North Bay Business Journal

As Sonoma County’s political leaders continue to move forward with the process of setting up a county-wide public power agency, many in the business community are examining what the renewable energy-focused proposal would mean to their operations.

As home to the largest complex of geothermal plants in the world and a continuing effort to establish a renewable energy-focused power agency, Sonoma County and its energy future will take center stage at North Bay Business Journal’s annual Impact Sonoma Conference on, Oct. 18.

RIO VISTA — Construction has entered the final phase at EDF Renewable Energy’s fourth major wind-turbine project in southeastern Solano County, just as federal incentives for wind-energy projects are set to expire.

PETALUMA — Winning in the environment category of Manufacturing Awards is HydroPoint Data Systems Inc., maker of WeatherTRAK, a smart irrigation system. Yet HydroPoint is more than a manufacturing company, as CEO Chris Spain pointed out. Its systems include wireless tech, software, high performance computer processing and analytics, mobile and cloud computing, and service is a huge component in the company’s success.

A unique summer algebra academy pioneered in Santa Rosa has grown throughout the North Bay, and organizations as far away as Arizona are expressing interest in duplicating the public-private partnership that works to expose English language-learners to real-world applications for math.

Marin Clean Energy is poised to significantly expand its customer base in the coming months, with the city of Richmond likely to pass a final measure on Tuesday to join the renewable energy-focused power agency.

AMERICAN CANYON — Plans are under way to build the largest solar interconnect project in the North Bay at a closed regional sanitary landfill adjacent to the City of American Canyon. This landfill once served the Cities of Napa, Vallejo and American Canyon, as well the County of Napa.

Local renewable energy proponents are lining up behind state Senate Bill 594, designed to require PG&E to allow customers who have more than one electric meter on their properties to aggregate the loads and install a renewable energy system to offset it.

Novato-based Hennessy Advisors, Inc. (OTCBB:HNNA) announced that the Hennessy Select SPARX Japan Smaller Companies Fund (symbol:SPJSX) has been named a 2012 Lipper Fund Award winner. … PowerCAD Drafting & Design opened in Rohnert Park. It is an experienced team of CADD (computer aided design and drafting) professionals that support AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) industries utilizing 2D and 3D AutoCAD and related software. … Hospice of Petaluma announced Clover Stornetta Farms as the new title sponsor for its 22nd annual benefit golf tournament. … Children in the North Bay can learn about clean and renewable energy thanks to a $100,000 grant from Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) recently awarded to the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. … Sonoma Valley’s Ledson Winery and Vineyards (www.ledson.com) recently took top honors at the 2012 San Diego International Wine Competition. … Dan and Marguerite Capp have signed a long-term lease for a wine tasting venue in the Curbside Café space on First Street in downtown Napa, across the street from the entrance to Napa Town Center shopping mall. … Customers strolling through Oliver’s Markets will soon have the opportunity to place yet another homegrown product in their shopping carts. … Assemblymember Jared Huffman presented his March Sustainable North Bay Award to Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, in recognition of the company’s environmentally responsible business practices and consumer products.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. today announced it asked state regulators for the right to offer a competitive electric rate to attract large employers to California and convince other large employers already in the state to maintain or expand their operations rather than leave.

PETALUMA — Pacific Gas and Electric Company partnered with the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce to provide a small- and medium-sized business customer workshop at the chamber’s annual Business Expo scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 6, from 4 to 7 p.m.

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.

SANTA ROSA – The Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce is kicking off another session of the Mike Hauser Algebra Academy—and is helping other cities have their own programs.

MARIN – Marin Energy Authority, the agency providing a renewable energy alternative to PG&E’s current offerings through Marin Clean Energy, rolled out its 100 percent renewable offering, Deep Green, and celebrated its one-year anniversary in May.

SANTA ROSA — A proactive and coordinated effort from the public and private sectors targeting job growth, Sonoma County BEST – “Building Economic Success Together” — officially kicked off with a breakfast this morning at Santa Rosa Junior College.

MARIN — Marin Energy Authority, the agency providing a renewable energy alternative to PG&E’s current offerings through Marin Clean Energy, has created a program that it hopes will help stimulate local renewable energy assets.

NORTH BAY — Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is rolling out a new rate plan called “Peak Day Pricing” in response to a statewide initiative led by the California Public Utilities Commission aimed at reducing energy use during periods of extremely high demand.

GEYSERVILLE — Constellation Wines U.S., one of the world’s largest wine companies and operator of several North Coast wineries, on Monday unveiled a solar-electricity project at four California wineries — including Clos du Bois and Ravenswood — expected to be one of the largest such projects for the wine industry when completed by the end of this year.

SAN RAFAEL – Akuacom, a Marin-based pioneer in automated grid-relieving technology, is preparing for “aggressive growth” in the wake of its acquisition by Honeywell.

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