CIRenew Chapter Meetings

CIRenew chapter meetings, open to the public, are held at varying locations, generally on the third Wednesday of the month. These events bring community members together around a specific topic while providing opportunities to share experiences and learn about local energy programs, projects, and activities.

February 17, 2010
"Cash for Caulkers: Stimulus Opportunities for Home Energy Improvements"

7 to 9 pm
Waquoit Bay Reserve
149 Waquoit Highway (Route 28), Waquoit/East Falmouth

This forum will feature several speakers addressing how homeowners and local contractors can take advantage of state and federal programs that incentivize investments in energy efficiency.

Rep. Matt Patrick will discuss his proposed Property Assessed Clean Energy Bond legislation, an approach that many cities and regions with progressive energy policies have adopted for helping homeowners increase the efficiency of their homes without breaking their budgets. Then, representatives from Cape Light Compact and National Grid will describe the generous new rebates available to residents through the state's revamped energy efficiency programs. Compact and NGrid speakers will also address how local contractors can quality to provide building performance, weatherization, and efficiency services to residents though these programs. Fianally, a local accountant will help illuminate the federal tax credit of up to $1500 available for home energy improvements, as well as other efficiency and renewable energy incentives. All speakers will be available to answer questions.

The meeting will conclude with Q&A and time for conversation and networking. Information will be available on CIRenew membership and on local clean energy programs and activities.

CIRenew Coordinating Committee Meetings
The Steering Committee generally meets on the second Thursday of every other month (February, April, June, August, October, and December), while its members work together constantly to transform the energy basis of the Cape & Islands region. For information on the next meeting, contact Chris Powicki at 774.487.4614 or chrisp@weeinfo.com.

Previous CIRenew Events & Chapter Meetings
CIRenew participants organize numerous meetings, seminars, workshops, and conferences relating to renewable energy. Examples include open houses, teacher training sessions, green building/design workshops, renewable energy facility tours, public forums, hands-on system installation seminars, the Going Green for Towns & Schools Workshop (May 2007), the Shaping Cape Cod's Energy Future Conference (September 2005), the Land-Based Municipal Wind Workshop Series (2003 - present), the Green Homes/Green Buildings/Green Businesses Workshop Series (2001 - present), and the Beyond Cape Wind Stakeholder Process (2005 - present). Listed below are previous CIRenew chapter meetings.

December 2009

Dave McGlinchey, Vineyard Power

November 2009

Dan Wolf, Jim Wolf & Bob Doane, Cape Air

October 2009

Neil Seldman, Institute for Local Self-Reliance

August 2009

Harvey Wasserman

June 2009

Ian Finlayson

May 2009

Ian Woofenden

April 2009

March 2009

February 2009

Frank Gorke

January 21, 2009
The Canal Generating Plant: Cost, Reliability, the Environment & Our Future
6:30 - 8:30 pm, Oak Ridge School, Sandwich

Rep. Matt Patrick, industry experts, and other invited guests will discuss the Canal Generating Plant’s economic, environmental, and social impacts at the January 2009 CIRenew meeting. The event is free and open to the public.

Speakers are expected to address the Canal plant's operations and its contributions to electric rates and reliability, its pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, and its status as the largest taxpayer in the town of Sandwich. Invitees include additional elected officials as well as representatives from Mirant, the plant’s owner; NStar, the local distribution company; and ISO-NE, the entity charged with ensuring grid reliability throughout New England.

At present, ratepayers on the Cape, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket are paying the highest electric rates in the continental United States. One contributor is a so-called “uplift charge” associated with the Canal plant, which has been designated by ISO-NE as a “must-run” unit in order for southeastern Massachusetts (SEMA) to meet federal electric reliability standards. The Canal plant thus operates when it normally would not, burning fuel oil to generate electricity even if the price of its power exceeds the market rate.

Legislators contend that SEMA ratepayers have absorbed extra costs of about $17 million per month due to the out-of-merit operation of the Canal plant. They have been working toward a plan that would bring relief to the area’s ratepayers and renegotiate how the Canal Electric plant runs in the future. The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy is planning to hold a hearing investigating ISO-NE’s decision to designate Canal as a must-run unit.

“It’s irrational to throw over $200 million a year at a supposed reliability problem because there is a very slight risk that two NStar transmission lines will be lost at the same time,” says Patrick. “What we have is a baseload plant acting as a peak demand plant. We can’t afford to support Canal’s out-of-merit operation and should instead be investing in energy efficiency and other areas.”

At the Jan. 21 forum, invited industry representatives will describe additional solutions. NStar is implementing several grid reinforcement projects to improve reliability in SEMA, while Mirant is evaluating generation-based alternatives at the Canal plant site. ISO-NE is scheduled to release a report later this month outlining a full range of long-term options, including efficiency, demand response, fossil generation, and both distributed and large-scale renewable generation.

In a letter submitted to the Joint Committee, Patrick, Sen. Rob O’Leary, and other members of the state delegation wrote that it is critical for local residents and businesses to understand and voice their opinions on both near- and long-term solutions. “Ratepayers on the Cape and Islands should be given an opportunity to weigh the risks against the potential benefits of shutting off the Canal plant when it is too costly to operate. The stakes are extremely high and the level of wasted revenue is impossible to justify.”

November 19, 2008
Back on Track: Revitalizing the Cape's Rail System for Transit & Shipping
6:30 - 8:30 pm, Hyannis Transportation Center, Hyannis

John Kennedy of Cape Rail, Inc. and Dan Wahle of Massachusetts Coastal Railroad are featured speakers at November's CIRenew chapter meeting. They will discuss the economic, energy, and environmental issues associated with revitalizing Cape Cod's rail system and strengthening its connections to transit and shipping corridors serving Boston and other cities, as well as the rest of the United States.

John Kennedy is President and CEO of Cape Rail. He supervises both Cape Cod Central Railroad, which provides scenic excursions from Hyannis to Bourne, and the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad, which provides freight transportation services to SE Mass and the Cape. A major route is the "Energy Train," formerly known as the trash train, delivering municipal solid waste from many local communities to the waste-to-energy plant in Rochester, MA.

Dan Wahle is vice president of marketing for Mass Coastal. He has more than 15 years of experience in rail short line marketing and customer service, including stints in New York and Pennyslvannia as well as with Bay Colony and the Cape Cod & Hyannis railroad. He is a resident of Sandwich.

October 28, 2008
"Voting Energy" Candidate Forum
6:30 - 9:00 pm, Lecture Hall A, Cape Cod Community College, West Barnstable

This event is sponsored by CIRenew; WCAI, the Cape & Islands NPR station; and the Environmental Technology Program at Cape Cod Community College.

Come hear WCAI’s Mindy Todd moderate a candidate forum focused on energy issues, from affordability to economic development, from national security to climate change. The forum is intended to feature the energy-related positions of candidates at all levels; invitations have been sent to incumbents and challengers in the races for U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, State Senator, State Representative, and Barnstable County Commissioner.

The meeting will conclude with Q&A and time for conversation and networking. Information will be available on CIRenew membership and on local clean energy programs and activities.

September 13, 2008
NESEA Annual Meeting & Forum: "Affordable Green: Quality, Cost-Effective, Community-Based Housing"
5:00 - 7:30 pm, Woods Hole Research Center, 149 Woods Hole Road, Falmouth

Rising energy costs make efficient and affordable housing an imperative. See what Cape and Islands innovators are up to at the annual meeting of NESEA, hosted by Cape & Islands Renewable Energy Collaborative (CIRenew). The event features a panel discussion, moderated by John Abrams of South Mountain Company, highlighting Gull’s Nest Condominiums in Provincetown, the first affordable housing to achieve a LEED-H Platinum rating; Jenney Way on Martha’s Vineyard, the first single-family affordable housing units to hit that mark; and Dana’s Fields, an affordable development planned for Sandwich that will provide green housing and additional amenities for formerly homeless people, other residents, and energy-related businesses and organizations.

Schedule
5:00 Reception
6:00-6:10: Welcoming remarks by Chris Powicki, President, CIRenew and WEEinfo Services
6:10-6:30: Reports from David Barclay, Executive Director, NESEA; and Amelia Amon, Alt. Technica and Chair, NESEA Board of Directors
6:30-7:10: Panel discussion on local “Affordable Green” projects featuring John Abrams, South Mountain Company; Virginia Ryan, Housing Assistance Corporation; and Jerry Anathan, Anathan Benson, LLC
7:10-7:30: Questions and Discussion

August 2, 2008
Rising Tide: Local Opportunities for Tidal Energy Technology
6:30 - 8:30 pm, Woods Hole Research Center

Dean Corren, director of marine current technology for Verdant Power, will describe his experiences leading the world’s first grid-connected demonstration of low-impact tidal energy technology. Possible local applications of advanced tidal energy systems also will be discussed. This forum, free and open to the public, begins at 6:30 pm; light refreshments will be served, and information will be available on local energy programs and opportunities.

For Verdant Power, Mr. Corren plays key roles in the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) Project, which for more than a year has been generating clean energy in New York’s East River while examining the ecological impacts of “kinetic hydro energy conversion devices,” which are analogous to underwater wind turbines. Pending the success of this pioneering demonstration, his company plans a larger project supplying the New York City grid, and it already is developing projects elsewhere in North America. Two other companies and the community of Edgartown are pursuing tidal energy initiatives in the Cape & Islands region.

“The Cape & Islands region has the best tidal energy resource in the state,” says Chris Powicki, CIRenew president. “As planning for local projects proceeds, this forum gives residents and decision-makers the opportunity to hear one of the nation’s leading experts speak about the benefits and issues associated with harnessing tidal energy.”

For Verdant Power, Mr. Corren leads efforts to design, fabricate, test, and deploy hydrokinetic energy conversion devices in marine environments and in rivers. He also coordinates development of intellectual property and interfaces with the company’s work in resource analysis and regulatory affairs. He holds a master’s degree from New York University in Energy Science and a bachelor’s in philosophy from Middlebury College and was a research scientist in the NYU Department of Applied Science, where he worked on wind, hydrogen, solar, biomass, and kinetic hydropower technologies. He patented the “Turbine for Kinetic Hydro Energy Conversion” (USPTO No. 4,613,279) in 1984. He also served four terms as a Vermont state representative, chaired the Burlington Electric Commission, and held a number of other government and organizational leadership positions.

June 19, 2008
Global Change, Regional Impacts, Local Responses
6:15 - 9 pm, Tilden Arts Center, Cape Cod Community College

Dr. Peter Frumhoff, Director of Science and Policy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, is featured speaker at a special event organized by CIRenew, Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, and Cape Cod Community College. The event also will include a green building tour, vendor expo, and, after Dr. Frumhoff's presentation, a panel featuring major regional decision-makers.

The general public is invited to begin the evening at 6:15 by learning about the green features of the college's Lorusso Applied Technology Center. At 6:30, local businesses and organizations involved in energy and environmental issues will be available to offer information on local energy efficiency, renewable energy, and environmental programs and opportunities.

At 7:00, the formal program will begin with a presentation on "Confronting Climate Change on Cape Cod and in New England." Dr. Frumhoff will present the findings of the Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment (NECIA), a 3-year collaboration between the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and a multi-disciplinary team of more than 50 independent scientists and economists from across the region. The talk will highlight the projected impacts of climate change on Cape Cod's natural resources, public health, and economy and highlight how the energy choices we make today - in local communities and across the nation - will greatly determine the climate that our children and grandchildren will inherit. Copies of the NECIA Synthesis Report and a summary of projected impacts in Massachusetts are available at www.climatechoices.org/ne.

After the presentation, a panel of decision-makers will discuss how this region, local communities, and residents and businesses can respond to address the economic, environmental, and social impacts of climate change. The panel will feature Kathy Schatzberg, president of Cape Cod Community College, Wendy Northcross, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, Paul Niedzwiecki, executive director of the Cape Cod Commission, and Bob Prescott, director of Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Members of the audience will be given the opportunity to direct questions to the panel, which will also include Dr. Frumhoff.

Peter C. Frumhoff is Chief Scientist of the UCS Climate Campaign and the Chair of the Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment. He has published and lectured widely on topics including climate change impacts, climate science and policy, tropical forest conservation and management, and biological diversity. He is a lead author of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) and was previously a lead author of the IPCC Special Report on Land Use, Land-use Change and Forestry. He has taught at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, as well as at Harvard University and the University of Maryland. He holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and an M.A. in Zoology from the University of California, Davis and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego.

May 21, 2008
Common Wealth: Making Clean Energy Work for Massachusetts
7 - 9 pm, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Greg Watson, a senior member of Governor Deval Patrick’s energy team, will be featured speaker at the CIRenew May chapter meeting. Watson is senior advisor for Clean Energy Technology with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and Vice President for Sustainable Development with the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
 
The skyrocketing costs of fossil fuels and their impacts on local residents and our economy are already critical concerns, and they represent looming threats. Watson will talk about Governor Patrick’s near- and long-range plans to address these issues and other challenges through conservation, efficiency, and renewable energy.
 
“Greg’s knowledge of the Cape and his inside post with the Patrick administration will shed light on the actions the Commonwealth is taking to help struggling consumers pay their bills and to maximize local advantage from efficiency, wind, solar, and other clean options,” said Chris Powicki, president of CIRenew.
 
Watson, a resident of Falmouth, is known to many on the Cape as former Executive Director of the New Alchemy Institute. Currently, Watson is taking the lead for the state on the Offshore WindCollaborative, working with the U.S. Department of Energy and GE. Other roles include Executive Director of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative; with Second Nature as its Director of Educational Programs; director of The Nature Conservancy’s Eastern Regional Office; and Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture. Watson serves on the board of directors of Ocean Arks International and the Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture.

April 23, 2008
Growing Controversy: Global Perspective on Biofuels, Climate & Food
7 - 9 pm, Salt Pond Visitor Center, Cape Cod National Seashore, Eastham

Biofuels expert Curt Felix is featured speaker at the April meeting of CIRenew. He will discuss latest scientific understanding of the impacts of current and future biofuel usage on energy security, food production, and climate change challenges. His talk will reflect his recent efforts in Argentina and Brazil working with farmers, cooperatives, and agricultural firms to explore the feasibility of supplying biofuels to the Northeast U.S. on a sustainable basis. The forum, cosponsored by the Cape Cod Renewable Fuels Partnership, is free and open to the public; light refreshments will be served.

Mr. Felix has over 25 years experience in the global energy industry. While working with the World Bank, he developed international energy conservation programs and innovative approaches for factoring environmental externalities into system planning and operations and environmental and economic considerations into fuel switching decisions. His career also includes development of a compressed natural gas vehicle facility at Logan Airport and 10 years in the petroleum exploration, refining, and production industry. Recently, he has been building an integrated team focused on supplying 50 to 150 million gallons of biodiesel from South America to the New England and Mid-Atlantic region.

March 18, 2008
Underground Energy: Geothermal Heating & Cooling on the Cape & Islands
7 - 9 pm, Woods Hole Research Center

Brian Hayden of HeatSpring Energy is featured speaker at the March meeting of CIRenew. He will discuss geothermal heating and cooling systems for residential and commercial applications, addressing the technology's economic and environmental advantages as well as local deployment options. His presentation will be complemented by a profile and tour of the deep-well geothermal system that helps heat and cool the award-winning green building of the Woods Hole Research Center. The forum is free and open to the public; light refreshments will be served.

Brian is founder of HeatSpring Energy, a company providing independent education and training for the building trades and the construction industry with a focus on geothermal heating and cooling. HeatSpring Energy, based on Cambridge, Mass., brings in experts from around the country to conduct workshops and certification programs supporting high-quality geothermal energy installations within New England. He has a BA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Babson College, and is an accredited geothermal installer. Brian lives in Cambridge, MA with his wife Laura and six month old son, Luke.

February 27, 2008
Building Green: Case Study of the LEED Platinum Home in Truro
7 - 9 pm, Salt Pond Visitor Center, Cape Cod National Seashore

Jeff Rogers of the New England Green Building Center will discuss the design and construction of his family's home in Truro, the first single-family residence in Massachusetts to achieve a Platinum rating under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. He will review the home's green features and discuss the costs, benefits, and payback periods associated with specific choices.

January 16, 2008
Making Waves: Harnessing the Ocean's Power
7 - 9 pm, Lecture Hall C, Cape Cod Community College, Rte 132, West Barnstable
 
Bill Staby of Resolute Marine Energy is featured speaker at a January 16 forum addressing the worldwide status of wave energy technology and the potential for local applications.
 
Wave energy technologies convert the kinetic energy of ocean waves into clean power. In Europe, demonstration projects and initial commercial applications are under way. In the United States, tests have been conducted off the coasts of Hawaii, Oregon, and New Jersey, and plans were recently announced for a commercial wave energy project near Block Island in Rhode Island. A 2005 study by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) concluded that development of a large-scale wave energy facility off the Cape Cod National Seashore could prove economically feasible, assuming development of a worldwide experience base.
 
At the January 16 forum, Bill Staby will review wave energy, introduce the device being developed by his company, and discuss the technology’s potential across regional, national, and global scales. Bill is an entrepreneur with experience at both worldwide enterprises and technology start-ups. At CS First Boston, he focused on strategic and corporate finance advisory assignments for the electric utility industry. He is currently chief executive officer of Resolute Marine Energy and a member of the Finance Committee of the Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition in Washington, DC.
 
Resolute is developing and testing a wave energy conversion system with an initial commercial focus on powering ocean observation and other remote systems that have modest energy requirements. The technology is designed for scale-up to support large-scale, grid-connected, offshore energy applications. Resolute is based in Fall River at the Advanced Technology Manufacturing Center at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth.

November 14, 2007
Wind Power & Wildlife: The Missing Links
7 - 9 pm, Wellfleet Bay Audubon Sanctuary

Taber Allison, Vice President for Conservation Science for Mass Audubon, will discuss the latest understanding on wind power and wildlife, highlight remaining information gaps, and provide perspective on avian mortality and future threats associated with other sources of electricity generation. Lucy Vlietstra, Assistant Professor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA), will present her findings on the potential impact of the MMA's wind turbine on common and roseate terns.

October 17, 2007
Policy & Power: Going Green on Beacon Hill & at Home
7 - 9 pm, Upper Cape Cod Technical High School

Rep. Matt Patrick, energy innovator and state policymaker, is featured speaker at the October 17 CIREC meeting. He will provide an insider’s perspective on the status of proposed energy policies aimed at increasing reliance on renewable resources in Massachusetts. His presentation will lead in to a panel discussion on existing green power options and novel products that may become available in the future.
 
“Governor Deval Patrick and the state legislature have made energy policy a priority, but the fate of net metering and other reforms needed to unlock the potential of solar, wind, and other options is not yet clear,” says Megan Amsler, executive director, Cape & Islands Self-Reliance. “This meeting will help shine some light on the legislative process, as well as highlight actions local residents can take right now to support renewable energy.”
 
Rep. Matt Patrick is state representative from the 3rd Barnstable District. For the 2007-08 legislative session, he filed a dozen energy-related bills, three of which have been rolled into omnibus legislation. His leadership on energy issues on Beacon Hill and Cape Cod stretches back 2 decades. As state representative, he has pushed to create energy efficiency standards, increase demand for renewable energy, and address the effects of rising energy costs. Previously, as executive director of Cape & Islands Self-Reliance and a Falmouth selectman, he helped establish locally controlled energy efficiency and aggregation programs and spurred creation of the Cape Light Compact.
 
The panel discussion will address green power options available from the Compact and Massachusetts Energy Consumers Alliance, as well as green products proposed by NStar that would be based on long-term contracts with wind energy projects in upstate New York and Maine. NStar’s approach, currently under review by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, is facing opposition from competitive power suppliers and other industry groups.
 
“Consumers overwhelmingly support renewable energy yet few actually enroll in green power purchasing programs, which aren’t expensive but can be confusing,” notes Chris Powicki, principal of Water Energy & Ecology Information Services. “This panel discussion will illuminate distinctions among current and proposed green power products, explore the opposition to NStar’s approach, and encourage local consumers to go green.”

September 19, 2007
Cooperative Energy: Coming Together for Mutual Benefit
7 pm, Gilman Ordway Building, Woods Hole Research Center

Lynn Benander of CoopPower is the featured speaker at CIREC's chapter meeting in September. As members of CoopPower, residents and businesses in western Massachusetts, upstate New York, and elsewhere are joining together to get a better deal on clean energy products and services, to invest in renewable energy facilities, and to take control of their energy future. Lynn will compare and contrast CoopPower with other cooperative models, including the proposed Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative, a structure being pursued by the Cape Light Compact.

July 18, 2007
On Thin Ice: Climate Warming, Shrinking Ice Sheets & Sea Level Rise
7:30 pm, Wellfleet Bay Audubon Sanctuary, South Wellfleet

In conjunction with the Wellfleet Bay Audubon "Bayside Talk" Series, CIREC is pleased to present Dr. Gordon Hamilton of University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute, who will review some of the science that is changing the way we think about polar ice sheets.

Shrinking ice sheets have the potential to cause a rapid rise in global sea level. The Greenland Ice Sheet is particularly vulnerable to collapse, as are coastal portions of West Antarctica. Most scientists do not consider the total disintegration of both ice sheets very likely in the foreseeable future, but much attention is being paid to partial collapses and more modest, though still catastrophic, rises in sea level of 1-2 m in the next century or so.

June 20, 2007
Bringing Wind Home
7:00 - 9:00 pm, Cape Cod Technical High School, Harwich

CIREC is proud to welcome back Ian Woofenden for a special presentation about home-scale wind turbines, giving local audiences an opportunity to hear and meet one of the nation’s most knowledgeable people in the small wind industry.

Ian is the Senior Editor of Home Power Magazine and Northwest Coordinator for Solar Energy International. He has lived off-grid with wind and solar energy for over 20 years with his family on Guemes Island, Washington. Ian will be discussing “The Anatomy of a Home-Scale Wind-Electric System” in a free presentation that is open to the public. The talk will focus on the details of system design and installation, as well as the people who have chosen to use wind energy and why.

A brief tour of Cape Tech’s residential-scale wind turbine will occur after the presentation. Ian is on the Cape for the week of June 18-23 as an instructor for a residential wind turbine installation workshop being coordinated by Cape & Islands Self-Reliance.

May 16, 2007
Staying Cool & Saving Energy This Summer
7:00 - 9:00 pm, Yarmouth Senior Center

CIREC and Cape Light Compact are cosponsoring a program on “Staying Cool & Saving Energy This Summer” on Wednesday, May 16, from 7 to 9 pm at Yarmouth Senior Center. The event, open to the public, includes a light-bulb giveaway for the first 50 attendees who agree to join the EnergyStar® “Change a Light, Change the World” campaign.   

Kevin Galligan of Cape Light Compact is featured speaker at this event. He will provide energy-saving tips for those who cool naturally, as well as for residents, businesses, and other consumers who rely on air conditioning units. He will discuss the energy savings and economic and environmental benefits associated with EnergyStar® air conditioners, and he will highlight local turn-in programs for inefficient air conditioners and dehumidifiers, rebates for the purchase of energy-efficient equipment, and a new “tune-up” program for central air conditioning systems.

Kevin is the energy efficiency program manager for the Cape Light Compact and adjunct instructor at Cape Cod Community College, where he teaches energy efficiency and conservation classes. He also is board member of the National Energy Education Development Project and water commissioner for the town of Orleans, and he formerly served as chair of the town’s Wind Energy Committee. He has more than 25 years of experience in the energy industry.

April 26, 2007
America's Energy Challenges, Local Energy Solutions
7:00 - 9:00 pm, Cape Cod Community College

CIREC and Cape Cod Community College's Students for Sustainability Club are pleased to host Randy Udall for a presentation on Thursday, April 26, from 7 to 9 pm at Lecture Hall A at Cape Cod Community College. The event is free and open to the public.

Randy Udall, director of the Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) in western Colorado, is one of the nation's leading activists and innovators in promoting energy sustainability at the local level. CORE's partnerships with individuals, governments, and businesses have led to some remarkable accomplishments, including the nation’s first solar energy incentive program, the world's first Renewable Energy Mitigation Program, and some of the most aggressive and progressive green power purchasing programs in the country. Click here for information.

As CIREC’s featured speaker on April 26, he reviewed the current energy situation around the globe and in the United States—addressing issues such as energy security, peak oil and gas, and climate change. Randy also provided perspective on the importance of energy-related action at the local level, given the absence of effective leadership in Washington, DC.

March 21, 2007
Going Green in School & at Home
7:00 - 9:00 pm, Falmouth Academy, Highfield Drive, Falmouth

Falmouth Academy and CIREC are cosponsoring a tour of the school’s renovated building and addition on Wednesday, March 21, at 7 pm. The event, open to the public, also will feature a case study on the use of the new “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED) checklist for building green homes.

Richard Sperduto of Falmouth Academy will share lessons learned from undertaking the school’s project as well as tips on where to find rebates and grants to help finance green buildings. The tour of the three-story addition will feature its advanced energy management system, energy recovery ventilators that recover 60-70% of the heat to warm incoming cool air, daylighting, radiant floor heat, highly efficient lighting that paid for itself in 1.5 years, as well as other features. Mr. Sperduto will also discuss the 10-kW wind turbine that will be going up at the school this spring.

Mark Harding of Wamp Worx, a consulting firm and building contractor based in Mashpee, will relate his experiences using the new “LEED for Homes” checklist. His new home will feature a 3.5-kW photovoltaic system to generate electricity, a solar thermal hot water system, energy- and resource-saving appliances and fixtures, and materials specifically chosen to minimize environmental impact.

February 21, 2007
Biofuels: Growing Interest in Local Opportunities
7:00 - 9:00 pm, Harwich Community Center, 100 Oak Street, Harwich

Biofuels expert and advocate Allen Giles will speak at a February 21 meeting cosponsored by CIREC and the Cape Cod Renewable Fuels Partnership (CCRFP). The meeting will take place from 7 – 9 pm at the Harwich Community Center, 100 Oak Street. The meeting is free and open to the public; light refreshments will be served.

Mr. Giles is President of Amelot Holdings, Inc., a diversified company focused on supply and distribution opportunities in the renewable fuels sector. He will offer perspective on the growing national interest in fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol as options for reducing dependence on foreign oil, as well as emissions of greenhouse gases. He also will discuss the emerging New England biofuels sector, current local applications for biodiesel as a home heating and transportation fuel, and future opportunities.

The meeting is targeted for members of the general public—as well as municipal officials—interested in exploring sustainable energy options and addressing climate change. Representatives from stakeholder groups and local communities participating in CIREC and the CCRFP will be on hand to answer questions.

January 17, 2007
Energy In, Energy Out: Making Quality Investments - CANCELLED
7:00 - 9:00 pm, Woods Hole Research Center

Dr. Cutler Cleveland, Professor of Geography and Environment at Boston University, will speak on energy trends, peak oil, and other burning issues at the Woods Hole Research Center at 7 pm on Wednesday, January 17. The meeting is free and open to the public; light refreshments will be served. Dr. Cutler looks at energy from an interdisciplinary and historical perspective. He pioneered the concept of "energy return on investment" for comparative analysis of energy supply and use options and their economic, environmental, and social implications. His research focuses on how energy and other resources are used to meet human needs, considering issues such as oil and gas supply, energy policy, energy quality, and energy transitions. He devotes significant effort to illuminating energy's central role in human society, to improving energy literacy, and to increasing understanding of relations between humanity and its natural surroundings.

In 2006, he received the Adelman/Frankel Award from the United States Association for Energy Economics in "recognition of his unique and innovative contributions to the field." In addition to serving as a professor at BU, he is director of the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, fellow with the Pardee Center for the Study of Longer-Range Future, and faculty associate in the Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology. He also is Editor-in-Chief of theEncyclopedia of Energy (Elsevier Science, 2004), theDictionary of Energy (Elsevier Science, 2005), theJournal of Ecological Economics, and theEncyclopedia of Earth (http://www.eoearth.org). He holds a B.S. in Ecology and Systematics from Cornell University, a M.S. in Marine Science from Louisiana State University, and a Ph. D. in Geography from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

For more information on Dr. Cleveland, visit http://www.bu.edu/cees/people/faculty/cutler/index.html.

November 15, 2006
Client & Architect Perspectives: The Green Nature Center at Wellfleet Bay Audubon Sanctuary
7:00 - 9:00 pm, Wellfleet Bay Audubon, Rt. 6, South Wellfleet

A joint CIREC/NESEA chapter meeting and networking event for the Cape Cod High-Performance Building Group

This event includes a tour of the newly renovated Nature Center at Wellfleet Bay Audubon Sanctuary, followed by presentations from Bob Prescott, sanctuary manager, and Andrew Miao, lead architect and principal of Architectural Design Inc. in Orleans. The former will share lessons learned from undertaking this ambitious project, while the latter will discuss the vision that went into the design of the building.
 
Wellfleet Bay expects its new facility to qualify as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) facility, with at least a Gold rating, and potentially a Platinum rating – the highest level of the LEED system. The building makes great use of daylighting and other passive solar features, and high-efficiency ventilation systems and other technologies are used to further reduce energy consumption. The building employs both solar thermal panels for heating water and solar photovoltaic panels for generating a substantial portion of the building’s electrical power. Great attention was given to selection of materials with low VOC and high recycled content. Water conservation features include composting toilets using a new “foam flush” technology, as well as gray water and rainwater collection and distribution systems. Additional features will be pointed out on the tour.

October 18, 2006
Two if by Land, More if by Sea: Hull's Experiences With Wind
7:00 - 9:00 pm, Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School

Malcolm Brown, board member of the Hull Municipal Light Plant and president of Citizen Advocates for Renewable Energy, will speak at a meeting of CIREC at the Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Bourne at 7 pm on Wednesday, October 18. For almost a decade, Mr. Brown has been a leader in community-based efforts to harness wind energy resources within Hull’s borders. His presentation will describe cost savings, emissions reductions, and other positive impressions associated with two precedent-setting land-based turbines: Hull Wind I, the first modern, utility-scale turbine in Massachusetts; and Hull Wind II, the first installed on a closed landfill. As of early October 2006, Hull’s 660-kW and 1.8-MW turbines had generated more than 8 million kWh of green power while reducing the energy bills and “emissions footprints” of both the town and local consumers. Mr. Brown also will describe the town's plans to move offshore, with the goals being to meet 100% of the community's electricity demand (on a net basis) while hosting the first ocean-based installation in the United States. The meeting should be of particular relevance to citizens and officials interested in community-based renewable energy initiatives. For more information about Hull’s wind projects, visit www.hullwind.org.

September 21, 2006
Sunlight is Life: Noted Solar Designer/Builder Steven Strong and Tour of New Green Building at Cape Cod Community College
6:30 - 9:00 pm, Cape Cod Community College

Steven Strong, President of Solar Design Associates, will speak at the September 21 meeting of CIREC at the new Lorusso Applied Technology Building at Cape Cod Community College (CCCC) in West Barnstable.  From 6:30 – 7 pm, CCCC staff will lead a tour of this high-performance green building.  At 7 pm, Steven Strong will give a visual presentation—Sunlight is Life: The Path Toward a Sustainable Future. He will give a world overview of solar photovoltaic (PV) architecture using the best examples of residential and commercial-scale buildings from Europe, Japan and the US.  Sunlight is Life weaves technology, politics and social policy together with humor and compelling graphics to demonstrate that the end of cheap oil is upon us and that renewable energy is ready here and now to help define the path to a sustainable future in the post-petroleum world.  According to Mr. Strong, today’s PV-powered buildings provide a window into a coming era of environmentally responsive, energy-producing structures where elegant, life-affirming technologies become commonplace as integral parts of the built environment.
 
Mr. Strong’s firm, Solar Design Associates, designed the PV array on CCCC’s new building.  Over the last 25 years, he has designed dozens of homes and buildings powered by solar electricity.  In 1984, working with New England Electric, he completed the world’s first PV-powered neighborhood in central Massachusetts.  In 1996, he designed the world’s largest roof-top PV system to help power the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.  In 2002, he designed and supervised the installation of three solar energy systems at the White House in Washington, DC. He has numerous books and other publications to his credit and has served as an advisor on energy and environmental issues to three U.S. governors, four congressmen, eight senators and four presidential candidates, as well as a number of electric utilities.

July 19, 2006
Windmills of Cape Cod—A Tour of the Eastham Windmill and A Historical Perspective on Wind Power
7:00 - 9:00 pm, Eastham Town Green & Town Hall

Jim Owens, miller of the Eastham Windmill, will give a tour of this historic site at 7 pm. At 7:30, Dan Lombardo, author of Windmills of New England: Their Genius, Madness, History and Future, will offer a slide presentation on the history of wind energy on Cape Cod.

June 21, 2006
Growing Business & Sustaining Community: An Evening With John Abrams
7:00 - 9:00 pm, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Rte. 28, Falmouth

John Abrams, successful businessman and acclaimed author, will speak at the June 21 CIREC meeting, which is offered in conjunction with the Barnstable County Economic Development Council and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Abrams is founder and president of South Mountain Company, a community-oriented design/build firm on Martha’s Vineyard. For more than 30 years, the company has partnered with clients to plan, design, construct, furnish, and care for high-quality homes, residential developments, and affordable housing. In 1987, the company became a worker-owned cooperative, creating an institutional foundation for additional growth and deeper community involvement.

Today, just as many businesses are mirroring South Mountain Company’s longstanding commitment to resource-conscious endeavors, they can learn from Mr. Abram’s book, The Company We Keep: Reinventing Small Business for People, Community, and Place, which was published in 2005. According to business and opinion leaders, the book gives entrepreneurs “proof that sustainable business works,” and it communicates “a great message that should be relevant to virtually any company that cares about more than making money.” At the June 21 meeting, Mr. Abrams will discuss social entrepreneurship, employee empowerment, environmental awareness, and community commitment as means for growing and sustaining businesses in the Cape & Islands region and beyond. Following his presentation, refreshments will be served, and time for book-signing and networking will be provided.

May 17, 2006
Up Close and Personal with Ian Woofenden & Upper Cape Tech’s New Wind Turbine
6:30 pm, Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, 220 Sandwich Road, Bourne

Ian Woofenden, Senior Editor of Home Power magazine, will speak at Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School at 7 pm. From 6:30 - 7, Tom Wineman of Clean Energy Design will provide an up-close tour of the wind turbine that will be raised on campus later on in the week as part of a 5-day installers’ workshop. Upper Cape Tech’s new wind turbine is an AIRCon 10, manufactured in Germany, to be mounted on an 80-foot, counter-balanced, tilt-up tower designed by Clean Energy Design. This grid-tied, 10-kW turbine—representative of a large residential or small business application—is being installed in support of CIREC’s workforce development activities, which expose students, builders, architects, electricians, plumbers, and other practitioners to renewable energy and green building technologies.Students from Upper Cape Tech and Cape Cod Tech in Harwich will be among those participating in the wind turbine installers’ workshop, which runs from May 15-19.
 
The tour will offer a unique, insider’s perspective on the new turbine and its novel tower design. Following the tour will be a travelogue presentation by Ian Woofenden about the renewable energy projects in which he’s been involved in various areas of the world during the last 15 months. He will also clue do-it-yourselfers in on how they can use Home Power as a tool to help them power their homes with renewable energy. After the presentation, there will be a networking session fueled by cookies and coffee provided by Upper Cape Tech’s culinary program.

April 19, 2006
A Safe & Sustainable World: The Promise of Ecological Design
7 pm, Borders Books, Route 132, Hyannis

Nancy Jack Todd will give a reading from her book, A Safe & Sustainable World: The Promise of Ecological Design (download poster). The book provides an experiential account of the work of the New Alchemy Insitute in Hatchville in
exploring sustainable options in food, energy, and shelter. The book further recounts how the knowledge gleaned there led to the ecologically restorative work of Ocean Arks International of Falmouth. It is being hailed as one of the few hopeful environmental books around and has been likened to Rachel Carson's The Sea Around Us.

March 2006
Green Home & Business Series
2 - 4 pm, Cape Cod National Seashore, Salt Pond Visitor Center, Eastham; 7 - 9 pm, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, East Falmouth

This series of free workshops focuses on energy efficiency and renewable energy in the home and in small business settings. For your convenience, the workshops will be offered in two locations on the same day, once in Eastham and once in Falmouth; each one will feature expert speakers and take-home information designed to help you improve your quality of life, save money, and help protect the Cape's natural resources.

March 1: "Shocked & Confused? Your Energy Bill Exposed" - Chris Powicki, Water Energy & Ecology Information Services; John Burns and Debbie Fitton, Cape Light Compact
March 8: No local workshop - go to the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association's Building Energy 2006 Conference in Boston, March 7 - 9.
March 15: "Cut Your Bills & Green Up Your Remodeling & New Building Projects - Local Case Studies" - Bruce Torrey, Building Diagnostics
March 22: "Home-Grown Energy: Capturing Energy from the Sun & Wind" - Tom Wineman, Clean Energy Design; Conrad Geyser, Cotuit Solar
March 29: "Choosing & Using Smart Building Materials" - Susan Buchan, Sage Design

February 15, 2006
Changing the Climate: Responses from Global to Local Levels
7 pm - 9 pm, Barnstable Middle School (cafeteria), Hyannis

This free event will focus on responding to the threats posed by climate change in ways that make economic and environmental sense. Chris Powicki of Water Energy & Ecology Information Services will review the unique attributes of the climate challenge, the current climate policy situation, and possible implications for future action by the federal government and within the Cape & Islands region. Chuck Kleekamp of Cape Clean Air and Clean Power Now will provide insight on the emissions footprint of the Canal Station in Sandwich, in advance of a hearing scheduled for February 16 by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). David Anthony of the Town of Barnstable will discuss the climate policy commitment made by the Town Council in 2002 and highlight the actions taken by the Barnstable Green Team and municipal agencies to reduce both energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions.

January 18, 2006
Comfortable & Clean: Local Heating Options & Opportunities
7 pm - 9 pm, Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth

This free event will focus on efficient and green solutions for harnessing natural energy flows to heat indoor environments. Solar thermal, geothermal, and bioheat systems will be discussed by Tom Wineman of Clean Energy Design, Joe Hackler of Woods Hole Research Center, and Richard Lawrence of Cape & Islands Self-Reliance, including local case studies and testimonials. A tour of WHRC's award-winning green building will be provided.

November 16, 2005
Solar Power: Local Options for Tapping the Earth's Ultimate Energy Source
7 pm - 9 pm, Salt Pond Visitor Center, Cape Cod National Seashore, Eastham

This free event will begin with a presentation from the Cape Cod National Seashore detailing the measures it has taken to reduce its consumption of fossil fuels and to improve air quality in Barnstable County. The meeting will feature an airing of The Power of the Sun, a new documentary describing the history of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, its current and future applications, and its potential for meeting the world’s energy needs. This film, narrated by John Cleese and developed with input from two Nobel Prize winners, presents a morality tale about how science works and about why the time for PV technology has come. After the film's airing, Megan Amsler of Cape & Islands Self-Reliance and Tom Wineman of Clean Energy Design will give an overview on local applications of PV and solar thermal systems. The presentation and Q&A session will address the site assessment and installation process; costs, including incentives, rebates, and financing options; and the experiences of system owners.

October 19, 2005
How to Make It Through the Winter: Saving Energy & Money on Cape Cod
7 pm - 9 pm, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, East Falmouth

This event will feature Bruce Torrey of Building Diagnostics in Sandwich. Based on more than 5,000 home energy audits and extensive experiences with new construction, renovation, and retrofit projects, Bruce will identify the "low-hanging" fruit - the energy efficiency opportunities that have not yet been exploited in most buildings. He will provide practical tips for helping homeowners reduce drafts, heat losses, and other problems. Information will be provided on local efficiency programs and services offered by the Cape Light Compact and other organizations.