Paper Battery Company is a Finalist for the 2012 Red Herring Top 100 Americas Award

11 May 2012, Troy, NY – Paper Battery Company announced today it has been selected as a Finalist for Red Herring's Top 100 Americas award, a prestigious list honoring the year’s most promising private technology ventures from the North American business region.

The Red Herring editorial team selected the most innovative companies from a pool of hundreds from across North America. The nominees are evaluated on both quantitative and qualitative criteria, such as financial performance, technology innovation, quality of management, execution of strategy, and integration into their respective industries.

This unique assessment of potential is complemented by a review of the actual track record and standing of a company, which allows Red Herring to see past the “buzz” and make the list a valuable instrument for discovering and advocating the greatest business opportunities in the industry.

"This year was very rewarding," said Alex Vieux, publisher and Chairman of Red Herring. "There are so many great companies producing truly innovative and amazing products and technologies. We had a very difficult time narrowing the field and selecting the Finalists from such a group of future stars. Paper Battery Company shows great promise therefore deserves to be on the short list. Now we are faced with the difficult task of selecting the Top 100 winners.”

Finalists for the 2012 edition of the Red Herring 100 Americas award are selected based upon their technological innovation, management strength, market size, investor record, customer acquisition, and financial health. During the several months leading up to the announcement, hundreds of companies in the, security, Web 2.0, software, hardware, life sciences, cloud, mobile and other sectors completed their submissions to qualify for the award.

“Being named a Red Herring 100 North America finalist underscores the breakthrough potential and impact of the company’s environmentally-friendly technology.” said Shreefal Mehta, founding CEO of the Paper Battery Company, “We are humbled to be selected in this list of outstanding companies from across the US.”

The Finalists are asked to present their winning strategies at the Red Herring Americas Forum in Santa Monica, California, May 21-23, 2012. The Top 100 winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony the evening of May 23 at the event.

About Paper Battery Company
The Paper Battery Company, located at the Russell Sage College INVEST Incubator, has designed a transformational process to print an ultrathin ultracapacitor. The company’s first product line, PowerPatch™, provides scalable voltage, energy and power in a patternable, planar package. The long life, environmentally friendly device reduces battery waste, enhances function of lithium batteries and can be designed to fit in or around the tight confines of portable electronic components. The structurally embedded, high-power sheets make ubiquitous energy storage possible, with transformative impact on power management and usage in computing, electronics and transportation.

Paper Battery Company Media Contact: Shreefal Mehta, CEO; info@paperbatteryco.com; Ph: 518-244-4628

Performance Systems Development Joins Green Button Initiative

Company joins national effort to standardize energy data and engage consumers on energy use

Ithaca, NY (May 3, 2012) - Performance Systems Development (PSD) a building performance software and services provider, joins other leading technology companies and utilities to announce that it has joined Green Button, an industry-led initiative to empower consumers to make informed decisions on efforts to reduce their energy bills.

Last year, the White House issued a call to action, challenging industry to provide electricity customers with easy access to their energy usage data in a secure, user-friendly, electronic format via a “Green Button” on their utilities web site. Access to data on energy use can play a large role in helping consumers conserve energy and save money by accessing new tools and services developed by third parties.

Green Button is based on a common technical standard developed in collaboration with a publicprivate partnership supported by the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology. The standard can be applied to residential, commercial, and industrial sector data.

“Easy and recurring access to energy information is critical to improve the success and efficiency of the energy efficiency industry,” said Greg Thomas, CEO of Performance Systems Development and Chair of Efficiency First, the national building retrofit trade association. “We applaud the White House for rapidly moving forward this voluntary standard. It will help building and homeowners make better decisions, help contractors and engineers improve their energy services, and help utilities improve the cost effectiveness of their programs.”

As part of its mission to achieve peak performance across America’s building stock, PSD will offer Green Button energy data connections as part of its Building Performance Compass software. PSD’s energy program management software supports residential, multifamily, and commercial energy programs funded by Pacific Gas & Electric, Duke Energy, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the US Department of Energy and others.

About Performance Systems Development:

Performance Systems Development specializes in providing software, training, and consulting to the building energy efficiency industry. The company provides a whole-systems approach to energy policy, programs, solutions, and software processes, to improve process efficiency. PSD continues to develop TREAT, a leading energy simulation tool for building retrofits, and Compass, an energy benchmarking tool for residential and commercial use.


For more information contact:

Whit Fulton
Chief Strategy Officer
Tel: (202) 207-6882
Performance Systems Development
New York office:        124 Brindley Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
Pennsylvania offices: 40 West Evergreen Ave., Suite 104, Philadelphia, PA, 19118,
                                  297 ½ Chestnut St., Meadville, PA 16335
www.psdconsulting.com
www.wespeakbuilding.com

Momentive Performance Materials Launches New SilTRUST* Silicone Encapsulant Technology for Solar Energy

Offers Greater Performance, Reduced Manufacturing Costs for Solar Modules

ALBANY, N.Y., May 02, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- New transparent silicone encapsulant technology from Momentive Performance Materials Inc, a leading global provider of silicones and advanced materials, can help ensure the long-lasting performance of solar energy photovoltaic (PV) modules in harsh outdoor environments, while improving the light-to-electricity conversion yield. Greater stress resistance, weatherability, corrosion protection and a longer life span with higher efficiency for crystalline silicon PV modules may result in higher longer-term return on investment for solar energy projects. Momentive introduced its SilTRUST* transparent silicone encapsulant material in a technical paper on silicone encapsulation at the Polymers in Photovoltaics 2012 forum in Cologne, Germany, April 24-26.

In the solar industry, SilTRUST encapsulant can be used to surround the fragile solar cells of the PV module with a very flexible, stress dissipating silicone matrix that adheres well, yet does not pass on much of the mechanical stress the cell may suffer due to harsh environmental conditions. Based on unique technology, through a combination of optical and outstanding mechanical properties, SilTRUST silicone encapsulant materials offer module manufacturers a commercially viable way to produce crystalline silicon PV modules with a longer use life and better energy conversion efficiency.

Because silicones do not absorb ultraviolet light, more sunlight reaches the surface of the solar cell where it becomes available for conversion to electricity. The refractive index of SilTRUST encapsulant closely matches the refractive index of glass, reducing energy-dissipating reflection of sunlight away from the solar cell.

SilTRUST encapsulant is used at much lower module manufacturing temperatures, thus avoiding stress due to differences in thermal expansion coefficients of a module's components. At 80 deg C, which is about the maximum operating temperature for a PV module, a silicone module is virtually stress free. This is one of the factors why silicones remain the material of choice for extraterrestrial photovoltaic panels that see many extreme thermal cycles, enduring severe thermal shocks during the course of a day, as satellites orbit the earth. SilTRUST encapsulant material now enables cost effective manufacturing of crystalline silicon solar modules for terrestrial purposes.

"SilTRUST silicone encapsulation of solar cells has been shown to improve the efficiency and durability of solar panels while lowering manufacturing costs," said Dr. Alex Scholten, Global Program Leader, EcoEnergy at Momentive Performance Materials. "In tests, this encapsulant material outperformed traditional encapsulant materials in PV applications. With our project collaborators, we have also developed a lower temperature, cost-effective module manufacturing process to offer flexibility in equipment and raw materials use as well as ease and speed in processing." The process not only requires significantly less investment in equipment, it also operates at much lower temperatures and faster curing speeds than typically found in the manufacture of cells encapsulated using other materials.

"Innovation in encapsulant formulations and processing technology will lead to higher quality solar panels that are less expensive to make," said Dr. Markus Putzer, Engineered Materials Technology Leader at Momentive Performance Materials. "At Momentive, we see this as a contribution towards making solar energy a competitive, reliable and sustainable source of energy."

Onsite Wind Power Cranks 3.3 MW For NY Company

by Paul Willis posted April 30, 2012

Zotos, a haircare manufacturer, claims to have created the largest onsite wind project of any U.S. manufacturer. The company said the wind farm located at its plant in Geneva, NY., had helped it reach its goal of finding 100 percent of its electrical needs from renewables.

Zotos’ wind project has received the endorsement of the pro-wind lobby group the American Wind Energy Association, who said it was the largest wind project of any manufacturer in the U.S. It is also the largest private industrial wind plan in the New York State region. The project was funded in part by the 2009 federal stimulus, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The project comprises two 1,650-kilowatt (kW) wind turbines (yielding a total capacity of 3.3 megawatts), which provide power to the 670,000-square-foot manufacturing plant, which employs 760 staff.
The company, which makes haircare and styling aid products and is owned by global cosmetics giant Shiseido, said the onsite wind turbines were a first in the beauty industry.

“After years of hard work, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to sustainability, we have finally achieved a key milestone toward our vision of sustainable beauty,” Anthony Perdigao, the vice president and chief sustainability officer at Zotos said in a statement. “This is a historic moment for Zotos, our parent company, and our community. If we can do it, so can others.”

Zotos is one of number of U.S manufacturers who have begun installing on-site clean energy systems to help meet their power needs. One of the most high profile to date is Walmart, which has pledged to get all its power from renewables (though it has yet to set a date for when this will happen). Right now the retail giant has 180 renewable energy projects in operation or under development, including 100 solar power installations. According to Walmart, the company’s long-term goals include reducing its greenhouse gases at its facilities around the world by 20 percent by the end of this year.

Even so, onsite renewable energy supplied just 4 percent of Walmart’s power in 2010, and the company has a long way to go before reaching its 100 percent goal.

Zotos whose products are sold under the Zotos, JOICO, ISO, Senscience, and Bain de Terre brand names to hair salons and beauty retailers, said wind power made up just one part its green energy portfolio. It’s other efforts towards sustainability include energy-efficient lighting, reductions in water consumption, a significant increase in rail use, and the use of 100 percent recycled materials in most of its packaging. It has also pioneered the use of plant-based plastics in its bottle production.

Zotos said the wind project was expected to meet nearly 60 percent of the Geneva plant’s power needs. To make up the remaining 40 percent, the company recently entered into an agreement to purchase up to 9 million kW of green energy.
“Zotos is proud to lead the way for other manufacturers interested in sustainability,” Perdigao added. “Our future depends on it.”

LED lighting fixture maker Ephesus developing prototype chip with Group4 Labs

Original article source: SemiConductor Today Posted on Apr 12, 2012
http://www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2012/APRIL/GROUP4_110412.html

LED lighting fixture maker Ephesus developing prototype chip with Group4 Labs. Ephesus Technologies LLC of Syracuse, NY, USA (a firm founded in June 2010 by former Lockheed Martin employees that designs and makes LED lighting fixtures for commercial and municipal markets) has partnered with Group4 Labs Inc of Fremont, CA to engineer and manufacture its own prototype LED chip as it aims to become vertically integrated.

With a manufacturing facility at the University of Albany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) Smart System Technology and Commercialization Center of Excellence (STC) in Canandaigua, NY, Group4 Labs develops and supplies ‘extreme materials’ that aim to improve the performance of gallium nitride (GaN)-based devices. The firm’s technology enables epitaxial GaN layers to be atomically attached (regardless of lattice mismatch) to a free-standing, proprietary chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) synthetic polycrystalline diamond substrate, providing GaN-on-diamond epiwafers.

Ephesus initially resided in Syracuse University’s Center for Advanced Systems and Engineering (CASE Center). The firm now has 16 staff and is based in the Syracuse Technology Garden (with a manufacturing location at Ansen Corp in Ogdensburg, NY), but plans to re-locate to Baldwinsville in Central New York as it expands.

The EG4 is reckoned to be the first LED to be completely developed and manufactured in New York State. Ephesus says that development was aided by upstate New York’s research and manufacturing strengths in the regional innovation cluster related to clean technologies and through collaboration with upstate New York academic institutions and several New York Centers of Excellence (CoE).

In February, Ephesus received a $50,000 grant from the SyracuseCoE Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP), which was established in partnership with Syracuse-based CenterState CEO (Corporation for Economic Opportunity, formerly the Metropolitan Development Association) and Empire State Development (ESD) with grants received under the auspices of New York Assemblyman William Magnarelli. The firm also received a $1m tax incentive from the ESD. STC provided support and infrastructure to enable Group4 Labs to produce demonstration LEDs as a first step toward the development of super-bright LEDs.

Ephesus has also benefited from the New York Energy Regional Innovation Cluster (NYE-RIC) – a consortium led by Syracuse University in partnership with City University of New York (CUNY), NYSTAR (New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research), and the State University of New York (SUNY) Research Foundation. NYE-RIC’s ‘Bridge to Markets’ program – funded by SyracuseCoE and NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority), and conducted in collaboration with CenterState CEO – connects New York state firms that have developed innovative products for advanced buildings with the diverse and critical stakeholders in the target market of New York City.

Existing Ephesus LED lighting products target a broad range of applications, including warehouses, manufacturing facilities, parking lots/garages, roadways, stadiums, tunnels and bridges. Currently, fixtures are produced in New York State using LED chips from third-party companies, and the LED array comprises over 47% of the cost of the entire Ephesus lighting fixture. By developing its own LED chip, Ephesus aims to cut the cost of its LED fixtures by 30%. 

“Our EG4 LED chip will be commercialized through small-scale production and be demonstrated and used in Ephesus lighting fixtures,” says CEO Amy Casper. Ephesus reckons that the EG4 will differentiate its products from other LED-based products and allow it to capture more market share in the LED fixture market.

“This new chip can meet a rapidly growing demand for highly efficient lighting and smart lighting technology,” reckons CenterState CEO’s president Robert Simpson. “For our region, this will result in new jobs and investment, and offer further evidence that our collective effort to create a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem is paying real dividends,” he adds.

Other organizations involved with Ephesus in developing the technology include Alfred University, American Dicing, Ansen Corp., Binghamton University, Clarkson University, Clean Tech Center, Cornell University, Lighting Research Center, LINC, Onondaga County Economic Development, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Syracuse University, and the Tech Garden. 

"The state’s partnership with Ephesus Technologies is a great example of what can be accomplished through collaboration between the private-sector, academia and government,” comments Jim Fayle, Central New York regional director with Empire State Development. “The success of this home-grown small business will create much-needed jobs and generate significant economic activity for Upstate New York,” he adds.

Solar Roastery Claims The Greenest Beans In NY

by Susan DeFreitas posted February 23, 2012 

The folks at Eldorado Coffee Roasters claim to be “the only green coffee roaster in New York City,” and they’re not talking about the beans. The company recently installed a rooftop solar photovoltaic system at its headquarters in Maspeth, Queens, rated to produce at least 280,000 kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually—enough to knock out the entire electricity bill.

The project was engineered, constructed and financed by Solar Energy Systems (SES), a company headquartered in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, that has done some swift business in recent years servicing the emerging market for commercial solar in both New York and New Jersey. SES will operate and maintain Eldorado’s solar power system, selling the solar power to the roastery at a discounted rate through a power purchase agreement.

The project was paid for, in part, by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, that federal legislation passed in the wake of the 2008 economic collapse that has proven to be a gift that keeps on giving when it comes to renewable energy projects. That assistance, in combination with federal, state and local tax incentives, helped to put Eldorado’s considerable rooftop real estate to work in producing renewable energy in the heart of the city.

Of the project, Francis J. Murray Jr, President and CEO of NYSERDA, said, in a statement: ”By investing in solar energy, the state is not only able to drive down the cost of doing business for Eldorado Coffee Roasters, but also helping to improve power reliability in New York City by reducing demand on the electric grid.” He went on to note that public-private partnerships such as this represent a critical component to New York meeting its renewable energy goals.

The Paper Battery company recieves $200,000 from the Eastern New York Angels, LLC

We are proud to announce that the Eastern New York Angels, LLC, an upstate New York member managed angel investment group, have invested $200,000 in The Paper Battery Company. The funding comes only months after a $1 million grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Combined, the funding will do a great deal in helping the Paper Battery Company commercialize the PowerPatch(tm), an ultra-thin, integrated super-capacitor that's scalable in voltage, energy and power. The Paper Battery Company is a portfolio company of The Clean Tech Center.

For more information visit http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/morning_call/2012/01/paper-battery-co-lands-200k-angel.html.

NYSERDA grants $300,000 for advancements in deep energy retrofits

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has granted two Ithaca, New York companies, Taitem Engineering and Snug Planet, $300,000 to optimize and promote technologies to improve residential energy performance. The funding is based largely on reducing high upfront costs associated with deep energy retrofits, an efficient retrofitting approach utilizing rigid insulation or spray foam in exterior walls to reduce heat loss. Although deep energy retrofits have proven reductions in energy from 60-75%, high upfront costs serve as a barrier for many homeowners.

With combined experience in the design and application of deep energy retrofits, Taitem Engineering and Snug Planet have their sights on reducing costs by using alternative insulation materials and streamlining the retrofit process.

For more information visit http://dev.ithacaindy.com/article/20120130/two-ithaca-energy-conservation-firms-receive-300k-from-state/.

$248,000 awarded for clean technology commercializtion!

In an announcement made by State Assemblyman William Magnarelli, The Syracuse Center of Excellence and CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity, five New York Companies have received significant funding from the Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP). Totaling $248,000, the CAP awards are granted to promote the commercialization of innovative clean technologies.

The five winners of the CAP awards are Ephesus Technologies, a LED lighting design/manufacture company; GreenView Energy Management Systems, who implements turnkey, real-time, remotely monitored data acquisition services for energy commodities (electricity, natural-gas, water, generators, fuel-cells, solar and wind); Rapic Cure Technologies, a formulation and manufacture company of value added energy-curable resins, coatings, inks and adhesives; Synairco, who is commercializing a ultra-efficient, environmentally responsible air-conditioning system that uses solar or waste heat for cooling and dehumidification; and Synex, a developer of control products for steam, hydronic, and thermal fluid heat transfer systems.

We are proud to announce that Ephesus Technologies, GreenView Energy Managment Systems, Rapid Cure Technologies and Synairco are portfolio companies of the Cleantech Center!

For more information visit http://www.esf.edu/communications/view.asp?newsID=1484.

Brookings Institute praises NYSERDA

A new report from the Brookings Institute, "Leveraging State Clean Energy Funds for Economic Development", finds New York's heavy investment in clean technologies to be paying off. The Institute attributes New York's success to the comprehensive approach taken by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Instead of focusing on individual projects or attracting industries from other states, the report has found NYSERDA to work towards cultivating New York's own industries.

The report praises NYSERDA's Clean Energy Business Incubator Program, and states that the program is a critical element in growing an innovative, clean-energy ecosystem across New York State. Only in their fourth year of operation, such business incubators have created hundreds of high quality jobs, raised $41 million in private capital and has helped attracted $11 million in federal funding.

For more information visit http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/blog/morning_roundup/2012/01/nyserda-gets-high-marks-on-clean-energy.html.

$30 million provided for large-scale solar projects

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the State Public Service Commission (PSC) have awarded $30 million to help Westchester and New York City facilities fund large-scale solar power projects.  The funding comes from the first round of the Customer-Sited Tier Regional Program, which will provide solar installers, solar developers and real estate owners with a total of $150 million over five years to for large solar photovoltaic and renewable biogas fueled electric generation projects.  The program provides businesses with as much as 50% of the total cost for projects up to $3 million.

Alteris Alteris Renewables, Inc., altPOWER, Bright Power, ConEdison Solutions, Inc., Earthkind Energy, Inc., Martifer Solar USA, OnForce Solar, Inc., Ross Solar Group, LLC, SolarCIty, Solar Energy Systems, LLC, Solartech Renewables, SunEdison, and SUNation Solar, Inc., SunRay Power and MS Harrison LLC received funding.  The funding is expected to greatly increase the self-sufficiency of large department stores,  apartment complexes and postal service distribution centers.

For more information visit http://www.empirestatenews.net/News/20120112-4.html.

The Long Island Solar Farm Project is on line!

The Department of Energy has "flipped the switch" on the Long Island Solar Farm Project(LISF) at the Brookhaven National Laboratory.  Composed of 164,312 solar photovoltaic panels, the 32-megawatt Solar Farm is the largest solar project in the Eastern United States and is one of the largest to ever be built on federal property.  The Solar Farm is expected to produce sufficient energy to power 4,500 Long Island homes.

In addition to providing Long Islanders with clean, renewable energy, the Long Island Solar Farm will give scientists insight on the challenges associated with deploying large-scale solar in the northeast.

The Long Island Solar Farm is a collaborative project between the Long Island Power Authority and BP Solar International, Inc.

For more information visit http://energy.gov/articles/national-lab-flips-switch-east-coasts-largest-solar-array.

Clarkson announces plan to establish a research facility for the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries

Clarkson University has announced plans to convert the University's Old Main building into a state of the art research facility for the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries. With $1 million in funding from IBM, the research facility will collect and analyze water quality data from a series of sensors in the Hudson, Mohawk and St. Lawrence Rivers. The facility will allow for real-time water quality data for the rivers and will facilitate more effective management of the critical resource.

The announcement comes only a month after Clarkson University and the Beacon Institute formed a strategic alliance to position New York State as a leader in research and education for water innovation.

For more information visit http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20111206/NEWS05/712069894.

Cornell University recognized for efforts taken in Energy Efficiency

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has awarded Cornell University the High Performance Building Plaque for the adaptive reuse and renovation of Riley Hall.  Riley Hall's east wing, once home to a vintage large equipment lab was recently adapted to a suite of wet labs for state-of-the-art cellulosic biomass biofuels research and development. With $111,865 in NYSERDA funding, Cornell University incorporated HVAC controls, heat recovery and light controls into the new labs.  The renovations are expected to save 536,973 kilowatt hours of electricity, approximately the same amount of energy used annually by 73 single-family homes.

Riley Hall's renovation were funded by NYSERDA's New Construction Program, which provides assistance to incorporate energy efficiency and sustainable building practices into the design, construction and operation of new/renovated buildings.  In addition, the program assists those pursuing LEED certification for energy efficiency.

For more information visit http://www.wbng.com/news/around-the-tiers/Cornell-University-Receives-High-Performance-Energy-Efficiency-Award-134244048.html.

Federally funded solar feasibility study to be conducted at TechCity

The former Kingston, New York headquarters of IBM, TechCity, has been selected by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy to participate in a federal study to determine the feasibility of large scale solar energy production at the site. The study is part of a national program that seeks to generate wind and solar energy at former industrial contamination sites.

In order to determine the feasibility of solar PV at TechCity, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory will install rooftop solar photovoltaic panels throughout the 256-acre complex. Ulster County's deputy director for economic development, March Gallagher believes the campus can house enough solar panels to generate more than 4 megawatts of electricity, roughly enough to power 4,000 homes.

TechCity is one of three New York State locations selected to participate in the study. The other locations are the former Bethlehem steel plant in Lackawanna and a large industrial wasteland in South Buffalo.

To learn more about the study visit http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111118/NEWS/111119739/-1/rss01.

GE exceeds the EPA's year-end production goal for PCB dredging

At the close of the second season of dredging the Hudson River for PCBs, General Electric Co. has exceeded it's year-end production goal set by the Environmental Protection Agency.  Reporting the removal of more than 363,000 cubic yards of sediment, General Electric has exceeded the Superfund project's year-end goal of 350,000 cubic yards.

After an unintentional kick up of PCBs during the first year of excavation, General Electric Co. has designed/executed an alternate method of dredging, re-suspension, which appears to have worked effectively.

For more information visit http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/GE-surpasses-Hudson-PCB-dredging-target-for-year-2275001.php.

Albany school district revieces $450,000 for environmental improvements

The Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District in Albany, New York has received $450,000 in funding to increase the environmental/educational performance of its schools.  Administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the Department of Environmental Conservation, the program will increase energy efficiency and environmental conditions while reducing operating costs for the District.  The funding comes from a multi-state settlement with the cement manufacturing company, Lafarge North America.  The company violated the federal clean air act by emitting sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide at its 13 plants in the USA including its facility in Ravena, New York.

The school improvements are expected to go far beyond energy savings. Studies have shown a dramatic correlation between classroom environmental conditions (lighting, heating, ventilation, indoor environmental quality) and academic performance.

For more information visit http://www.empirestatenews.net/News/20111118-3.html.

Governor Cuomo announces new commercial electric vehicle incentive

New York State Governor, Andrew Cuomo has announced the development of a multi-year commercial electric vehicle incentive program that will provide businesses with funding to build and/or convert their fleet to electric.  The program, which will be managed by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, will run for five years and provide companies with up to $20,000 for every electric vehicle purchased weighing over 10,000 lbs.  The New York State Department of Transportation has committed $10 million in federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funding for the programs first year.

The program will greatly benefit Smith Electric Vehicles Corporation, the U.K. headquartered commercial electric vehicle company which has recently announced the opening of a new manufacturing plant in New York City.  The plant will be located in the South Bronx and is expected to generate 100 jobs in the borough.

For more information visit http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/23163.

ReEnergy Holdings LLC to acquire 5 biomass plants in New York and Maine

ReEnergy Holdings LLC, an Albany, New York based company that specializes in converting biomass to energy is in the process of acquiring five plants from Boralex Inc. for $93 million.  The biomass energy-production plants are located in Chateaugay, New York; Fort Fairfield, Maine; Ashland, Maine; Livermore Falls, Maine; and Stratton, Maine.

Pending on due diligence and regulatory approval, the deal is expected to close by the end of the year. The five plants will employ 240 people and generate 240 megawatts of electricity. 

For more information visit http://blog.timesunion.com/business/albany-company-acquiring-biomass-energy-plants-in-new-york-maine/52018/.

The Customer-Sited Wind Turbine Incentive Program

The New York State Energy Research Authority (NYSERDA) has released a PON for the Customer-Sited Wind Turbine Incentive Program. The program, which has a total of $4.6 million, provides eligible installers with as much as 50% of the total installed cost or $400,000 to install new, grid-connected wind energy systems. To qualify, wind energy systems must meet NYSERDA's eligibility requirements and be less than 600 kW.

The program requires installers to pass on the incentive, in it's entirety to their customers; stimulating business growth while making wind energy systems more economically feasible.


Applications are due December 31st, 2011 by 5pm.

To view the PON in its entirety, visit http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Funding-Opportunities/Current-Funding-Opportunities/PON-2097-Customer-Sited-Wind-Turbine-Incentive-Program.aspx.

Governor Cuomo nomitates Gil Quiniones for NYPA's presidency

Governor Andrew Cuomo has nominated Gil Quiniones to be the new president of the New York Power Authority (NYPA). Gil Quiniones, NYPA's current chief operating officer has been standing in as NYPA's president since Richard Kessel resigned earlier this year.

In addition to serving as NYPA's Chief Operating Officer, Gil Quiniones is a member of the Board of Directors of the Electric Power Research Institute, serves on the steering committee of the Large Public Power Council and is NYPA's primary representative to the American Public Power Association.

For more information visit http://www.lohud.com/article/20111101/NEWS05/111010304/Cuomo-taps-NYPA-s-Quiniones-authority-s-new-leader.

NYSEIA partners with SEIA to grow New York's solar industry

The New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA) has partnered with the national Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) to promote the growth of New York State's solar energy market.  According to the Solar Foundation's 2011 Solar Jobs Census, New York State ranks 5th in the nation for it's number of solar industry jobs.  New York's solar value chain is composed of 263 companies, employing 4,200 within the state.

With growing energy costs and population, New York State is posed to be a national leader in the solar industry.  The new partnership will help make this a reality by working to pass key solar legislation, including the Solar Jobs Bill.

For more information on the partnership visit http://nyseia.org/posts/nyseia-and-national-association-partner-to-grow-ny-solar-market-81.php?g=0.

The Paper Battery Co. reveives $1 million in NYSERDA funding

The New York Energy Research and Development Authority has awarded The Paper Battery Company $1 million in funding, which will be matched by the company and its investors to commercialize it's PowerPatch line of paper-thin ultracapacitors by 2013.

The Paper Battery Company's product line of ultracapacitors are patternable devices that are scalable in voltage, energy and power. The devices use a cellulose based material to contain and separate their components. Such composition allows for the PowerPatch Products to be paper-thin and flexible, making them an ideal power source for a myriad of clean energy applications. In thin-film solar panels they can be applied to provide power while retaining elasticity; and can easily provide quick acceleration/ regenerative braking power in hybrid electric vehicles.

The Paper Battery Company is located at the Russel Sage College INVEST business incubator in Troy, New York and is one of the Clean Tech Centers portfolio companies.

For more information on the Paper Battery Company visit http://www.paperbatteryco.com/.

New West Technologies recieves NYSERDA funding to demonstrate electric-powered refridgerator trucks

New West Technologies, a national engineering and management consulting firm with a branch in Utica, New York has received $300,000 in funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to demonstrate the cost and environmental benefits of investing in infrastructure to support electric powered refrigerator trucks. 

New West Technologies will work with Hannaford Supermarkets to identify and install plug-in connectors in locations that will reap the greatest economic benefit from such infrastructure.  With a fleet of 50 trailers, Hannaford has committed 15 electric standby plug-in trailers for the project.

NYSERDA's objective for the the project is to facilitate a network where refrigerator trucks can load and unload using only electricity.

For more information visit http://www.cnybj.com/Channels/Technology/tabid/73/itemid/15425/sourcemid/417/Utica-company-lands-project-to-promote-electric-powered-refrigerator-trucks/Default.aspx?returnUrl=%2FChannels%2FTechnology.aspx.

The NanoCollege purchases solar manufacturing research facility in Halfmoon

The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at the University of Albany has purchased Veeco Instruments's former solar manufacturing research facility in Halfmoon, New York. The NanoCollege will use the facility for the R&D of thin-film solar cell prototypes. The NanoCollege's acquisition of the facility has saved 17 Veeco employees from being laid-off after the facilities closure.

The solar manufacturing research facility will be instrumental in moving the U.S. Photovoltaic Consortium a step closer to its mission of increasing the United States share in the global solar industry.  The U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium is a federally funded partnership between The College of Nanoscale Science an Engineering, SEMATECH and The University of Central Florida.

For more information visit http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/NanoCollege-makes-deal-for-Veeco-2234490.php.

The GE Wind Technology Lab Opens at HVCC

The Hudson Valley Community College's TEC-SMART (Training and Education Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing and Alternative and Renewable Technologies) campus in Malta, New York has opened the General Electric Wind Technology Lab.

Established by GE Energy Renewables Wind Field Operations, the GE Wind Technology Lab features two miniature GE wind turbines, and provides students with an opportunity to obtain hands-on wind technician training. Although the lab is primarily used by Hudson Valley Community College students enrolled in the Wind Technician Certificate Program, High School students from the area have the opportunity to take classes at the Lab.

With advances in wind technology, and ever-increasing popularity of the energy source the demand for wind technicians is steadily growing. Wind technician jobs are estimated to increase by 100,000 over the next decade and the GE Wind Technology Lab provides students the training necessary to be successful.

For more information visit http://troyrecord.com/articles/2011/10/19/news/doc4e9e6b78f22b5672867755.txt?viewmode=default.

The New York State Public Service Commission provides $469 Million for advances in energy technology

The New York State Public Service Commission has approved a 5-year program that will provide the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) with $469 million to implement a suite of energy related technology and market development programs. With an annual budget of $93.8 million over the next 5 years, the funding will allow NYSERDA to accelerate energy innovation, promote the clean energy economy and incorporate more rigorous energy-use standards in codes and industry best practices.

The suite will focus on eight initiatives grouped within three categories: power supply and delivery, building systems and clean energy infrastructure. NYSERDA will give highest priority to initiatives with the potential to reduce energy use/demand, increase reliability and safety, moderate wholesale prices, mitigate delivery cost increases, or diversify energy resources.

For more information visit http://readme.readmedia.com/NYSERDA-5-Year-Plan-Approved/3054672.

SyracuseCoE and CenterState CEO Announce Next Round of CAP Grants

The Syracuse CoE and CenterState CEO have announced the next round of solicitations for Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) grants. The grants will be awarded to projects that commercialize new products and services in the fields of indoor environmental quality, water resources, and clean and renewable energy. Up to $50,000 is available for individual projects, with approximately four expected recipients in this round. To qualify for CAP funding, a proposing company must provide matching funds of at least 1 to 1 for every dollar requested. Matching funds can include cash or in-kind services.

The deadline for submission of proposals for this round is November 11, 2011. Projects should start January 1, 2012 and be complete on or before Sept. 30, 2012. Program guidelines and funding applications will be available on the SyracuseCoE website: www.syracusecoe.org The CAP is funded with grants.

To date, the CAP program has awarded more than $1 million to 21 upstate companies for projects that have commercialized new clean tech products and services, and created or retained more than 152 green jobs in New York State. Regional companies that have benefited from CAP grants include: OrthoSystems, Air Innovations, NuClimate Air Quality Systems, O'Brien & Gere, Taitem Engineering, Galson Laboratories, Rupprecht & Patashnick, Double A Willow, Isolation Sciences, VentoTek, Widetronix Semiconductors, e2e Materials, and Orthogonal.

For more the full release visit Next Round of CAP Grants

For a complete CAP application package, visit Syracuse CoE

For more information and to review previous CAP awards view the CAP program

Syrcacuse COE's 11th annual Symposium on Environment & Energy Systems

The Syracuse Center of Excellence is holding it's 11th annual Symposium on Environment & Energy Systems on September 22nd-23rd at the Oncenter Complex in Syracuse, New York.  The theme of this years symposium is "Unleashing the Clean Economy: Regional Innovation for Sustainable Communities" and will focus on community-based innovations, as well as resource, energy and advanced building innovations.

Keynote presentations will be given by John Cronin, Director and CEO of the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries, Eric Keune of AIA, Skidmore and Owings & Merril, and Amy Liu, Co-director and Senior Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program at The Brookings Institution.

For more information, including registration visit http://www.syracusecoe.org/coe/sub1.html?skuvar=171.

The New York State Green Building Conference seeks presentation proposals

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and the U.S. Green Building Council New York Upstate Chapter are seeking presentation proposals for the 10th annual New York State Green Building Conference, which will be held on March 29-30, 2012 at the Oncenter in Syracuse, New York. Presentations should be 50 minutes or less and be applicable to one of the four conference tracks, green building for commercial construction, green building for residential construction, green chemistry for the built environment, and deconstruction.

The deadline for presentation abstracts is October 21, 2011.

For more information, including access to the abstract submission form visit www.nysgreenbuilding.org.

NYSERDA releases PON for the installation/demonstration of CHP Systems

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has released a program opportunity notice for the installation and demonstration of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems at facilities in New York State. Combined Heat and Power Systems utilize thermal energy lost in electricity generation for heating applications.

The program provides installers with 30% to 50% of the total associated costs, with a maximum of $1,000,000 per project. The program has a total of $5,500,000 available.

Proposals are due by October 4.

For the full PON visit http://www.nyserda.org/funding/2373pon.asp.

Madison County gains national attention for efforts taken in sustainability

Central New York's Madison County has gained national recognition for being the first municipality to employ solar panels on a capped landfill cell. Traditionally unused space, the county saw an acre of southern-sloping, freshly capped landfill as an ideal opportunity to harvest energy.

The solar array is not the first sustainability effort taken by the Madison County Landfill; for more than a year, methane gas has been harvested from capped cells. With an estimated 40,000 kWhs of power coming from the solar array, the landfill's recycling center will be completely energy self-sufficient. NYSERDA provided Madison County with $380,000 for the project, offsetting the total cost to $470,000.

The only two similar projects in the nation are located on privately owned landfills in Georgia and Texas. Having a much colder climate, Madison County's landfill will serve as an experiment for the installer, Carlisle Energy Services.

For more information visit http://oneidadispatch.com/articles/2011/08/30/news/doc4e5d7dfb4016d952505652.txt?view mode=default.

Guidelines established for smart grid development

The New York State Public Service Commission has demonstrated the desire to increase the electrical grid's efficiency by adopting a policy statement establishing regulatory policies and guidelines to develop New York's smart grid electric system. With input from New York State's electric utilities, technology companies, hardware and software vendors, consumer representatives, not-for-profit organizations and governmental governmental entities, the guidelines are a comprehensive approach to meeting New York's energy policy goals.

The guidelines state that utilities are to pursue established and reliable technologies that can provide a certain return on investment; smart grid technologies will utilize both public and private networks; utilities must provide customers with basic information about smart grid technology and a customer education plan; smart grid projects, rate recovery will be addressed through traditional means; utilities can start to develop smart grid plans/projects with existing industry standards; utilities must develop and maintain cyber security standards; and utilities/third-party providers must protect customer privacy.

For more information visit http://www.smartmeters.com/the-news/smart-grid-news/2541-new-york-adopts-smart-grid-policy.html.

National Grid provides Upstate Cancer Center with $6.24 million in upgrades

National Grid has provided SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse with $6.24 million in electrical upgrades critical for the creation of the Upstate Cancer Center. The Upstate Cancer Center is one of the few hospitals in the nation to be accredited by the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer and offers the most comprehensive cancer treatments in Central New York.

The most critical electrical upgrades include underground electrical cables, power feeds and conduit. Not only will the upgrades provide the Cancer Center with adequate power, the project will help spur University Hill development by providing the area with more power.

For more information visit http://whatsupatupstate.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/electrical-upgrades-by-national-grid-help-upstate-cancer-center-rest-of-university-hill/.

Didier Lacroix appointed as MicroGen's strategic adviser

MicroGen Systems, Inc. has signed Didier Lacroix as the company's strategic adviser. As a veteran of the Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) industry, Didier Lacroix has extensive knowledge, insight and contacts that will be critical to the success of MicroGen's MEMs-based Piezoelectric Vibrational Energy Harvester (PZEH) product line, BOLT. Harvesting vibrational energies from 50-120 Hz, the BOLT line are designed to power low-power electronic devices, such as sensor nodes for wireless sensor network applications.

Along with the tangible benefits that Didier Lacroix will bring to the company, his signing on with MicroGen is a complement to the company and a huge endorsement for it's technology.

MicroGen Systems, Inc. is one our portfolio companies.

For more information on Didier Lacroix's appointment visit http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/8/prweb8685609.htm.

National Grid announces that it has no intention of selling Niagara Mohawk

Steve Holliday, the chief executive of National Grid has announced that it has no intention of selling Niagara Mohawk, the utilities branch that serves upstate New York. The announcement comes after much speculation about the sale of Niagara Mohawk, spawning from a series of newspaper articles in the company's home country, Great Britain.

Although the utility is not planning on selling is Upstate New York subsidiary, National Grid is cutting 1,200 non-union jobs in the United States. With 12,000 of the 18,000 company's American employees working in New York, Niagara Mohawk is bound to take a significant hit. Steve Holliday also mentioned that if an offer was made for more than the company thought it was worth they would consider selling.

Fore more information visit http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011/08/national_grid_execs_say_there.html.

CUNY creates groundbreaking solar feasibility map for NYC

With help from the City of New York and the Department of Energy, The City University of New York (CUNY) has created an interactive solar map of the city. Composed of data collected from an airplane equipped with Light Detection and Ranging Laser technology, the map provides information for every rooftop in the city. Maximum kilowatts, money/carbon savings, zoning information and roof size are provided for the site, allowing owners to determine the feasibility of installing solar panels.

The map shows that two thirds of all the rooftops in New York City are suitable for solar power generation, an amount that if full could meet half of the City's electricity needs.

For more information visit http://inhabitat.com/nyc/nyc-solar-map-two-thirds-of-city-rooftops-are-suitable-for-solar-panels/.
To access the map visit http://nycsolarmap.com/.

Upstate New York's biggest rainwater harvest system being built at Binghamton University

Binghamton University is in the process of constructing the largest rainwater harvesting project in Upstate New York. The system is being built in conjunction with the University's Center of Excellence, and will recycle a whopping 200,000 gallons of rainwater. The water will be used for heating and cooling, toilet water and other non-drinking applications.

Set to open early 2013, the Center of Excellence has the potential of saving 1.5 million gallons of municipal water. Designed to be LEED gold, the rainwater harvesting system will be only one of the Center's strategies for efficiency.

For more information visit http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20110726/NEWS01/107260383/Binghamton-U-intends-gain-from-rain.

NYSERDA releases an RFP for research on existing clean technolgies

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has released a Request for Proposals from those interested in analyzing the status and potential of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies within the state. The information will then be used to support program development efforts, aid the preparation of the 2013 State Energy Plan and help NYSERDA evaluate the cost-effectiveness of energy efficiency/ renewable energy technologies and programs. Additionally the findings will help State agencies identify energy efficiency and renewable energy resource options.

Proposals are due by 5pm on August 25, 2011.

To view the full RFP visit http://www.nyserda.org/funding/2326rfp.asp.

AMD, NYSERDA, HP and Clarkson University partner for clean technology progression

AMD, NYSERDA, HP and Clarkson University have aligned to research a solution to the challenge of channeling renewable energy directly to data centers, bypassing the electrical grid. AMD has identified the distributed computing model of their Cloud Computing Technology to parallel the distributed power-generation model of solar and wind energy and has the goal of co-locating such dynamic computing resources with dynamic energy sources to improve the economics, performance and environmental benefits of both.

NYSERDA has provided funding for the project which is composed of two phases, student data-management research at Clarkson University and the incorporation of hardware elements, including HP's Performance Optimized Datacenter, based on the AMD Opteron Processor, which was built for energy efficiency and cloud computing.

For more information visit http://virtualization.sys-con.com/node/1927749.