North Bay Business Journal

AmCan project turns waste heat to power

AMERICAN CANYON — In addition to a large solar electricity plant planned to cover much of the closed 80-acre American Canyon landfill and an existing power plant there that uses captured methane from decomposing garbage, a new project will harness heat normally lost during combustion of landfill gas to generate up to an additional 1.5 megawatts of electricity.

Construction Conference 2011: Questions for the Green Construction Panel

The Green Construction Panel at North Bay Business Journal’s Construction Conference 2011 on Tuesday will explore the new environmental-quality requirements at various government levels and how the construction industry is meeting the challenge.

16 percent opt out of Marin Clean Energy, below agency forecast

NORTH BAY – One in six energy customers — or about 16 percent — in the first phase of the changeover from PG&E to the Marin Energy Authority have opted out of the local program.

Calpine to produce 25 megawatts for San Diego Gas & Electric

THE GEYSERS — Calpine Energy Services, which operates a large geothermal power complex in northeastern Sonoma County, signed an agreement with San Diego Gas & Electric to generate 25 megawatts of electricity over a four-year period, it was announced today.

Spotlight on innovators in green technology

This spotlight focuses on some of the North Bay people and companies that are creating new green technologies that are being put to work in the field daily. Know someone who should be here? Let us know. Listed alphabetically by innovator name.

1.4 megawatt fuel cell for County of Sonoma

SANTA ROSA — Sonoma County will break ground for the installation of a 1.4 megawatt fuel cell tomorrow.

The fuel cell, which will provide electricity for the county’s main complex of buildings in Santa Rosa, is the centerpiece of Sonoma County’s comprehensive energy plan, which will both lower greenhouse gas emissions and save a substantial amount of money over the life of the project.

ThermaSource hits speed bump, but growth back

SANTA ROSA – Not immune to the stagnant economy, ThermaSource is no longer the fastest-growing company in Northern California, but after a tough quarter or two, it’s on the move again, said company marketing specialist Patrick Hanson.

Federal officials approve wave energy research

SANTA ROSA, July 16, 2009 — The Sonoma County Water Agency has gotten the green light from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to investigate wave energy off the Sonoma Coast. Terms of the permits allow SCWA to study the feasibility of developing 2 to 5 megawatts of wave power at each location and to assess [...]

Olive-oil maker McEvoy harnesses the wind

In a step back hundreds of years when most food mills were powered by the wind, fine olive-oil producer McEvoy Ranch has erected the first windmill of its size in California to be put to agricultural use. According to company agroecologist Jeff Creque, the windmill is the first step toward producing all of the ranch’s power onsite.