Forum June 5: What's the Market for Energy Efficiency?

Coming up at the next Sustainability Forum on Wed., June 5. We'll tackle an important issue for our business & tech North Shore membership:

Energy Efficiency: Markets in the Making, Order or Chaos?

Chris Davis, most recently Vice President, Global Strategic Alliances at Schneider Electric, will lead an open discussion on what is an “Energy Management Life Cycle”.

Topics include:

1. What are its key elements?
2. How do the pieces fit together, how are energy savings achieved?  
3. What older and new, emerging technologies are in play?
4. Who are the key animators, both local and global companies hoping to get their piece of the action? 

Chris’ mission is to enable enterprises, corporations, and institutions to respond profitably to today’s energy, sustainability, environmental, and economic challenges through smarter energy solutions and business transformation that deliver triple bottom line impact – people, planet and profits. He has over 25 years of professional experience in consultative solution selling and sales management, business development, strategic alliances, commercial marketing, and general management. His experience spans smart cities, smart grid, and smart buildings, green IT, renewable energy, and factory automation and plant management.

All welcome to attend.

See the left sidebar for directions to our morning Forum. Pre-register here at North Shore Technology Council or at the door.  The Forum is free for members of NSTC and $10 for others.

Breakfast with Sec. Sullivan: MA Exec. Office of Energy & Environ

Sustainability Forum members, please be advised that you have spearheaded this month's Business Breakfast of the North Shore Technology Council featuring: Secretary Richard Sullivan of the Massachusetts' Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

Secretary Sullivan will provide an overview of the State's efforts and objectives to our select North Shore audience. It should be a good opportunity for interaction, too.

We are counting on Sustainability Forum members to make a BIG showing. This promises to be a great event, and we want to demonstrate the North Shore’s commitment to energy, environment and innovation.

Bring a friend.  There is a $30 discount off our regular price for first time attendees.

Register here at NSTC.org. Or contact NSTCstaff@gmail.com by email.

May Day: Next Forum May 1

We cover a lot of global issues and clean technologies here at the Forum. But did you know that in 2003 the Ipswich River was designated one of the “10 Most Endangered Rivers in America”?  The Ipswich is a critical resource. It’s also one of the most beautiful features of our region.

Our next Forum features guest speaker Wayne Castonguay, Executive Director of the Ipswich Watershed Association.

Water is global challenge. Locally, the Ipswich River watershed is home to 160,000 of us here and includes about 21 towns here on the North Shore. It provides drinking water to 335,000 people and thousands of businesses in 14 communities here. It’s a vital resource to us.

The Ipswich River Watershed Association is an advocacy organization that serves as the voice of the river and works to ensure that sure there is enough clean water for people and nature. As executive director, Wayne works in many areas of water policy, management and sustainability. Wayne has a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology and an MS in Oceanography and lives in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Everyone's welcome to join us and network with our business and technology members.

When:        Wednesday, May 1, 2013. Coffee begins at 8 a.m.; presentation at 8:20.

Where:       100 Cummings Center, Conference Room 221E, Beverly MA             

RSVP:        Forum meetings are free to members of the NSTC; $10 for non-members. All are encouraged to register here at NSTC.org.

Forum Follow-up from Cleantech Open

Hope you made it to our Forum this week. We had a great line-up lead by Ali Addler Northeast Director of the Cleantech Open. Big bonus was the testimony of three fast-moving cleantech companies who had participated in the CTO's accelerator program -- with subsequent successes in capital funding and development to show for it.

Panelists: John Gingrich, Energy Sage; Dave Berman, NSIV/Vecarius; Alexandra Adler, Cleantech Open; Paul Laslow, Save Energy Systems

Here's Ali's follow-up as promised:

Thank you for being a part of the North Shore Tech Council Sustainability Forum featuring Cleantech Open Northeast! This is a very exciting time for the Cleantech Open Northeast with an unprecedented number of applicants at this stage in the program and the largest geographical extent in our region's history. We are looking forward to a great year, and we hope you'll be a part of it! The best part about Cleantech Open is that there are so many ways to get involved. 

First stay in touch! Sign up to receive our newsletter, follow @CleantechOpenNE on twitter, like us on Facebook, and follow our blog to keep up with current news and upcoming events! If you indicated in the event registration form that you want to receive our newsletter, you have already been added to our recipient list.

Applying for the accelerator? Applications are open and due by May 1! Contact Bryan Russett, Applicant Recruitment Co-Chair with any questions. APPLY HERE!

Want to mentor a team? Mentor applications are open now too! Sign up to mentor here and contact Lisa London, Mentor Outreach Chair, with any questions.

Interested in volunteering? It's a great way to support an important cause and to network in the industry. Volunteers can apply here!

Finally, please help us spread the word about the opportunity to get involved!

We hope to hear from you or see you soon!

2nd Annual Forum with Cleantech Open

Just a friendly reminder. Yes, we have deviated from our usual "First Wednesday" schedule this month. But it'll be worth it. It's our second annual Forum with Cleantech Open and some very sharp new start-ups. 
This promises to be a big networking opportunity for all of you who are looking to get in on the business of cleantech innovation. 
Next Wednesday, April 10, at 8 am
More of the details we posted earlier are Here.
See you Wednesday. All welcome.

Forum Follow-Up: Gloucester Wind Energy

Here’s a great follow-up to our February Sustainability Forum with Rick Johnson of Varian/Applied Materials. That was when Rick gave us a thorough, behind-the-scenes perspective on their wind energy strategy.

Last Thursday night 300 Cape Ann residents heard from a panel of experts that included Rick as well as: Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk; Tom Michelman of Boreal RenewableEnergy Development in Arlington, who presented turbine study highlights; and Sumul Shah, CEO of Solaya Energy, who discussed turbine construction and operation.

The headline from the Gloucester Times sums it up nicely:

March 30, 2013
 

Turbines spark quick $60K city savings

By Gail McCarthy
Staff Writer

 — The towering wind turbines rising above Blackburn Industrial Park have already translated into revenue with the city, clearing $60,000 in the first three months, according to Mayor Carolyn Kirk.

That was just one element of information shared Thursday night by Kirk and three experts at a wind energy panel discussion that prompted more than 300 Gloucester and Rockport residents to flock to the Sawyer Free Library for a panel discussion on wind energy.

Within three months worth of performance, Kirk said this year’s revenue projection for this calendar year will be $430,000. The only reason that is below the $450,000 estimate is that in the first few months of operation, there were glitches that needed to be addressed and required the turbines to be turned off. Once the operation is in full swing, Kirk said the city will be on track to meet its savings projections.

The city benefits because it partnered with Equity Industrial Turbines LLC, which erected the two turbines at Gloucester Engineering at Blackburn Industrial Park. The turbines were erected in November and put into operation on Dec. 31.

“They did all the work, took all the risk, and financed the two turbines for $10 million, and we collect the check,” said Kirk. “The more they spin, the more we get.”

Varian Semiconductors/Applied Materials, the city’s largest employer, paved the way in the permitting process by being the first to start the process of installing a wind turbine in Gloucester. Varian has the largest of the three. The motivation for both projects was their large consumption of electricity and a move to enter the realm of clean energy. 

Read the whole story here.