July 14, 2010

State & Stakeholder Newsletter, July 14, 2010

Wednesday, July 14, 2010 Volume #9, Issue #14 Editor: Jane Pulaski The IREC State & Stakeholder Newsletter is a foremost resource for current information on green 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…

Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Volume #9, Issue #14
Editor: Jane Pulaski


The IREC State & Stakeholder Newsletter is a foremost resource for current information on green 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 (July 14, 2010)


From the editor:

IREC’s 2010 State & Stakeholder Reader Assessment–how are we doing?

If you’re reading this newsletter, you’re just the person we’re looking for.  Each year, we conduct an annual Reader Assessment to find out more about you, the individuals and organizations in the renewable energy community, to learn how you use renewable energy in your work, and to gauge the impact of IREC’s State and Stakeholder Newsletter on your organization’s missions.   Take a few moments and share your honest opinions with us about the State & Stakeholder Newsletter–what you like, what you don’t, what you’d like to see, what we can do better.   It’s very short–only five questions.  Many thanks for participating and for helping us improve the newsletter.

It’s been a few years in the works–IREC has just released the 2010 edition of its highly regarded and valuable Field Inspection Guidelines for PV Systems, authored by Bill Brooks.  This report, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, replaces the 2006 edition, also authored by Brooks.  Brooks tells us that these Guidelines are a complement to the Solar ABC’s current expedited permitting process for PV systems.  Bill has dedicated the Guidelines to his friend and colleague, Chuck Whitaker, who passed just as this project was getting started.

Our friend and brilliant educational expert, Dr. Barbara Martin, gives us part 2, Know Your Students, in her five-part  series, Good Teaching Matters.  If you’re an educator, or if you’re a student (or potential student), you’ll want to read this series of articles.

IREC kicks off its Fall 2010 webinar series on July 20th with  Justin Barnes of the N.C. Solar Center at N.C. State University discussing  state policies and trends based on DSIRE research and IREC’s Larry Sherwood will discuss his much anticipated solar installation trends in the United States.  The Fall 2010 webinar series runs through December, and includes community solar, fire codes and workforce development.

And speaking of webinars, NCSC’s Justin Barnes and Laurel Varnado will host a July 15th webinar examining net metering in retail markets.  Justin and Laurel will be publishing a paper later this year on this, and the webinar will explain the structure of their research. They’re interested in your comments and suggestions.   Kevin Fox will join them, discussing his experience working in states with retail choice and why this research is important.

You have until Friday, July 16th to submit applications for IREC’s 2010 Innovation Awards.  This year, IREC will present awards in six categories: small wind, clean energy workforce development, community renewables, clean energy financial incentives, clean energy regulatory policies, and clean energy ARRA projects. Projects must have been completed during 2009.

The 2010 Innovation Awards will be presented at IREC’s Annual Meeting on Monday, October 11 in Los Angeles. Long recognized as one of the most comprehensive one-day events that address updates and trends in state and local renewable energy issues, top state and national experts will discuss net metering and interconnection, clean energy workforce education, credentialing, best practices in state policies, and national solar market trends. As always, IREC’s Annual Updates and Trends Report will be distributed.  We’re saving a place for you!

Finally, our friends at the Solar Workforce Innovation Collaborative, comprised of SolarTech, NOVA Workforce Investment Board, and Foothill-DeAnza Community College District, was awarded $4M from California’s Green Innovative Challenge Grant Program to train Californians for jobs in a wide range of clean and green industries, including renewable energy generation, energy efficiency in buildings, alternative and renewable fuels and vehicles, energy storage, and water efficiency.  IREC will support the Collaborative by providing information and expertise on training trends and needs and best practices.  Congratulations!

P.S.

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Read the State & Stakeholder Newsletter, July 14, 2010