Green Career Central Blog

Follow the Green Money: DOE Awards $620 Million in Smart Grid Projects, EDP to Invest $4 Billion in US Wind Energy, Clemson Univ. Awarded $98 Million for Wind Turbine Drive Train Test Facility

The Department of Energy has announced it will be awarding $620 million to 32 Smart Grid projects around the US.  These projects include, smart meters, energy storage, transmission monitoring devices among others.  An additional $1billion from the private sector will be added to support these projects.  Here is a video explaining the benefits of Smart Grid technologies to utility customers

Based in Europe, EDP Renewables has announced it will invest $4 billion in wind energy in the US over the next three years.  Currently EDP has a presence in the US through Horizon Winds which operates a 199 Megawatt wind farm in Indiana. Search for Horizon careers here.

Located in South Carolina,  Clemson University has been awarded a total of $98 million in grants from the Department of Energy and state and private matching funds to build a wind turbine drive train testing facility.  Construction is expected to begin in 2010 and be completed by the end of 2012.

Follow the Green Money: Honeywell Awarded $11.4 Million, Sun Catalytix Secures $3 Million, Department of Labor Funds Grants Totaling $55 Million

As part of the smart grid funding package, Honeywell (based in Morristown, NJ) has been awarded $11.4 million from the Department of Energy. Honeywell will develop technology for commercial buildings that will reduce power usage during high demand summer periods.  (Look for Honeywell careers here.)

Based in Cambridge, MA, Sun Catalytix has secured $3 million in funding from venture capitalists.  Sun Catalytix is developing a distributed energy system that uses solar generated electricity to power a home during the day. Excess power is used to operate a low cost catalyst that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen.  The hydrogen can then be used with a fuel cell to power a home after the sun has gone down.  (They are hiring.)

The Department of Labor has awarded a total of $55 million to workers seeking green jobs.  The State Labor Market Information Improvement Grants will receive a total of $48.8 million and Green Capacity Building Grants will receive a total of $5.8 million.

Green Career Trends: Biodegradable Plastic for Consumers, Using Molten Salt for Solar Power, Network Lighting for Commercial Spaces Growing

BASF has created biodegradable plastic called Ecovio FS that is aimed at the consumer food packaging market. During experiments with the plastic, BASF found it biodegrades more quickly than its predecessor.

Using mirrors to focus the sun's heat on a tower containing molten salt, SolarReserve (based in Santa Monica,CA) is now partnered with Preneal to build a 300,000 mega-watt hours plant in Spain. (They are hiring.) Internet giant, Google is working on improving the mirrors used in solar thermal plants by experimenting with materials that will lower costs.

In California, around 1 percent of commercial buildings have networked lighting.  Networking could save as much as 50% according to a test done by Adura Technologies and PG&E.  Large and small companies may be seeing the beginning of a long term opportunity.  Look for Microsoft, HID Laboratories, MetroLight, Enocean to get involved as well as Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Adura and Lumenergi.

Green Career Tip - Five Ways You Can Leverage Unique Qualities of the Green Economy

Do you want insight into the big picture of the green economy?

As I've reviewed different green job boards, it is clear that each site uses a different system to structure their job listings. This can be very confusing.

I figured that if I found it frustrating and confusing to go from one job board to the next, job seekers were most likely having the same problem. And this is not the best way to build confidence about one’s job search!

In the last 2.5 years, I’ve been creating and revising a visual image that would give green career seekers, students, and career counselors a clear sense of the industries and sectors that make up the green economy.

Click here to read or listen to what Carol learned while creating the Green Economy Map.

Follow the Green Money: DOE and USDA Awards $24 Million in Biomass Research, ECOTotality Secures $15.5 Million, ElectraTherm Raised $5.4 Million

The Departments of Energy and Agriculture together have announced awards totaling $24 million for companies and universities to research and develop technologies in biomass with the goal to make bioenergy more efficient, sustainable and cost-efficient.

Arizona based ECOtality has secured $15.5 million in equity financing for their electric vehicle charging station portion of their business. ECOtotality was a recent recipient of $99.8 million from the Department of Energy to begin establishing 10,950 charging stations as well as deploying 4,700 Nissan LEAF electric vehicles in five states. They have an opening for an embedded systems engineer.

Waste heat recovery specialist, ElectraTherm has raised $5.4 million bringing their total investment since 2005 to nearly $10 million. Based in Carson City, NV, ElectraTherm is hiring.

Using thermoplastic and recycled plastic from milk jugs as the building material, Axion International Holdings has been awarded a contract for $957,000 to supply the US Army with two bridges, each able to support a 70 ton tank.  

Teleclass - Manage Your Mindset: How to Succeed in the Green Economy

Manage Your Mindset: How to Succeed in the Green Economy
A Free Teleclass
Wednesday, Dec 2nd at 6 pm Pacific

Are you having difficulty navigating your way into the green economy? Are you feeling alone or isolated in your journey to your green career? In this free teleclass, Carol reveals how understanding the green economy will help you move forward, build momentum, and succeed in the new economy.

Click here for more information.

Green Career Trends: New Resource for Clean Tech Start-Ups, More Cities Promoting Green Building, SRS Energy Creates New Solar Roof "Tiles"

An on-line resource for clean tech entrepreneurs and start-up companies has been launched by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.  The resource will provide information about obtaining federal and state government funding for projects.

According to the American Institute of Architecture more than 20% of cities with populations greater than 50,000 have a policy to promote green building.  Using biomimicry inspired designing, Greenwavelength has created a wind turbine with bee-wing blades. 

There may be homeowners that would like to add solar power to their roof, but do not want the look of panels.  SRS Energy has created solar roof tiles that mimic the size and shape of ceramic roof tiles common in the desert southwest.  Konarka has created Power Plastic, a flexible solar material that is being tested as a curtain wall on the side of an industrial building.

Green Career Tip - Take Action to Create Green Career Opportunities

Getting your dream green career takes action.

Although it’s tempting to think the recent green momentum has created a mature green economy, it’s important to remember that we are still in the midst of the earliest stages.

Any time a new era begins opportunities abound if you are creative, determined, and flexible. 

Read or listen to this week's tip and find out what you can do to turn your green career dream into reality.

Follow the Green Money: RecycleBank Secures $28.25 Million, DOE Awards Auto X Prize $5.5 Million, Cambrios Tech. Raises $14.5 Million

RecycleBank (based in Philadelphia, PA) has secured $28.25 million to expand their incentives for curbside residential recycling.  RecycleBank works with local communities to reward citizens for the amount of post consumer packaging and other items they recycle.

The Progressive Automotive X prize for energy efficient vehicles has been awarded up to $5.5 million by the Department of Energy.  The prize provides an incentive to teams to create innovate technologies that increase automotive fuel efficiency

Cambrios Technologies (based in Sunnyvale, CA) has raised $14.5 million in investor funding to continue making their nano film for thin film solar panels.

Teleclass: Five Ways to Tap into Your Green Network: Locally and Online

Five Ways to Tap into Your Green Network: Locally and Online

Thursday, Nov 19th at 6 pm Pacific

$19/member and $29/non members

Do you want to take your green network to the next level?

When the job market is as tight as it is right now, your network is likely to be the most productive way to find job openings in your area. It’s never too early to build or strengthen your green network!

Join us for this teleclass, where Carol will help you dig into the details of building your own network. This is not an introductory call but rather an in-depth call for those ready for more! Because there will be fewer people on this call, we will be opening the phone lines so Carol may answer your questions live and you may all share ideas.

Click here for more information.