Don't Know Where to Start? Check Out the Sustainable Energy Guide

Last week we released Sustainable Industries’ new microsite, the 2012 Sustainable Energy Guide.

The guide contains an overview of everything an Operations or Facilities Manager needs to get started on the road to sustainability. We get a lot of questions about transitioning to renewable energy and purchasing carbon offsets and you'll find updated information about those issues here. But the guide is also ideal for anyone who is just getting started on the road to a sustainable work environment. It'll give you a jump-start on establishing a baseline so you know how much energy your office uses, as well as tips and tricks for maximizing energy efficiency.

The Sustainable Energy Guide was launched last Thursday at our webinar on Scaling Solar and Financing the 99%. The webinar included three experts on financing for renewable energy projects: Adam Boucher of Adam Capital, which specializes in bridging the financing gaps for distributed scale solar developers; Greg Saunders, a 25-year financial veteran with extensive experience raising debt and equity capital, most recently as CFO at Tioga Energy; and Matt Scullin, Vice President at New Resource Bank, who focuses on providing construction and project financing for a variety of renewable energy projects, including solar, biogas, biomass and energy efficiency. Each panelist represents a different aspect of the financing picture and they collaborated to deliver a presentation that described the whole picture.

There’s enormous opportunity in deploying proven clean energy technologies – yet financing remains the primary obstacle. Larger deals get funding from major banks and investors using tax-equity and other strategies. Yet smaller developers represent the bulk of the clean energy workforce and the majority of projects on businesses, homes and schools. Expiration of the Federal Investment Tax Credit 1603 Cash Grant program at the end of 2011 will likely drive many of these solar developers out of work, with serious consequences for the emerging clean energy marketplace.

Our panelists offer unique perspectives on the market, as well as examples of how lenders, banks and solar companies can form creative partnerships to get the money where it needs to go in building a diverse, resilient clean energy industry. They are from three companies that are quite distinct but that work together in pursuit of a solution.

If you missed the webinar, you can access it here.

Check out the Sustainable Energy Guide here.

Special thanks to Siemens, premiere sponsor of the guide and gold sponsors CH2M Hill, Energy Trust of Oregon, Johnson Controls, Marylhurst University and SCIenergy.