North Bay Business Journal

Marin Co. business news: Week of Aug. 30, 2010

Send Business News items to the North Bay Business Journal, Attn: Business Register, 427 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95401; fax 707-521-5292; or e-mail news@busjrnl.com.

Medtronic to install solar

SANTA ROSA — Medtronic CardioVascular will install a $1.2 million solar array at its Fountaingrove campus, the company announced today.

The 324-kilowatt system, scheduled to be completed by next summer, is expected to reduce the electrical demand of Medtronic’s largest Santa Rosa facility by 40 percent at peak hours and realize net savings of approximately $1.8 million over 20 years.

NCES to provide free solar

NORTH BAY — North Coast Energy Services will offer free solar electric systems funded by the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to qualifying homeowners in Solano, Napa, Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake and Yolo counties. NCES will use Real Goods Solar and Gaia Energy Systems to install the systems and provide weatherization.

Green Business: Clos Du Bois, Simi and Ascentia win energy awards

Also: Hall recognized for ‘excellence in sustainable winegrowing’

The homes are green even if paperwork isn’t

NORTH BAY — Homebuilding in the North Bay has slowed to a trickle in the past few years, but a number of the custom homes are being built greener than even the newly increased state green-building standards.

Napa biodegradable foodservice supplier sees huge potential

NORTH COAST — Napa County resident and foodservice packaging supplier Steve Levine has seen the economic recession slow commercial orders for environmentally friendly products with a price premium just as demand was picking up, but he sees an opportunity to reinvigorate the market for the 400 such items his company carries by bringing production to California from Asia.

Solano supervisors delay energy loans

NORTH BAY – The Solano County Board of Supervisors has decided to hold off investing in an energy loan financing program under Assembly Bill 811 until after the federal officials clear up the regulations the Federal Housing Finance Authority has put on the programs.

Marin Energy Authority receives EPA award; looks to next steps

MARIN COUNTY – The recently implemented Marin Energy Authority is in the spotlight as other communities seek to copy it or join it.

Air district guidelines cloud issue

NORTH BAY — New guidelines by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on greenhouse gas emissions relating to construction projects have the potential to set forth clearer standards, but concerns have been raised that some provisions could increase the time and cost for the already-complex process of environmental impact reviews.

Species find sends quarry back for study

SONOMA COUNTY — A proposed rock quarry that proponents say could fill a vital need for gravel for local projects has faced numerous environmental hurdles, chief among them the environmental impact review process after the land off Roblar Road was found to be housing an endangered species.