Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Volume #9, Issue #3
Editor: Jane Pulaski


The IREC State & Stakeholder Newsletter is a foremost resource for current information on workforce training, credentialing programs, state activities and best practices on renewable energy and energy efficiency. This free newsletter is distributed semi-monthly to email subscribers and published on IREC’s website.  If you have comments or if you would like to submit a news item, email Jane Pulaski.  To subscribe to this newsletter, click here and follow the instructions.

If you want the best news about what’s going on in the states and cities, Read the State & Stakeholder Newsletter (February 10, 2010)


From the editor:

Notice anything new?

It’s been in the works for a while; a do-over was definitely in order.   We thank our good friends at Brownstone Graphics for our new look.  We think it’s a huge improvement.

We’re all so very busy.  The rate and amount of information that crosses our desks in a day is staggering.  Things are moving fast, and we’re looking for specific information, quickly.   We don’t want to scroll, and scroll, and scroll for information.  What this new format does is make it easy for you to find quickly what’s going on with our renewable energy friends and colleagues from Anaheim to Albany.

It’s laid out nice and clean, and organized with short headlines that are easy to skim and select what you want.    Everything is linkable: one click (maybe two) and you’re there, reading the latest news from IREC’s key programs like ISPQ, Green Workforce Development, Connecting to the Grid, and DSIRE.   We like to keep up with the certified installer community of NABCEP and publicize the successes of the Solar America Cities.

There’s big news in this issue:  the new ISPQ Standard 01022 was released last week (hats off to Pat Fox, ISPQ’s inimitable program manager).  The number of applications continues to stream in.  Programs and instructors that are awarded the rigorous ISPQ designation indicate a high level of quality standards for curriculum, student services and trainers have been met.

As usual, there’s lots of news from DSIRE:  New Jersey substantially revised its solar carve out, a new law removes its net metering limit, and new standards for small wind turbines have been set.  The Solar ABC’s Initiative is hosting three webinars in February—there’s one today.  And our friends at Austin Energy are adding a performance-based initiative for its commercial customers.

We’re populating the events and on-line calendar sections with your meetings, conferences, workshops and fairs.  We’re continuing to host workshops and webinars.  In short, we continue to recognize the work of you, our colleagues, who continue to do remarkable things.

On a sadder note, long-time SEI instructor, Walt Ratterman, perished in the January 12th Haiti earthquake.  Walt was in Haiti working on solar projects for health clinics with the organization that he co-founded, SunEnergy Power International (SunEPI).  SunEPI works around the world to improve people’s quality of life with renewable energy technologies in remote, rural areas.

I hope you find this new format inviting and the content useful in your work.  Thanks, as always, for sending news about your work.  And please…let me know what you think about our new look, OK?

P.S.  Feel free to share this newsletter through any social media portals.


Read the State & Stakeholder Newsletter, February 10, 2010