3p Contributor: Sarah Lozanova
Recent Articles
Four Strategies for Green Job Creation
Maximize Regional Strengths
Not unique from any economic development strategy, it is important to examine community assets to boost green job development. Toledo, Ohio, is nicknamed the Glass City because it is known as a major glass manufacturer. Unfortunately, Toledo lost one-third of its manufacturing jobs since 2000, leaving excess manufacturing capacity and a highly skilled workforce. Although it might sound like a stretch, Toledo capitalized off of this by becoming a solar manufacturing hub.
Considering that solar panels (thin-film or otherwise) are a glass product, this regional expertise came in handy and people jumped at the opportunity. The University of Toledo’s Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization has been in existence for 25 years. The Ohio university solar energy research programs received a great boost, with the Ohio Department of Development investing $18.6 million in university solar-energy research combined with $30 million from federal agencies and industrial partners. Toledo is now home to the largest thin-film solar manufacturer facility in the US, First Solar, as well as numerous solar start-up companies–6,000 people are employed in manufacturing and research related to the solar industry in the area. This may not replace all the manufacturing jobs lost in the region, but it is a good start.
Careers in Wind Farm Development: Electrical Engineer
This is the final article in a seven part series on careers in wind farm development. (Be sure to read the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth parts, as well.)
A wind farm can’t be created without input from an electrical engineer. Their initial role involves identifying transmission constraints and determining the cost to overcome them. This is a vital step in determining if a potential wind farm is financially viable before investing more time and money into a project.
“When we find a new potential wind energy site, one of the first things we investigate is if there is an existing transmission infrastructure and it’s ability to take new power,” says Curt Bjurlin, Senior Wind Developer for EcoEnergy LLC. “That is very important. You can’t have a wind project without having an outlet for the power generated by the turbines.”
State of Green Business Forum 2010 in San Francisco and Chicago
When: February 4, 2010 in San Francisco
February 9, 2010 in Chicago
Organized by: GreenBiz.com
Despite a sickly economy, green business is alive and well. That is the sentiment behind the State of Green Business Forum that will convene in San Francisco and Chicago to bring together industry experts to explore dynamic topics, such as carbon management after Copenhagen, green marketing in the transparency age, and the use of IT to solve the world’s problems.
4 Factors Shaping the Wind Energy Industry in 2009
After installing a record 8,600 MW of wind energy capacity in 2008, 2009 will look like a letdown in comparison. Most of the projects that did go online this year were started under a different economic climate, where credit was plentiful. These are some of the factors shaping the industry in 2009:
Electricity Demand Down
Total US electricity consumption declined by 3.5% in 2009, representing the largest drop in the last decade. Electricity use by the industrial sector was down a staggering 12% from January to September of 2009. Although decreased demand is positive when considering the environmental implications, it does temporarily reduce the interest slightly in increasing green power sources. This tend is likely to last only as long as the slow economic climate, although increased emphasis on energy efficiency under the Obama administration may help mitigate the trend of electric demand increasing nearly every year.
Careers in Wind Farm Development: Financial Analyst
This is the sixth article in a seven part series on careers in wind farm development. (Be sure to read the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth parts, as well.)
Not all proposed wind farms are economically viable. The role of the financial analyst is to determine which are financially sound. The main variables to consider are the quality of the wind resource, the finance costs, the sale price of generated power, and the overall cost of the project.
“The financial analyst must understand and be able to translate various inputs, such as capital costs, operation & maintenance costs, land lease costs, taxes, wind resource potential, future power prices and project risks into a robust and defensible pro-forma model,” says Ari Pribadi, senior vice president of Marathon Capital, LLC .
Careers in Wind Farm Development: Real Estate Manager
This is the third article in a seven part series on careers in wind farm development. The first, second, third, and fourth parts can be viewed here.
Wind turbines are frequently sited on parcels where the wind rights are leased from the landowner. A long-term contract must be created that covers many aspects of the project, such as compensation, placement of turbines, access roads, and the location of electric collection and transmission systems. Financial institutions and title companies also have an interest in the wind energy development agreement as it impacts mortgaged property. Communicating and organizing such matters typically falls under the role of the real estate manager.
Careers in Wind Farm Development: Wind Energy Analyst
This is the third article in a seven part series on careers in wind farm development. The first, second, and third parts can be viewed here.
Meteorological towers provide a large quantity of raw data, which needs to be analyzed to assess the wind resources of a site. Desired information is frequently extrapolated from a data set, often with help from software including Windagrapher, WindFarmer, WindPRO, or Excel. This information then provides vital information for determining the financial viability of a potential wind farm.
“Towers over 60 meters in height require a special permit from the Federal Aviation Administration, so wind energy is normally assessed between 50 and 60 meters,” says Diane Reinebach, Senior Energy Specialist for RMT, Inc. “That data is then extrapolated up to 80 meters, which is the hub height of a wind turbine.”
Careers in Wind Farm Development: Meteorological Tower Services
This is the third article in a seven part series on careers in wind farm development. The first and second parts can be viewed here.
Wind energy data is collected and analyzed to determine the wind resources of a given site. This involves erecting a meteorological tower with anemometers, wind vanes, a data logger, and a device to transmit the collected information, such as a cellular modem. A standard tower is 198 feet, and instruments are typically placed at various heights at a designated orientation.
Meteorological tower installation and maintenance is not an easy task- technicians must work under extreme conditions and stay mentally sharp. Jason Vidas, owner of Pioneer WindWorks seeks employees who are physically fit, able to work in all weather conditions, and stay mentally strong during long, physical days. Attention to detail is essential, as instruments need to be placed and documented with high accuracy to ensure quality data. A background in engineering, computer and math skills, and technical abilities are desirable.
The data collected from meteorological towers is the foundation for the energy and financial analysis of the potential wind farm. As the industry advances, so does the necessity to gather accurate information.
Careers in Wind Farm Development: GIS Specialist
This is the second article in a seven part series on careers in wind farm development. The first part can be viewed here.
The creation of a wind farm requires a wealth of geographic information for effective planning. A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) specialist provides much of this material through maps of site characteristics, such as land parcels boundaries, transmission lines, infrastructure, environmentally sensitive areas, land cover, wind resources, turbine micrositing, and topography. These maps are used in every step of planning from energy analysis through construction.
The information provided by a GIS specialist is the foundation for determining the wind resource. “We receive digital elevation maps from our GIS department,” says Diane Reinebach, Senior Energy Specialist for RMT, Inc. “That is loaded into the software, which knows the wind direction. It can then predict how the terrain impacts the wind over the site, and whether there are speed-ups, slow-downs, or turns in the wind.”
Careers in Wind Farm Development: Project Developer
Wind energy capacity in the U.S. grew by 8,358 MW last year, an impressive 50 percent jump in total capacity. This trend was accompanied by a 35 percent increase in jobs in the industry. Unlike trends in many industries, career opportunities are expected to expand, as wind power plays a key role in President Obama’s goal of doubling renewable energy production within three years, renewable portfolio standards are met, and stimulus funding is utilized.
Currently about 7 million households are powered by wind energy and 85,000 people were employed by the wind energy industry, up from 50,000 the previous year, according to the American Wind Energy Association. These jobs are very diverse, and include turbine manufacturing, wind farm development, wind farm construction, and turbine maintenance.
Developing an industrial-scale wind farm requires a team of people with a variety of abilities. This seven part series will examine the skills needed achieve this feat. The first job we will explore in this series is project developer.
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