Green Career Central Blog

Follow the Green Money: DOE Awarding $300 Million, Seeo Gets $8.6 Million, CFX Battery Gets $5 Million, Cobalt Biofuels Raises $25 Million, Clean Scapes Raises $1.6 Million

The Department of Energy announced it is funding 25 cost-share projects as part of the Clean Cities Program with $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The projects are automotive energy efficiency, alternative fuels for transportation and establishing refueling stations for alternative energy.

Speaking of energy efficiency for cars, Seeo (based in Berkeley, CA) has acquired $8.6 million and CFX Battery (based in Azusa, CA) has raised $5 million. (They have job openings).  Both companies are researching and developing more efficient lithium batteries for use in electric vehicles. 

Cobalt Biofuels (based in Mt. View, CA)  has raised $25 million to commercialize bio-butanol which can be bleneded into gasoline, ethanol or used as a solvent. (They have job openings.)

Based in Seattle, WA, Clean Scapes has aquired $1.6 million to expand their recycling and trash collection business.  (They have job openings.)

Green Career Trends: Improving Batteries for Electric Cars, PG&E Seeks $25 Million for Compressed Air Energy Storage, Will Vertical Farming Take Off?

As the trend toward electric and plug-in hybrid cars continues, research into more efficient, longer lasting and cheaper batteries for cars coincides.  Lithium-ion is the current leader in car battery technology, but companies are researching other combination's. IBM is working on a lithium-ion-air battery, while Sion Power is working on a combination of lithium and sulfur.  There are other battery technologies that companies such as Firefly Energy are developing to power electric cars.

PG&E is seeking $25 million in US stimulus funds to build an underground facility to store wind powered compressed air.  The compressed air would be released as needed to power turbines and produce electricity. One of the benefits of the facility would be a low cost way to store wind generated power.  In 1991 a compressed air energy storage facility opened in McIntosh, AL

As cities continue to expand in population and as land for farming becomes farther and farther away from cities making the transport of fresh fruit and produce more carbon intensive, the solution may lie in vertical farming.  By using hydrophonic and other growing methods, urban buildings could become urban farms.  For the suburbs the solution may be spin farming (Small Plot, INtensive).

Green Career Tip - Staying on Top of the Evolving Green Economy

Staying informed on the green economy gives you an advantage.

To discover and to thrive in your green career, you must make it a habit to keep your finger on the pulse of the green economy.

A number of factors come together to define the green economy. You cannot have a solid understanding of the state of your target green industry or profession without knowing how the overall green economy is unfolding.

Read or listen to this week's newsletter to discover some of the easiest and best ways to keep informed.

Follow the Green Money: DOE Awarding $101and $37 Million, Amyris Biotech Gets $24.7 Million from Venture Capitalists, Plextronics Aquires $14 Million

The Department of Energy will be awarding the state of Illinois a total of $101 million for wind turbine parts production and other renewable energy businesses.  $50 of the $101 million is conditional upon demonstration of performance. In a separate announcement, the DOE will be making $37 million available to qualified small businesses throughout the country that are  working to improve energy efficiency.

Amyris Biotechnologies (based in Emeryville, CA) has raised $24.75 million from venture capitalists to continue its research and development of bio-based synthetic diesel. (They have an opening for a lab tech.)

Based in Pittsburgh, PA, Plextronics has acquired $14 million in funding to continue developing its process of depositing or "printing" a thin layer of carbon material that conducts electricity for use in electronic products such as solar cells and LED's.

Green Career Trends: New Battery Able to Supply Power to Entire House, First Solar to Build 550Mw Plants, Navy Vessels Switching to LED Lighting

Ceramatec (based in Salt Lake City, UT), says it has developed a battery for use by homeowners that would deliver 5Kw of power over four hours, cost about $2,000 and be rechargeable by solar panels.  This form of distributed energy would allow home owners to disconnect from the grid and avoid point failures that interrupt continuous power flow. 

First Solar (based in Tempe, AZ) has announced they will be building two solar power plants that together will produce 550 Mw of electricity to be sold to Southern California Edison.  First Solar manufactures cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic (PV) panels for residential and commercial power users.  (They have career openings in the US and Europe.)

With a contract from the Department of Defense for $0.5 million, Energy Focus Inc., (based in  Solon, OH) will develop and replace incandescent lighting aboard Navy vessels with long lasting, energy efficient LED lighting.

Green Career Tip - Expand Where You Look for Green Professional Job Opportunities

Are you waiting to see how the green economy will evolve before becoming a part of it?

In the current economy it’s easy to fall into a “wait and see” stance with your career. Although this stance may feel safe in the moment, it may be keeping you from:

• Finding opportunities that already exist in the green economy,

• Discovering opportunities in your current job, and

• Creating opportunities based on your knowledge, skills, and experience.

The green economy really is making strides, even if traditional media sources aren’t covering it.

Read or listen to this week's tip to learn the advantages of acting now, plus an out-of-the-box job option.

Follow the Green Money: DOE disperses $119 Million, GM to Build $43 Million Lithium Ion Battery Factory, SolFocus Receives $77 Million

The Department of Energy has given out $119 million in American Resource and Recovery Act funds to various states and territories to boost renewable and energy efficiency projects. Alabama, Illinois, Wyoming, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Dakota and American Samoa will receive various amounts for such things as building retrofits, energy audits, and investments in renewable energy.

In its ongoing effort to add fuel efficient cars to its line, GM has committed $43 million to build a factory in Brownstown, MI to manufacture lithium ion batteries for the Chevy Volt and other electric vehicles.  GM also announced the mpg of the Volt as 230.

SolFocus, a concentrated photovoltaic company based in Mt View, CA, has received just over $77million in venture capital funding.  The funds will be used primarily to increase their manufacturing capability as they move to volume production.  (They have career openings in CA and AZ.)

Green Career Trends: Vital Necessity: A Green Bank, 15 Companies Creating Green Software, Sprint Gets Into the Smart Grid Arena

One of the key businesses needed to keep the green economy moving at an ever quicker pace is the creation of a green bank.  Currently there is legislation in the Senate for such a bank, to be called the Clean Energy Deployment Administration or CEDA.   CEDA would open areas of credit to various clean technologies and other areas within the green economy.  According to the University of Massachusetts Political Research Institute, large scale clean/green investing can create millions of jobs.

Never heard of green software, think there is no such thing?  Here is list of 15 companies using software to achieve green goals.  It is not just smart grid companies, energy retrofits and even Toyota are listed.

While other telecom carriers, such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have been busy ramping up and rolling out their smart grid projects, Sprint has now decided to enter the arena. Utilities will be the primary target of their products including their newest product, WiMax

Green Career Tip - Maps and More Maps of the Green Economy

Want to SEE the green economy in action?

Our readers want to see exactly where green jobs are located. More specifically, they want to see what companies exist in their region.

This week, we found a few more maps that add to the picture. We know you’ll want to take a look at them too!

Read or listen to this week's tip and see the green economy near you.

Follow the Green Money: DOE Awards $377 Million for Research Centers, $10 Million goes to Prometheus Energy, Zap Collects $25 Million

The US Department of Energy has awarded $377 million for 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers to be located at private companies, national laboratories, universities, and non-profit organizations.  The funding is designed to aid scientific research into making energy breakthroughs.

Prometheus Energy (based in Redmond, WA) has raised $10 million to continue its business of converting waste from landfills, waste water treatment facilities, agricultural left overs and other sources into liquefied natural gas. The company is then selling the gas to fleet transportation operators as an alternative to gas and diesel. (They have career openings.)

Zap (zero air pollution), a distributor of all electric trucks, scooters, ATV's and 3 wheel vehicles, has obtained $25 million in funding from Cathaya Capital.  Based in Santa Rosa, CA, Zap has career and internship openings.