Spectrolab, a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing, has started mass production of its newest terrestrial solar cell, the C3MJ+. With an average conversion efficiency of almost 40%. At 39.2 percent, C3MJ+ will be the industry’s highest-efficiency cell. Spectrolab is the world’s leading supplier of multi-junction photovoltaic solar cells, solar panels, searchlights and solar simulators have powered satellites since 1958 and have contributed to the on-orbit success of numerous commercial, national security, and civil space missions. Today, Spectrolab cells power 60 percent of all satellites orbiting the Earth, as well as the International Space Station. Spectrolab has made significant investments to meet the increasing demand of the terrestrial concentrator photovoltaic industry and expects to achieve a 40 percent average production efficiency for terrestrial solar cells in 2011.

Cape Wind creates Energy and jobs for Massachusetts

Jim Gordon, President of Cape Wind said, “Massachusetts is now in a position to become a global leader in offshore wind power creating thousands of new jobs and a more secure, hopeful energy future.” Cape Wind passed another major milestone today with the approval by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) of the 15-year Power Purchase Agreement with National Grid to buy Cape Wind’s energy, capacity and renewable energy credits.”Today’s approval validates that Cape Wind is a good value delivering clean energy without all of the associated costs of fossil fuels. This long-term contract not only secures an abundant, inexhaustible clean energy resource but protects consumers from rising fossil fuel and environmental compliance costs.”

The DPU decision culminates a comprehensive six-month review of unprecedented scope, including 13 days of evidentiary hearings with testimony from 15 witnesses, 1,362 exhibits and nearly 3,000 transcript pages. This  project announcements powers the creation of over 1,000 new manufacturing, staging, assembly, construction, and operations jobs in Massachusetts. In addition, Siemens has opened their North American Offshore Wind office in Boston because of Cape Wind.

ECO FRIENDS SHOP

That has been a recurring question. Given the current state of the economy. It is particularly interesting in retrospect to listen to an interview QuestPoint n The Mix had with leading author and Green Career Expert Carol McClelland last year where she lays out an assessment of where the green age is relative to the Industrial age.

In his article, “The Wrong Debate on Green Jobs” Environmental Strategist” and author Andrew Winston suggest, “A new green economy is just that – a whole new economy, with job openings at all skill levels, from truck drivers to inventors of new battery chemistry. The solar or wind installer is just the tip of a very large iceberg that’s coming our way.” Andrew Winston starts off

Wind turbine training for a new generation of energy

Ask anyone knowledgeable about wind energy, and you’ll quickly learn that the latest “green” technology – despite a recent surge in public interest – is nothing new to union ironworkers. As more and more wind turbines are erected across the open plains, farmlands, and mountain ridges of the United States, the need for ironworkers with specialized construction skills has naturally grown, says the Iron Workers International Union.

In fact, ironworkers have been erecting wind turbines for decades. What is new is a need for independent certifications-driven largely by increased scrutiny of the wind energy sector – meant to improve safety and quality across the industry. In response, the Iron Workers International Union (www.ironworkers.org) – working with the Ironworker Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust (IMPACT) – is offering wind turbine training programs for union ironworkers to develop key construction skills. Through a new IMPACT (www.impact-net.org) program, certification in torque/tension and tower-climbing and safety procedures, including high-angle rescue procedures, comes from industry-recognized leaders, including

UNDERSTANDING BIOMASS