Scholarships!

FYI.

In August, the Utility Wind Integration Group (UWIG) Board of Directors voted to support the education of students enrolled in accredited college or vocational schools in programs related to power engineering, wind energy, or the maintenance of wind turbines. To this end, UWIG announced a scholarship program. To be eligible for scholarship assistance, a student must be currently enrolled at an accredited trade school or college in the United States or Canada in a field of study that could lead to a career related to utility power engineering or operation and maintenance of utility-scale wind equipment. These scholarships and stipends are intended to encourage completion of a college education or vocational degrees and programs, as well as to further the education of students, UWIG said.

UWIG may award up to three scholarships each year. Up to two $2,000 scholarships will be granted to students enrolled in an accredited engineering school who are pursuing a career in power engineering with a focus or major on wind generation, and up to one $1,000 scholarship to a student enrolled in an accredited wind technician program. The scholarships cover a single academic year and are not renewable. The $2,000 scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic term will be targeted toward students enrolled in undergraduate programs.

Application instructions and the application form can be found on the UWIG Web site at http://www.uwig.org/scholarshipprogram.html

The application deadline is February 16.

Green Job Training in Mass!

Authorized by the Green Jobs Act signed into law by Gov. Deval Patrick, D-Mass., the Energy and Environmental Affairs' new Pathways Out of Poverty grants are designed to jump-start training in clean energy careers for low- and moderate-income residents.

EEA will award five grants of $100,000 to $300,000 to each program that serves workers with incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level ($63,600 for family of four). Grants will target programs in the commonwealth's gateway communities of Brockton, Fall River, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, New Bedford, Pittsfield, Springfield and Worcester.

Grant applications are due to EEA by Jan. 15 for the programs that are expected to begin in February and last through June 2010.

"These grants will fund programs that prepare workers for good-paying jobs in this growing sector of the Massachusetts economy, giving low- and moderate-income individuals a path to self-sufficiency while building the skilled workforce our clean energy industry needs in order to thrive," says EEA Secretary Ian A. Bowles.

Projects eligible for Pathways Out of Poverty grants include job training and apprenticeship programs, relevant education, career coaching, and outreach and recruitment of unemployed participants. While grant applicants are not required to provide matching funds, EEA will give more weight in the selection process to projects that leverage funding from additional sources.

In addition to authorizing Pathways Out of Poverty grants, the Green Jobs Act created a new Clean Energy Technology Center that will support workforce development, university partnerships, R&D and clean energy entrepreneurship.

For more information, visit mass.gov.

SOURCE: Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

So much

Green Racine focus will be no focus! After days if not weeks of thought and refection on what to talk about. Why limit the writing at all? As long as it is about green living and/or improving how we do so.
So come along on the trip for as I keep hearing it's the journey should be a wild one.
Feel free to join in the only think I ask is to be respectful when writing some even I need to remember from time to time.

Bring the oil sands!

Let us go forward and bring the Oil Sands to Wisconsin! Oh that is right we can not do this makes sense for both jobs and energy needs. Call the Energy Elf!

Vestas Expands

Danish wind turbine supplier Vestas is seeking to consolidate its presence in Portland, Ore., by building a new headquarters for Vestas Americas, the company's business unit responsible for wind turbine sales, installation, and service and maintenance in North America.

Vestas Americas has been headquartered in Portland since 2002. In addition to the headquarters, Portland is home to one of Vestas' regional IT centers, a tools warehouse and the Vestas Business Academy training facility.

The proposed new headquarters, which is expected to be over 500,000 square feet in size and LEED Platinum certified, will consolidate Vestas' presence in Portland, as well as allow for future growth.

As negotiations are in process, Vestas cannot, at this point, confirm the sites it is considering for development. The company is currently working with the state of Oregon and city of Portland to leverage development, tax and financing options.

"The decision by Vestas to recommend building their new North American headquarters here sends a strong message that even in these difficult economic times, Portland has the confidence of companies willing to bring family wage jobs to the city," says Portland Mayor Tom Potter. "It also provides further validation of Portland's international reputation as a leading green city."

As the American wind industry continues to grow, Vestas Americas' desire to expand its headquarters in Portland also means further opportunities to form partnerships with Oregon's community colleges and universities to increase collaboration on wind energy programs and build a talented workforce for the company.

In addition, Vestas has just opened a new research and development hub in Boston. In 2009, the company will open a research center in Houston.

SOURCE: Vestas

Green Racine Reflections My Errors

Errors, I have made a few with Green Racine not looking for a pity party or forgiveness just the good that comes from saying I made mistakes and must overcome them.
No one's perfect not happening. The mistakes I have comes with not having a focus and well fear.
So I list them
1) Not putting names to groups who I feel are nothing more then blood sucking lobbyists. They are not playing nice now what more are they going to do?
2) Not updating this blog because few look at it. Know I do this for me and should care less about leading. If folks like the info I put out great if not OK
3) Do the products to support Green Racine the Coffee Cups and shirts.
4) Call out the Green Groups that have no clue and point out errors.
5) Having faith
6) Not doing more with The REC.

refections part 1

As I look back at Green Racine in the past year I find interesting refections:
How nice WE Energy is to work with
How cute baby Falcons are
The number of "Green" folks that have no clue
The fact that many inner city kids have no idea where food come from
The wealth of knowledge our elders have that is being lost
What a great place the Racine Environmental Center is and how wonderful Ben the Director is. In the same vain the impact that one place like the REC can have. Praise God for this. Praise God for Ben. BTW if you do not like my praise of God too bad. :)