Green Career Central Blog

Green Career Trends: Bloom Energy Recognized, NY and CA Approve Net Metering, AZ Considers Solar Roll-Back, IBM and Johnson Controls Create Partnership

In case you missed it, Bloom Energy, a fuel cell maker based in the Silicon Valley city of Sunnyvale, CA, had their "Bloom Box" profiled by CBS 60 Minutes Sunday.  The spotlight has expanded the attention to other fuel cell makers.  Oorja Protonics, also based in Silicon Valley, has been producing fuel cells for forklifts, but is looking to produce them for alternative fuel vehicles including long haul trucks as well. By 2020 there are expected to be 2.8 million fuel cell powered cars and trucks on the road.

Roof top solar companies in New York and California have been given a boost by their state legislatures when they each passed net metering.  Net metering allows home owners with small solar and wind installations to receive credit for the power they generate. 

The state legislature in Arizona, on the other hand, is considering making a change to its definition of renewable energy to include nuclear power.  Because AZ has a nuclear power plant that already produces 25% of the state's power, other sources of renewable energy, such as solar, wind and geothermal, would no longer be needed to meet the renewable energy standard in that state. If this measure passes, solar companies based in Arizona could decide to leave the state and take their jobs with them. (If you live in AZ, now would be a good time to make your voice heard about this issue!).

Two large corporations have partnered to work on reducing energy and water usage in buildings. IBM and Johnson Controls will combine their expertise in technology and building efficiency to offer services to building owners.  IBM estimates the IT portion of green building efficiency in 2010 at $3 billion with expectations that it will rise to $6 billion by 2015.

Green Career Tip - Green Business Trends Open Up Green Career Possibilities

A couple of weeks ago I started a newsletter series on the green career trends I identified while reading my favorite annual report.

This week is Part 2 of my observations of the State of Green Business 2010 report.

Learn how these trends may affect you on your dream green career journey.

Read or listen to this week’s Tip of the Week.

Follow the Green Money: Fallbrook Tech. Files for $50 Million IPO, SoloPower Raises $45 Million, Louisiana Wants V-Vehicle to Locate There

Fallbrook Technologies, based in San Diego, CA, has filed for a $50 million initial public offering (IPO).  Fallbrook has developed an innovative transmission device for bicycles that can be scaled up for use in cars and wind turbines.  Here is a video that explains how the device works.

Based in San Jose, CA, SoloPower, a solar cell and panel maker, has raised $45 million in debt financing to continue to develop its flexible CIGS module.  There are openings for engineers here.

The state of Louisiana's Bond Commission has approved $11.5 million in bonds for Ouachita Parish to provide an incentive for V-Vehicle to locate there.  V-Vehicle is also awaiting an answer to its request for a $320 million loan from the Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing.  Details about the vehicle are not well known other than it is expected to be more fuel efficient than current models.

Green Career Trends: $40 Million Contract Awarded for Oklahoma Wind Farm, GE Partners with Juice Tech.for EV Charging Stations, Are Post Office Vehicles Going to Be Electrified?

CPV Keenan II Renewable Energy Company has awarded a contract worth $40 million to Tetra Tech to design and build a 152 MW wind farm near Woodward, OK.  In 2009 9,922 MW of wind power was installed in the US.  Wind energy now generates 35,000 MW of electricity in the US. 

General Electric has partnered with Juice Technologies to develop charging stations for electric vehicles.  GE will design and manufacture the internal parts of the chargers and Juice will provide the end user portion.  The NY Times points out that electric vehicles and charging stations are proliferating in the Bay Area of CA. 

When looking for trends and influences in a particular industry, do not forget the US government.  Now before Congress is HR 4399, aka ‘American Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Act’. Among other things the act would 'support the eventual transition of the United States Postal Service fleet to electric drive vehicles for postal delivery'. Most postal delivery vehicles only travel 20-25 miles a day making them an ideal candidate for electrification. 

Green Career Tip - Going for Your Green Career Gold: Learning from Olympic Athletes

As we watch the Olympic Games, I’m struck once again by the commitment, focus, and dedication of all of the athletes.

Listening to the commentators tell their stories, certain characteristics have caught my attention because these are the same qualities green career seekers must have to succeed.

Do you want to know how an Olympic athlete similar to a green career seeker? I'll show you in this week's Tip of the Week.

Follow the Green Money: $130 Million for Green Building, Solar Companies Making Purchases, Ze-Gen Raises $17.6 Million

Together the Department of Energy and six other government agencies have announced a $130 million fund aimed at improving building efficiency. A portion of the fund will be used to create a research center to develop building efficiency technologies and implement them with local partners in area buildings.

In solar news, Areva has purchased solar thermal start-up Ausra,  SunPower has agreed to purchase SunRay for $277 million (SunPower is hiring.) and Calisolar has purchased 6N Silicon.  

Ze-Gen based in Boston, MA, has raised $17.6 million of a planned $25.6 million to continue to develop synthesis gas fuel from wood debris and other solid waste that could then be used to make electricity.  Propel Fuels, based in Sacramento, CA has secured $20 million in funding to expand its network of alternative fueling stations in California and Washington.

Green Career Trends: Non-Technical Green Careers Growing: 1 Block Off the Grid Receives $5 Million, Climate Legislation Increasing Green Lobbying, Solar Companies Need Marketing

For those seeking a green career in a non-technical area, consider companies like the San Francisco, CA based 1 Block off the Grid also called 1BOG.  By collecting groups of neighborhood homeowners that are committed to installing roof top solar power and then connecting them to solar installation companies, 1BOG earns referral fees for itself and volume discounts for the homeowners. The company has shown enough promise to investors that they have received $5 million to expand beyond the twelve areas in the US they currently serve.  And yes, they are hiring.

If your non-technical green career industry is advocacy, you may be interested in the debate in Washington about energy and climate legislation.  Many large non-profit organizations are working behind the scenes to get environmental legislation passed.  Groups such as the Climate Registry, the Climate Protection Action Fund, the Blue Green Alliance, and the Alliance to Save Energy are all working toward a solution.  Even though the Blue Green Alliance spent more than $1 million on lobbying last year, environmental groups had a difficult time keeping up with the spending by oil and coal companies.  In 2009 oil and coal companies spent a total of $154 million on lobbying Congress.

If after doing your research you have chosen green marketing as the industry you would like to be employed in, consider the possibilities of companies in the solar power industry.  The demand for solar power is continuing to grow, so are the number of companies supplying that power.  As the number of companies supplying that power increases, their need to "niche" and differentiate from each other grows.  Depending upon their business strategy, solar power companies and their suppliers (like solar panel inverters) may do their marketing in-house or they may hire a firm, either way green jobs are created.  Artichoke Creative, based in San Diego, CA, is an example of a specialized marketing agency.

If you'd like to learn more about non-technical green careers, sign up for our free teleclass, So...Where Are the Non-Technical Green Careers,  on February 18th.

Teleclass - Where Are the Non-Technical Green Careers?

So… Where Are the Non-Technical Green Careers? 

Most of the media coverage for the green economy focuses on the technical jobs.

In this free teleclass, Carol uses her Green Economy Map to illustrate several strategies for finding non-technical positions in the green economy.

February’s Free Teleclass
Thursday, February 18
5:00 pm Pacific
Click here for registration and more information

Green Career Tip - The State of Green Business and Your Green Career – Part 1

My favorite annual report on the state of green business, was just released by GreenBiz.com and Greener World Media.

This 60+ page report provides a rich, detailed look at how green green businesses are these days.

In today's Tip of the Week I'll be sharing the green career trends I've discovered in this report.

Hint: Things are looking good for green careers!

Read or listen to this article to learn the details yourself.

Follow the Green Money: 1366 Tech. Gets $5.15 Million, Coulomb Tech. Secures $14 Million, Vulcan Power Receives $108 Million

Based in Lexington, MA, solar start-up 1366 Technologies has secured $5.15 million in venture capital funding.  1366 Technologies was also the recipient of $4 million in funding from the the Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects.  Here are their career openings.  Semprius, a maker of concentrator solar photovoltaics, based in Durham, NC, has received $8.16 million in funding.

Coulomb Technologies, based in the Silicon Valley area of CA, has secured $14 million in venture capital funding to continue developing its business of charging stations for electric vehicles.  Coulomb has sales offices in Europe and Australia as well as throughout the US.

Vulcan Power, a geothermal energy developer based in Bend, OR, has received $108 million in equity from an affiliate of Denham Capital.  Vulcan already has purchase power agreements in place with SoCal Edison and Nevada Power Company.