1.  First 2006  Energy and Environment Ice Breaker:  Weds Oct 18

2.  Energyfolks get-together, November 16 at Beppos

3.  WOW  New DOE Funding for PVs !!

4.  147,000 acre buffer for Yucca Mountain

5.  6kW, 49% efficient G.E. SOFC

6.  EnergyPlus Version 1.4.0 Now Available

7.  von Meier's New Electric Power Book

8.  Patagonia Founder to Speak at Stanford on Climate, Oct 23

9.  New LBNL Study on Designing PV Incentive Programs.

10.  Conference at Chico:  "This Way to Sustainability, II"   Nov 2-5

11.  Sun Light and Power Looking for COO

12.  Jobs with GEN3:

13.  Climate and Energy Jobs in California

14.  Job:  The Center for the Built Environment (CBE), UC Berkeley

15.  Jobs: Energy  Analysts,  Start up

16.  . Assistant Professor of Architecture in Sustainable Design, University of Texas at Austin

17.  Two energy jobs:  San Francisco Dept of Environment

18.  Building Physicist Job available

19.  2 Jobs at NRDC

******************************************

The first Fall 2006 Energy and Environment Ice Breaker is scheduled for Wednesday, October 18, 5-7 pm.

Please join us for some refreshments, and a little visiting with  students, faculty, and locals from the community who share a common interest in energy:

Where:  Stanford Faculty Club

When:   Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Time:   5-7pm

If you plan on attending, please RSVP to judith@maproyalty.com.  It helps for her to have some idea of attendance to be sure there are ample refreshments.

**********************************************

It's time for another energy folks get-together!  Come meet/catch up with other energy-interested folks over drinks and dinner.  Please RSVP to Audrey Chang (achang @ nrdc.org) so that we can make a reservation for the right number of people. Here are the details:

 

Thursday, November 16, 2006

6:30 pm - drinks in the bar area

7:15 pm - dinner

 

Buca di Beppo

855 Howard Street (between 4th and 5th)

San Francisco CA 94103

415.543.7673

 

Easy public transit options:

Powell St. BART (walk 2 blocks south of Market to Howard)

Caltrain to 4th & King (walk about 3/4 mi north on 4th to Howard)

 

Hope to see you there!

 

***********************************************

Energy Secretary Announces $13 Million to Expand Solar Energy Technologies

Oct 12, 2006

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today announced more than $13 million to fund new research in solar technologies. This funding will support the development of more efficient solar panels, known as photovoltaic devices.

"This investment is a major step in our mission to bring clean, renewable solar power to the nation," Secretary Bodman said. "If we are able to harness more of the sun's power and use it to provide energy to homes and businesses, we can increase our energy diversity and strengthen our nation's energy security."

The $13 million in funding, includes about $4.5 million to be awarded for Fiscal Year 2007.

****************************************************

Pete Domenici's  Senate Energy Committee is currently working on a nucular  waste bill that includes wanting to open up Yucca Mountain, about 90 miles away from Las Vegas, by 2011 to defense-related nuclear waste and by 2017 to commercially-related spent fuel from utilities.  The measure would also create a 147,000 acre buffer zone around Yucca......

Let's see:  147,000 acres is about 600 million m2.  That area covered by PVs lying flat on the ground would allow 100 million kW of 17% efficient modules.  De-rate those by a 0.8 factor for temperature, dirt, inverters,  gives about 80 GW.  Vegas has about 6 hrs/day of 1-sun horizontal insolation, so about 80 million kW x 6 h/d  x 365 d/yr =  175 billion kWh/yr.   The entire fleet of U.S. nukes delivers about 700 billion kWh/yr.  So that buffer, covered by PVs, might generate the equivalent of 1/4th of the entire U.S. nuclear fleet.  (hope I didn't glitch the calc... gm)

*******************************************************

Oct 12, 2006 -- BUSINESS WIRE

GE today announced it has successfully developed and delivered a 6 kW prototype of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) system to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).

The delivered prototype exceeds DOE's key performance specifications for both efficiency and potential for low cost and represents a major step forward in providing the SOFC technology required for large scale, commercially viable SOFC products for power generation. The prototype achieved an efficiency of 49%, which is well above the minimum requirement of 35% set forth in the program.

******************************************************

The thirteenth major version of EnergyPlus (1.4.0) was released on October

12, 2006 and is now available in versions for both the Windows and Linux

operating systems.  Download at no cost from the EnergyPlus web site:

www.energyplus.gov.

A number of utilities and tools for creating, editing, and running input

files come with EnergyPlus, including IDF Editor, EP-Launch, and

HVAC-Diagram (see www.energyplus.gov/ep_utilities.html). Third party tools

for creating, editing, and displaying EnergyPlus input files are also

available, including DrawBDL, EcoTect,  ESP-r, Green Building Studio,

EzDrawPlus, IFCtoIDF, TSe+, and EzPlus-Parm.  See

www.energyplus.gov/third_party_tools.html for more information.

EnergyPlus Training Workshops

A workshop is being planned on the west coast in late 2006 or early 2007.  For

more information, please see:  http://www.gard.com/training.htm

******************************************************

Prof. Alexandra Sascha von Meier at Sonoma State just had her book on power systems published:  2006. Electric Power Systems:  A Conceptual Introduction. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

This looks like a good, solid book for the professional community.

(while I am at it..might as well plug my own Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems,   which is more of a textbook ...gil)

*******************************************************

Oct. 23, 5 p.m., Bishop Auditorium,

Graduate School of Business

A Favorable Climate for Climate Action

Patagonia Founder

Yvon Chouinard, 2006-2007

Free and open to the Stanford community, but seating is limited. Co-sponsors: GSB's Public Management Program and Woods Institute for the Environment.

Stanford is among the table hosts for this event, which features keynote speaker Jon Krosnick, Woods senior fellow and Frederic O. Glover Professor in Humanities and Social Sciences.

Presented by Sustainable Silicon Valley

 

************************************************************

We are pleased to announce the release of the most recent addition to the LBNL/CESA case study series: "Designing PV Incentive Programs to Promote Performance: A Review of Current Practice."

Some concerns continue to be voiced about the performance of customer-sited photovoltaic (PV) systems, particularly because most of these systems receive financial support through publicly-funded incentive programs. PV incentive programs recognize their responsibility to ensure that public funds are prudently spent, and as such, these programs should - and often do - play a critical role in promoting PV system performance.

To inform program design efforts going forward, this report examines the approaches to encouraging PV system performance used by thirty-two prominent PV incentive programs in the U.S. The program design strategies described include, but are not limited to, the use of incentive structures based on actual or estimated energy production. The report also offers a series of recommendations for how PV incentive programs might best promote system performance.

The study is available for download at: http://energy.lbl.gov/ea/emp/reports/61643.pdf. A PowerPoint presentation that summarizes some of the key findings of the work is available at: http://energy.lbl.gov/ea/emp/reports/61643-ppt.pdf

Ryan Wiser, Galen Barbose and Mark Bolinger

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

*************************************************************

From November 2-5, California State University, Chico, and the Associated Students of CSU, Chico are hosting a conference entitled "This Way to Sustainability, II."    It's a great opportunity to network and meet other campus sustainability leaders in the region.  There is no cost to participate in this conference.  Additional information is available at: http://www.csuchico.edu/sustainablefuture/events/index.shtml

*****************************************************************

Chief Operating Officer

The Chief Operating Officer's overall function is to build the organization's capability to execute Sun Light and Power's strategic vision and maintain our growth rate at or ahead of our fast growing market.  You will partner with the Founder and Executive team to create that strategic vision and be responsible for creating, implementing and optimizing our long-range and annual business plans. You will manage and develop all Department leaders. Partnering with them, you will recommend, implement and monitor modifications to Sun Light and Power's business practices and procedures to enhance our efficiency and effectiveness, thus ensuring our infrastructure and bottom-line profitability enables our continued and sustained growth.  Nothing less than a hands-on strategic professional with the facility to move easily from a big picture orientation to attention to detail will succeed.

Please email your resume, cover letter and salary requirements for consideration to jobs@sunlightandpower.com.  Please refer to the COO Position in your subject line.

Faisal El Azzouzi

System Design Engineer

Sun Light and Power Co.

(510) 225 5681

*****************************************

If interested in these positions, please respond to Andra Pligavko (andra@stanfordalumni.org)

System Integration Team, Hayward facility

1.  Lead Electrical Engineer

This leadership role will directly support the product development efforts of the Systems Integration Team in the design, engineering, and installation of large-scale solar array systems.

Education Requirements

… BSEE w/ emphasis in power systems engineering

-----------------

 2.  Lead Designer

This leadership role will directly support the product development efforts of the Systems Integration Team in the design, engineering, and installation of large-scale solar array systems.

Education Requirements

… BS in related engineering field (CE, ME or equivalent)

************************************

 

 

Interested in working on new climate policy in California?

 

Given the recent passage and Gov. Schwarzenegger's signing of AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, as well as several other global warming and clean energy bills and California's ongoing leadership in energy efficiency and renewable energy, there are and will be many openings in California's energy agencies in the coming months.  The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will have a central role in developing and implementing the first statewide enforceable cap on greenhouse gas emissions, and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and California Energy Commission (CEC) are just two of the state agencies who will collaborate in this process and also continue to implement policies to encourage clean energy strategies.

As there are slightly different processes for each agency, we recommend that you check each agency's websites for specific details and openings:

 

California Air Resources Board (CARB)

 

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)

 

California Energy Commission (CEC)

 

 ************************************

CBE at UC Berkeley is looking for a researcher to join our team and manage the CBE Occupant Survey Project, studying occupant response to indoor environmental quality. This flagship program offers a lot of opportunity for creative input.  You can learn more about the web-based Survey Project at:

Responsibilities would include: overall project management, interacting with various organizations and building owners, carrying out post-occupancy evaluations and building benchmarking projects, ongoing technical development of the survey and reporting tool, analyzing the data to improve our understanding of the relationships between building characteristics and occupant satisfaction, writing proposals and reports, and various outreach efforts through both presentations and publications.

In brief, qualifications include (but are not limited to): an academic degree in related field, experience with building-related research and post-occupancy evaluation of building performance, knowledge of commercial building design and/or operation, some experience with statistical analysis, and excellent organization and communication skills.

For more details about the position, qualifications, salary, and how to apply, please see our website:

**********************************************

Sunil Paul is the entrepreneur who founded BrightMail. After selling it, he took as sabbatical and now is back focusing on the clean energy and transportation sectors. . Let Marianna know if you or someone you know is interested.

Marianna Grossman Keller

Minerva Consulting

Job Title: Clean Energy Business Analyst

Description: Are you a hard-core financial analyst? Can you tear into a company's financials to expose its root economic values and build a from-scratch business model that sings? Do you yearn to leverage your market savvy to make a meaningful contribution to society?

This is your chance to help use the tools of capitalism and business to solve one of the biggest problems of our age: global climate change. Its a chance to match your values with your economic value.

You will evaluate investments in private and public companies and analyze industry sectors in the renewable energy and transportation markets including areas like like solar, biofuels, batteries, fuel cells, and wind. You'll also have an opportunity to work with experienced entrepreneurs to create new companies. After you've proven yourself, you'll have a chance to either found or join a portfolio company.

Our thesis is that advances in semiconductor processing, biotech, nanotechnology, information technology, and surface and material sciences will create massive opportunity to offset and solve the global warming problem. These solutions will work best when we can deploy the trillions of dollars of capital available from the private sector. These dollars flow to innovations that generate return for those dollars, so maximizing profit also maximizes social return.

We need someone with deep business and financial experience from both operational roles inside a company and strategic analysis at an i-bank or consulting firm. Your role will be to fully understand sectors of the renewable energy and transportation markets and evaluate specific companies as investment opportunities. You'll also build bottoms up models for startup ideas - some of which will turn into new companies.

Here is the second description.

Company: ... to be named later....

Job Title: Clean Energy Technology Analyst

Description: Do you know a technology cold but can hold your own with experts from other sectors? Do you dream about how technology and science can transform our world? Can you hold those dreams in your mind simultaneously with the discipline of science and the constraints of business?

This is your chance to help tackle one of the biggest challenge of our time: global climate change. Its a chance to match up your values with your economic value.

You will evaluate investments in private and public companies and analyze industry sectors in the renewable energy and transportation markets including areas like solar, biofuels, batteries, fuel cells, and wind. You'll also have an opportunity to work with experienced entrepreneurs to create new companies. After a period of proving yourself, you'll have a chance to become a founder of a company or join one of our portfolio companies.

********************************************

The School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin invites applications and nominations for an Assistant Professor of Architecture in Sustainable Design.  The successful candidate will hold an advanced degree complemented by experience in teaching, research, or practice. The Ph.D. is a welcome additional credential, but is not required. His or her background should demonstrate strong capability in building performance analysis, thoughtful integration of sustainable technologies in design, as well as evidence of the ability to discover and respond to factual data, and to communicate ideas generally. The ideal submission will also offer evidence that the candidate could teach effectively, direct student independent projects, and conduct scholarly research and/or design-practice at a level that promises future national and international recognition.  Review of applications will begin December 1, 2006.

*********************************************

Specialty:  Energy Efficiency

Salary:  $2,418 -$2,940 Biweekly; $62,868 - $76,440 Annual

Position Description: Under supervision, the 5640 Environmental Specialist will work to enroll small businesses and multifamily buildings in energy efficiency programs, track and report on progress of projects, and assist in quality control of projects.

To Apply: Submit a resume and a San Francisco job application (which can be found at http://www.sfgov.org/site/uploadedfiles/dhr/forms_and_documents/ccsfapp.doc ,Reasonable accommodation may be requested by contacting the Personnel Office at (415) 355-3748

Senior Energy Efficiency Technician - Amended Copy

Salary:  $73,138 - $88,868 Annual      

Position Description: Under general supervision, performs a variety of duties related to the administration and implementation of complex energy conservation and renewable energy programs in the private sectors of the City, including initiating, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating complex energy conservation and renewable energy programs in the private sectors of the City.

Standard applications can be found on line at http://www.sfgov.org/site/uploadedfiles/dhr/forms_and_documents/ccsfapp.doc

*****************************************

 10 Oct 2006

Atelier Ten is looking for an energy modeler with 2-5 years’ experience in the design of low-energy buildings with advanced heating, cooling and ventilation systems.  Working in New York with a young and interdisciplinary team of architects and engineers who have additional degrees in building sciences, the candidate will work on building evaluation and will work closely with the project team.  Strong experience in building physics and in energy modeling with TRNSYS, TAS, IES or eQuest is required.  Proficiency in written and spoken English is required.

 

Atelier Ten is an environmental engineering and consulting firm with offices in London and New York. Our New York office provides consulting services to US architects and engineers on energy efficiency, architectural and system performance optimization, comfort, daylighting, and overall sustainability strategies. We work in close collaboration with our US partners on projects of all scales ranging from residential to high-rise commercial buildings all across the US and internationally with a strong focus on institutional buildings such as university buildings for Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

 

Interested candidates should send their resume and cover letter to Catherine Nueva Espana at cne@atelierten.com. More information about Atelier Ten is available at www.atelierten.com.

*****************************************************

Natural Resources Defense Council

Job Announcement

                       

Research Associate

Health and Environment Program

San Francisco Office

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a non-profit national environmental advocacy organization with more than 1.2 million members and online activists.  We have offices in New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles and Beijing.  Our staff of 280 includes attorneys, scientists, policy analysts and educators working to protect the environment and public health through advocacy and education.

Position Summary:

NRDC is seeking a Research Associate to work in its San Francisco office. This is a one year position working with the Health and Environment Program on advancing NRDC's work on the health effects of environmental pollution and global warming. This position will require gathering and analyzing technical and policy information on a wide array of issues to support the work of existing team of scientists, lawyers, and policy advocates. The team is working on issues related to health effects of global warming, as well as toxic pollutants that impact public health.

Essential Functions:

… Supports the work of NRDC's scientists and attorneys through secondary research, including information-gathering, data analysis and literature reviews.

… Participates in the writing and preparation of reports, fact sheets, and other written communications intended for government officials and/or the general public.

… Assists with small primary research projects that develop data to support program advocacy.

… Represents NRDC before community groups, coalition partners and government agencies.

… Performs other projects as assigned.

Skills and Knowledge Requirements:

… Masters degree in environmental sciences, public health, or related field required.

… Excellent research, analytic and writing skills.

… A strong interest in using policy advocacy to solve environmental problems.

… Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, flexibility, and the capability to prioritize a diverse, heavy, and changing workload.

… Ability to work with people from a wide range of professional and cultural backgrounds.

… A willingness to travel.

… Proficiency in Spanish is desirable.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a pleasant working environment and are committed to workplace diversity.  Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and commensurate with experience. Applicants should send a cover letter, resume, three references and a writing sample to hr@nrdc.org by October 10, 2006. No phone calls or faxes. Please reference where you saw this posting. NRDC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

For further information about NRDC, please visit nrdc.org.

-------------------------

Science Fellowship

Health and Environment Program

San Francisco Office

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a non-profit national environmental advocacy organization with more than 1.2 million members and online activists.  We have offices in New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles and Beijing.  Our staff of 280 includes attorneys, scientists, policy analysts and educators working to protect the environment and public health through advocacy and education.

Position Summary:

NRDC is seeking a Science Fellow to work on global warming and human health. This is a two year fellowship that will focus on researching and communicating the links between global warming and threats to human health. Issues will include the spread of infectious disease, allergies and asthma, and air quality.  The position could be based either in San Francisco (preferred) or in Washington DC. The successful candidate will also collaborate with other science fellows in the NRDC Science Center.

NRDC is a leading environmental organization engaging in science-based advocacy about global warming, pollution, and human health. This position is modeled after the AAAS Environmental Fellowship program and is designed as an opportunity to make practical contributions to the use of technical information in environmental policy decision-making.

Essential Functions:

… Forges and maintains connections between NRDC and scientific researchers working on climate and health issues, including helping to arrange meetings and symposia.

… Reviews and stays abreast of the literature on global warming and disease and writes reviews of the science for lay audiences in the form of reports and web materials.

… Designs and carries out selected investigations, such as mapping of projected disease patterns with global warming, or other work that contributes to the state of the science and is directly linked to helping to educate the public and policymakers.

… Interacts regularly with government policy makers, the press, and the general public to help communicate about issues related to global warming and disease.

Skills and Knowledge Requirements:

… M.D. or Ph.D. in a health related field required

… Excellent scientific or technical background

… A willingness to act as an advocate for public health protection

… A strong interest in applying scientific knowledge to environmental problems

… Excellent writing and interpersonal skills and the ability to work with people from different professional backgrounds

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a pleasant working environment and are committed to workplace diversity.  Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and commensurate with experience. Applicants should send a cover letter, resume, three references and a writing sample to hr@nrdc.org by November 1, 2006. No phone calls or faxes. Please reference where you saw this posting. NRDC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

For further information about NRDC, please visit nrdc.org.