Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies Update

In this Edition:

• Welcome to New Coalition Members

  • BP America

  • Boulder Biodiesel

  • Burnham-Beck & Sun

  • Dorsey & Whitney LLP

• Utah Coalition for New Energy Technologies Launched

• A Look Ahead at 2003 Coalition Activities

• Colorado County Commissions Endorse Renewable Energy Through Resolutions

• CU Wins Solar Decathlon

• UQM Technologies Tops Deloitte & Touche 2002 Colorado Technology Fast 50

• Hamlin Electric Services Wins National Award for Windfarm

• News From the Energy Information Administration

• DOE Issues FY 2003 SBIR and STTR Program Solicitation

• Position Opening at Colorado Energy Science Center

• Upcoming Events

  • October Meeting of Denver Electric Vehicle Council, 19 October, Boulder

  • Recap of World Summit on Sustainable Development, 23 October, Golden

  • Colorado Renewable Energy Society October Meeting, 23 October, Boulder

  • Colorado Environmental Forum, Fall 2002, 6 November, Denver

  • Positioning Your Company to Access Capital, 12 November, Denver

Welcome to New Coalition Members

BP America

http://www.bpamoco.com

Denver

BP America is the largest oil and gas producer and one of the largest gasoline retailers in the United States, with nearly $40 billion of fixed assets in the U.S., operations in almost every state and 42,000 U.S.-based employees.  It is the sixth-largest company by market capitalization on the New York Stock Exchange.  BP is one of the largest manufacturers of solar panels and one of the largest solar energy consumers in the world.  BP's objective is to provide reliable energy at competitive costs, with no harm to the environment, to people, or to the communities in which we operate.

Boulder Biodiesel

http://www.boulderbiodiesel.com

Boulder

Boulder Biodiesel is a cooperative of engineers and concerned citizens committed to the development of vegetable-based fuel for the diesel engine.  The cooperative makes its own fuel out of used cooking oil and supports the purchase of certified biodiesel from virgin oil through regional distributors.  Biodiesel is an appropriate technology that is applicable nationally as well as abroad.  It is a low-cost solution that has significant benefits to the environment while reducing the dependency upon fossil fuels.  Biodiesel can be used in any diesel engine and is available in all fifty states.

Burnham-Beck & Sun

http://www.burnhambeck.com

Fort Collins

Burnham-Beck & Sun offers retail sales of solar and wind energy products and services, including PV modules and mounts, wind turbines and towers, batteries, controllers, inverters, back-up generators, solar hot water collector panels and storage tanks, energy efficient appliances, design/sizing and installation.

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

http://www.dorseylaw.com

Denver

Dorsey & Whitney LLP is an international law firm with more than 750 lawyers in 23 offices in the USA, Canada, Europe and Asia.  One of the world's largest law firms, Dorsey has nearly doubled in size over the last four years as it has bolstered its strength in corporate finance, intellectual property and complex litigation with a focus on clients in international business and technology fields.

A complete list of members of the Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies is available on the coalition’s website at www.newenergytechnologies.org.

UTAH COALITION FOR NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES LAUNCHED

—New Coalition Seeks to Advance New Energy Technologies in Utah

Twenty-one companies joined together to launch the Utah Coalition for New Energy Technologies on 15 October.  Modeled on the Arizona and Colorado Coalitions for New Energy Technologies, the new Utah Coalition for New Energy Technologies will seek to demonstrate to opinion leaders and other key stakeholders the importance of clean new energy technologies in the Beehive State.  Led by State Director Jessica Lorah, the new Utah coalition will work closely with business leaders, state government and others to achieve many of the same successes its partner coalitions have enjoyed in Colorado since 1999 and in Arizona since January 2002.

·         Review the inaugural press release of the Utah Coalition for New Energy Technologies.

·         Read an article from the 17 October Salt Lake City Tribune on the Utah Coalition for New Energy Technologies.

A LOOK AHEAD AT 2003 COALITION ACTIVITIES

In 2003, the Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies will again pursue an active agenda of outreach to key stakeholders and opinion leaders, including policymakers, regulators, the media and others.

As part of this outreach, our coalition will stage statehouse briefings under the auspices of the Colorado legislature's bipartisan Renewables and Energy Efficiency Caucus similar to the briefings we carried out successfully in 2001 and 2002.  Throughout our activities, we will demonstrate the increasing importance —and relevance— of new energy technologies to our state and nation.  We will also seek to provide informational briefings and seminars on issues of interest to coalition members, such as raising capital, understanding government procurement and exporting products and services.

Similar activities will be conducted by the Arizona and Utah Coalitions for New Energy Technologies in Phoenix and Salt Lake City in 2003.  Please contact Craig Cox for more information on upcoming coalition activities in Colorado, Arizona or Utah.

·         Review past activities of the Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies.

COLORADO COUNTY COMMISSIONS ENDORSE RENEWABLE ENERGY

—Eastern Colorado County Commissioners Pass Resolutions

Five county commissions and one city in Colorado have passed resolutions urging the state legislature to pass a renewable portfolio standard, according to Stephanie Bonin of the Colorado Public Interest Research Group.  Bonin reports that the Counties of Baca, Crowley, Elbert, Lincoln and Prowers, along with the City of South Fork, have all passed resolutions supporting a renewable energy standard in Colorado, which would ensure that a certain amount of the state’s electricity be generated from renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, biomass or geothermal.

The Baca County resolution, which passed unanimously on 30 September, says that a “state renewable energy standard will provide relief for Colorado’s struggling agricultural communities as ranchers and farmers will have an unprecedented opportunity to lease land for wind and increase use of biomass fuel.”  Similar language is contained in resolutions passed by the other counties and South Fork.

CU WINS SOLAR DECATHLON

—“Solar Decathlon Proves that Solar Energy is Practical Today,” says Secretary Abraham

The University of Colorado at Boulder took first place in the Department of Energy's (DOE) Solar Decathlon (see “Update” of 3 October 2002).  The University of Virginia captured second place, while Auburn University took third.

"The University of Colorado at Boulder has earned their place in the sun, with their win in the first-ever Solar Decathlon," Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham said.  "After a year-and-a-half of intense work, designing, building and competing, the students should be very pleased with their accomplishment.  The competition was a real test of their abilities and their willingness to pit their talents against some of the best schools in the nation, and they proved themselves worthy of this honor."

The Solar Decathlon ran from 26 September to 5 October on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.  Teams from 14 universities competed by building homes that blend aesthetics and modern conveniences with maximum energy production and efficiency.  In appearance, the homes are a mix of traditional and modern, but all are powered entirely by the sun and incorporate state-of-the-art energy efficiency technologies.

For the competition, the solar decathletes had to figure ways to harness the power of the sun to supply all the energy for an entire household, including a home-based business, along with the transportation needs of the household and business.  Each house, limited to roughly 500 square feet for purposes of the competition, was judged on 10 criteria to determine which most efficiently employed solar energy for heating, cooling, hot water, lighting, appliances, computers and charging an electric car.  The teams competed in the 10 contests simultaneously.

"The Solar Decathlon proves that solar energy is practical today," Secretary Abraham added.  "It is affordable, and solar-powered homes can be livable and attractive.  Our investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies can contribute to the nation's energy security."

Sponsors of the Solar Decathlon, in addition to DOE, included coalition member BP Solar, along with The Home Depot, EDS, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

For more on the Solar Decathlon, see http://www.solardecathlon.org or the CU team’s own website at http://solar.colorado.edu/.

UQM TECHNOLOGIES TOPS DELOITTE & TOUCHE 2002 COLORADO TECHNOLOGY FAST 50

—Revenue Growth Reaches 3,057 Percent

Deloitte & Touche LLP announced its roster of Colorado's fastest growing technology companies on 4 October.  The number-one ranked company on the Deloitte & Touche 2002 Colorado Technology Fast 50 is coalition member UQM Technologies, Inc., with revenue growth of 3,057 percent over five years.

Based strictly on revenue growth over a five-year period, the Colorado Technology Fast 50 is a ranking of the 50 fastest growing technology companies headquartered in Colorado.

"In an era where technology companies come and go, making the Deloitte & Touche Fast 50 is a testament to a company's vision that allows growth over a five-year period," said Gary McIver, Partner, Colorado Technology, Media & Telecommunications Group of Deloitte & Touche.  "The Fast 50 winners have proven they have the right stuff for growth and we at Deloitte & Touche salute their accomplishments."

“We are pleased to be selected and recognized as the fastest growing technology company in Colorado by the Technology Fast 50 program this year and as one of the fastest growing companies in the preceding two years,” said William G. Rankin, President and Chief Executive Officer of UQM Technologies, Inc.  “Our growth has been driven by a number of factors including the innovation and technological advances achieved by our employees.  We are well known as a developer and manufacturer of powerful, small and highly efficient electric motors, generators and electronic controllers.  Most recently, we announced a major electric motor performance breakthrough demonstrating a newly developed electric motor system that provides both high torque and high speed capability in a single machine, greater than twice that of the industry's next best performing motor technology.  This new system will dramatically improve the propulsion performance of electric, hybrid electric and fuel cell electric vehicles at a cost competitive with existing systems.  Other factors driving our revenue growth include a significant increase in demand for our power systems including proprietary power wheelchair propulsion systems currently in volume production and the acquisition of two manufacturing businesses completed during the last five years.  We believe that the performance advantages of our proprietary technology and our high quality, low cost manufacturing capability will contribute to continued rapid growth in our technology operations and business generally.”

To qualify for the Fast 50, companies must have had operating revenues of at least $50,000 in 1997 and $1,000,000 in 2001, must be headquartered in Colorado; and be “technology companies” defined as companies that own proprietary technology which contributes to a significant portion of the company’s operating revenue, or devote a high percentage of effort to research and development of technology.

(From UQM Technologies press release)

HAMLIN ELECTRIC SERVICES WINS NATIONAL AWARD FOR WINDFARM

Coalition member Hamlin Electric Services, with locations in Ft. Morgan, Ft. Collins, Longmont and Denver, recently received the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Excellence in Industrial Construction Award for its diverse range of responsibilities at the Peetz, Colorado Windpower plant.

“There were several entrants, but the type of project, and vast scope of work of Hamlin’s crew performed really stood out from the rest,” said Terry Moreland, Executive Director of the IEC Rocky Mountain chapter whom accepted the award on the company’s behalf.  Hamlin Electric Services Vice-President Wade Hamlin stated “We are so proud of this project not only because of the great job our crew did, but because windfarms are so important to our future, since wind energy protects the environment, helps the local economy, and increases our energy and power generation options.”

Cinergy Global Power, an affiliate of Cinergy Corp. in Cincinnati owns the wind power plant and enXco, Inc. developed and operates the facility.  Xcel Energy purchases 77 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year from the facility, through a 15-year contract for its Windsource program.  The wind power plant has the capability to generate 73,000 megawatts a year, enough to satisfy 10,000 average households, or each wind turbine can make enough energy in 1 hour to supply 1.5 households for a month.

(From Hamlin Electric press release)

NEWS FROM THE ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION

EIA Updates and Expands its Energy Definitions Glossary

—Public Input Sought on "Greatly Expanded" Glossary

The Energy Information Administration (EIA), part of the U.S. Department of Energy, provides comprehensive statistical reports and analyses of the nation's energy and electricity infrastructure.  One of its most popular offerings is an energy definitions glossary, which provides definitions for a wide range of energy terms from all industry sectors.  EIA reports that it has "greatly expanded" its energy glossary and seeks feedback from users.

·         Review EIA’s newly expanded energy glossary

EIA Provides Updates on State Electric Industry Restructuring Activity

—Useful Site for Monitoring Changing Situation throughout Nation

Another very useful offering from EIA is its website on the status of state electric industry restructuring activity, which provides monthly information on the status of the electric industry deregulation/restructuring at state levels.  State pages provide detailed information and links to other sites for additional information.  Also available are retail access timelines and information on customer participation in retail access.

DOE ISSUES FY 2003 SBIR AND STTR PROGRAM SOLICITATION

The U.S. Department of Energy has issued the FY 2003 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Solicitation.  Closing date is 14 January 2003.  The following topics related to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy are among the 47 technical topics:

16. Solid State Organic Light Emitting Diodes for General Lighting

17. Energy Storage and Conversion Technologies for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

18. Biobased Products and Bioenergy

19. Catalysis Research and Development for Chemical Manufacturing & Refinery Operations

20. Nanotechnology Applications in Industrial Chemistry

21. Nanomaterials for Energy Efficiency

22. Biomass

23. New Technologies for General Illumination Applications

24. Sensor, Communication, and Control Technologies for Energy Efficiency

25. Innovative Mineral Processing

26. Integrated Systems for Energy-Efficient Space Conditioning

·         View the solicitation and full topic descriptions.

(E-mail from Charles Russomanno, SBIR Program Portfolio Manager)

POSITION OPENING AT COLORADO ENERGY SCIENCE CENTER

—Education Coordinator Sought

The Colorado Energy Science Center, a non-profit organization that helps energy users adopt energy practices that reduce costs and environmental impacts, is seeking an Education Coordinator.  The primary responsibility for this position will be coordinating the rapidly growing, innovative K-12 Program which enables middle and high school students to identify energy efficiency opportunities as they improve math and science proficiency.  The program includes a new set of hands-on science activities and an exciting contest that is attracting both teachers and sponsors.

The education coordinator will be responsible for recruiting and supporting teachers, coordinating efforts with partners, overseeing contractors and volunteers and reporting to funders and sponsors.  The position can be structured as a half-time or full-time position, depending upon the candidate's breadth of responsibilities.  If a candidate is hired full-time, the position will also include some oversight and coordination of college student energy-related research work.  

Minimum qualifications:  Undergraduate degree, two years of professional experience, strong communication and organizational skills and a demonstrated interest in energy, the environment and education.  Preference will be given to candidates who have teaching experience or experience with energy efficiency technologies.  Proficiency with website management and computer software such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook is also desirable.  Salary will depend upon qualifications.  Benefits are included.

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to pkeegan@energyscience.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

October Meeting of Denver Electric Vehicle Council

19 October, Boulder

Members of the DEVC will meet at President Graham Hill's home (1464 Periwinkle) at 10:30 a.m.  The meeting will feature John Bidwell, who will bring us up to date on the development of his electric motorcycle.

All DEVC members are strongly encouraged to bring their own electric vehicles or transportation projects to the meeting so that a ride and drive can take place after the meeting.

For more information, visit http://www.devc.org/.

Recap of World Summit on Sustainable Development

23 October, Golden

The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) took place in Johannesburg, South Africa in late August-early September this year.  Three attendees from Colorado have offered to provide a "debrief" on this major event at a brown-bag lunch at the NREL Visitor’s Center from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. on 23 October.  Featured speakers are:

• David Schaller, EPA Region VIII Sustainability Director (and former SERI employee)

• Ron Larson, Reporter for Solar Today and assistant to Greenstar (and former SERI employee)

• Dr. Paul Polak, President of the Industrial Development Enterprises (IDE)

For more information, contact Heidi VanGenderen at 303-820-5676.

Colorado Renewable Energy Society October Meeting

23 October, Boulder

The October meeting of the Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) feature students from the University of Colorado at Boulder who recently won the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon (see article earlier in newsletter).

The CU Solar Decathlon Team will present its design and experiences at 6:00 p.m. on 23 October in Room 134 of the Environmental Design Building (just east of the University Memorial Center and parking structure) on the CU-Boulder Campus.  Admission to this event is free.

The award-winning house should also be set up and available to tour just south of Folsom Field (around the corner from the Environmental Design Bldg.).

For more information on this event, please contact CRES at 303-806-5317.

Colorado Environmental Forum, Fall 2002

6 November, Denver

Presented by the Colorado Environmental Partnership (formerly P2 Partnership) along with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Pollution Prevention Program and a number of other organizations, this year's theme is "Environmental Leadership:  New Paths to Sustainable Success."  It will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on 6 November at the Colorado Convention Center (700 14th Street in Denver).

Organizers invite interested parties to "learn how some of Colorado’s most successful businesses are achieving greater economic prosperity and better environmental performance...A rare opportunity to gain insight into how and why business leaders are embracing environmental leadership."

This full day of workshops and networking is just $60, including lunch ($30 if affiliated with sponsoring organization.)

The annual Colorado Pollution Prevention Champion Awards will be presented at lunch.  For more information or to register online, visit www.coloradop2.org/fallfrm.htm.

Positioning Your Company to Access Capital

12 November, Denver

Sponsored by the Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies and the Colorado Environmental Business Alliance in partnership with the University of Colorado’s Business Advancement Center, this breakfast meeting will feature presentations by Rick Newton of Capital Response Group and Sandra Clune, of Clune Capital.  These venture capital experts will address how to access financing for energy and environmental businesses of all sizes.

This briefing will take place at 7:30 a.m. at Racine’s Restaurant, 850 Bannock Street in Denver on 12 November.  Admission will be $15 for members of CCNET and CEBA and $25 for non-members.  The cost of breakfast and all materials is included in this price.

For more information, contact Craig Cox, phone 303-679-9331.

For a full list of these and other upcoming events, visit http://www.newenergytechnologies.org/colorado/events/.

E-mail notification of this newsletter’s availability on www.newenergytechnologies.org is circulated to members of the Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies and other interested parties.  Please let me know if you would like to be added to or removed from the distribution list.

Additional member-only updates are provided to coalition members as events warrant.  If your business or non-profit organization is interested in coalition membership, please contact me for more information.

The website of the Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies at www.newenergytechnologies.org provides full information on our coalition’s activities, as well as copies of previous newsletters, links to coalition members and other sites of interest, a calendar of events and other features designed to be useful to the state’s clean-energy business community.

Please continue to keep in touch on any matters related to energy issues and let me know if I can provide any help or information to you.

Craig Cox

Executive Director

Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies

303-679-9331

cox@interwest.org

www.newenergytechnologies.org

The Colorado Coalition for New Energy Technologies brings together businesses and non-profit groups to encourage environmentally responsible economic growth through the efficient use of Colorado’s abundant and clean sources of energy.