by 2,826 MW in 2007, up from 1,744 MW installed during the previous year. In 1985, annual solar installation demand was only 21 Megawatts.

• Cumulative solar energy production accounts for less than 0.01% of total Global Primary Energy demand.

• The sun is the most inexhaustible, renewable source of energy known to our civilization.
• FGCU’s 2 MW solar system will be the second largest system located on a University campus in the US.  Arizona State also has a 2 MW solar system.

Greenworks Energy  will partner with Interactive Energies, of Avon, Indiana, to offer more renewable energy solutions to its customers.

Interactive Energies represents the best in solar lighting and wind turbine mixed use lighting systems in the renewable energies market. They recently announced their newest product, the REX Energy Box – a self-containing power generator.

Greenworks Energy is a full service provider of renewable energy solutions. Greenworks Energy specializes in the design, installation, and maintenance of Solar PV systems for residential and small commercial (ranging from 2-20 kilowatts), and large commercial and municipal (ranging from 20-500 kilowatts).  Greenworks Energy focuses not only on providing the right product to meet energy consumption needs, but also providing ongoing education on energy efficiencies to maximize the return on investment.

With over 40 years of energy storage business experience, the Greenworks Energy team emphasizes the continuous need for research, innovation and quality service for the clean tech industry.

For more information, please visit www.interactiveenergies.com or www.greenworkspower.com

Are you interested in generating green energy and selling that power for a guaranteed price? On these pages, you’ll find the information you need on how to become a renewable energy generator. This material will help you understand the FIT Program and how to obtain a FIT contract.

For more information about the FIT Program application process, click on the links below.

How Does the Electric Grid Work?

The conventional electric grid is a web of interconnected systems that move electricity from generators (the power plants that produce electricity) to customers. These parts are as follows:

• Generator: Produces electricity, typically at large, central power plants.
• Transmission System: Transmits large amounts of electricity from the generator over high-voltage wires to the distribution system.
• Distribution System: Reduces the voltage of electricity from the transmission system through substations and distributes it over lower-voltage wires to individual customers within a region. The local utility (Fitchburg Gas & Electric, Massachusetts Electric, Nantucket Electric, NSTAR, Western Massachusetts Electric, or a municipal utility) owns and operates these wires.
• Customer: At the customer site, electricity is stepped down again through a transformer. A meter measures how much electricity each customer is using.

With the advent of small generation technologies that can be installed by a utility customer, a reversal of sorts occurs. A generator installed on a customer site, or behind the meter , can be interconnected with the distribution system to ensure reliable power from the utility when the generator is not in service. Additionally, some developers connect generators directly to the distribution system rather than the transmission system. Both types of installation are known as distributed generation.

Some customers decide to install a generator that is not connected to the utility, serving a small or isolated electric load. This is called an off-grid installation because it is not connected to the electric grid. Off-grid generation is also a type of distributed generation, but differs in that it does not require interconnection approval from the utility.

Throughout these pages, we will sometimes refer to the distribution system generally as the electric grid or the utility. We also refer to utility-interconnected distributed generation simply as distributed generation, without reference to off-grid systems.

How Do I Know Whether My System is Considered Distributed Generation?

If you are a customer installing a generation system on your home, business, or other privately owned property, you are installing distributed generation. If you plan to connect this system to the utility, you will need to follow that utility’s interconnection process.

Larger systems installed by developers may also be considered distributed generation if they are connected to the distribution system rather than the transmission system. In these cases, the developer will need to engage in discussion with the utility to determine whether this type of interconnection is appropriate for the project.

Why Install a Grid-Connected System?

The main benefit of installing a grid-connected distributed generation system is the assurance of receiving power from the utility when your system is not running. This is essential for many renewable technologies like solar and wind, which produce intermittent power and for other technologies that may need to be shut down for periodic maintenance.

While some customers install distributed generation as a primary source of power, others may install it as backup generation for critical electric loads when the utility is not able to provide power due to storms, blackouts, or other unexpected events.

An additional benefit for small generators is the ability to sell power back to the utility. In Massachusetts, generators that produce less than 60 kW are eligible for net metering, where the customer receives payment for unused power that is fed back into the distribution system. In some cases, larger generators may also establish power purchase agreements with their utility.

What Are My Other Options?

The alternative to a grid-connected system is an off-grid system, where the generator serves all or an isolated part of the electric load on site. Off-grid systems can make economic sense for sites that are far from existing utility lines. An off-grid system connected to an isolated load may also be necessary if the site is located on a utility’s area network, where interconnection is not currently allowed.

A second option is to interconnect a system to the transmission level of the grid. However, this process typically is longer and requires more documentation than interconnection to the distribution system. It is typically only considered by large generators, who may also need to go through outside reviews.

FEBRUARY 25- 28, 2010

THURSDAY & FRIDAY
11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

SATURDAY
10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

SUNDAY
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The 2010 Fort Wayne Home & Garden Show is the largest home and garden event in the Tri-state area featuring more than 650 exhibits displaying the latest home and garden products and expert services.

Get more information online about Directions and Ticketing.

Don’t miss out on the Fort Wayne Home and Garden Shows very own “Ultimate Makeover”! Come to the show and enter to win a Ultimate Makeover valued at $50,000! Exhibiting companies have donated a gift certificate worth at or above $2500 of their product or service. Winner will be drawn at 4:00 pm Sunday evening.  Learn More

The Cap and Trade Bill passing legislation has made carbon emissions a costly liability.  Coal used for electricity production is about to bear the burden of heavy taxation and regulation from Washington which means utility bills are on the rise.  There will be a forced transition to renewables which will make localized energy production from wind and solar a valuable investment.  The utilities companies will be forced to pay those who invest in renewable energy systems.

Find out more about the Cap and Trade Legislation

Help make a change Contact Your Representative today!

As the demand rises for these systems so will the cost so act now and be ready!

Original article by:

Inside Indiana Business

By: Natalie Stucky – Partner, Real Estate and Financial Institutions Groups of Bose McKinney & Evans LLP

Most people believe that green buildings cost more than conventional buildings even though a Davis Langdon 2007 study indicates that there is no significant difference between the average cost of the two types. To accurately measure green building costs, one must consider initial construction costs, cost offsets, operating expenses, and revenue generated by the property.

The initial costs of any building, green or otherwise, depend upon many factors, including climate; availability and cost of materials and labor; zoning and building codes; building type; and site condition. Some cost factors are controllable, others aren’t, but often they can be mitigated. For instance, researching availability and delivery time or pre-purchasing materials may avoid costly delays later in the project. Considering the full range of options for specific systems and materials and clearly identifying and communicating the owner’s requirements, priorities and constraints increase the odds that project goals and expectations will be met. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (the “DOE”), integrated building design and construction reduces energy use by 50% or more and reduces maintenance and capital costs. Commissioning agents check work in progress to verify that compliance with the plans and specifications and that the building systems are properly installed and operate as specified in the construction documents. According to the DOE, operating costs for commissioned buildings range from 8% to 20% less than non-commissioned buildings.
Incentives can offset costs. Cash incentives may be available under Indiana’s State Energy Program or Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program which support energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives like retrofits and financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements on private property. Federal tax incentives include credits for up to 30% of the cost of qualified property, and deductions of up to $1.80 per square foot of building space for qualified energy efficiency improvements. State incentives include a 3-year investment tax deduction for qualified property, and the Hoosier Business Investment Tax Credit of up to 10% of a qualified investment. Locally, expedited plan review, approval and permitting processes, and credits against permit fees or lower permit fees are becoming more common.

“Negative incentives” encourage green practices. Effective in 2012, all household and commercial lamps and lighting equipment made or imported for use in the U.S. are required to meet new energy standards. Congress appears likely to approve a carbon emissions cap and trade system that could penalize building owners for failing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and a national minimum building energy code aimed at increasing building energy efficiency.

Some utility companies have loan and rebate programs for purchases of high efficiency equipment. Energy service companies (“ESCOs”) offer contracts whereby the ESCO pays for energy efficiency improvements and recovers the costs over time through the energy savings by selling power back to the owner at an agreed upon rate. “Green loan programs” and “green banks” are emerging in certain parts of the country that focus on financing green businesses and green building projects. The SBA also offers a 504 loan program for projects that decrease energy consumption by at least 10%.

Consulting with a qualified person as early in the project planning process as possible to determine which incentives a project may qualify for and to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to obtain those incentives is critical.

Operating costs and revenues from the project should also be considered. Green buildings are more efficient and use less energy, resulting in lower utility bills. Studies show that, on average, Energy Star® buildings use 40% and LEED buildings use 30% less energy than conventional buildings. The Sears Tower retrofit is expected to reduce annual electricity use by 80% and water usage by 40%. Similarly, the Empire State Building retrofit is projected to reduce energy use by 38%, resulting in annual savings of $4.4 million.

Another operating cost component is human capital. Studies show that worker salaries are 72% higher than building energy costs and that workers account for as much as 92% of the life cycle costs of a building. According to the DOE, people who live and work in green buildings are healthier and 20% more productive. Reductions in absenteeism, health problems, insurance claims, and turnover, and increased productivity all affect profitability.

Last are occupancy levels, rents and resale prices. Studies indicate that LEED buildings have 4.1% higher occupancy levels, rent at an average of $11.33 per square foot more, and sell for an average of $171 per square foot more than comparable conventional buildings, while Energy Star® buildings have 3.6% higher occupancy, a $2.40 per square foot rental premium, and sell for an average of $61 per square foot more than comparable conventional buildings, demonstrating that green buildings provide a much higher rate of return.
There is substantial evidence that green buildings do not cost significantly more than comparable conventional buildings. Further, the offsets, incentives, operating cost savings, and increased rental and resale values from green buildings add up to a higher return than other types of investments, including conventional buildings. Energy costs are expected to rise. Government regulations and mandates for higher building energy performance will increase. Public awareness and concern for environmental and energy issues are growing and reflected in the increasing preference of building occupants for green buildings. Buildings without energy savings strategies will ultimately experience higher operating costs, depressed values and lower occupancy rates. In other words, green buildings are a smart investment.