Categoría: Influencers

Groundbreaking Opt-Out Community Solar Program in Brockport and Lima, NY Moves Toward Launch as the Villages Select Solar Provider

FINGER LAKES, N.Y., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Villages of Brockport and Lima entered into a tri-party agreement with Joule and Generate Capital to provide community solar to residents on an opt out basis. Part of Joule’s Finger Lakes Community Choice program, the opt-out community solar program will be rolled out to 3,800+ households across the two upstate New York municipalities. Expected to launch this year, this program will…

FINGER LAKES, N.Y., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Villages of Brockport and Lima entered into a tri-party agreement with Joule and Generate Capital to provide community solar to residents on an opt out basis. Part of Joule’s Finger Lakes Community Choice program, the opt-out community solar program will be rolled out to 3,800+ households across the two upstate New York municipalities. Expected to launch this year, this program will be the first opt-out community solar program in the United States. Generate teamed up with 38 Degrees North to acquire from top developers the solar projects in the area that will provide residents 17 million kilowatt hours of solar power for 25 years. Joule, the program administrator, has been supporting the development of a community choice program in the Villages since early 2017, including the provision of public outreach and public education on the opportunities for both electricity supply and community solar. Joule is the only program administrator with approval from the State to integrate community solar and electricity supply in a community choice offering.

Lower Electricity Costs for All

The opt-out community-level agreement ensures equal access to the benefits of community distributed generation from renewable sources—including electricity bill savings made possible by NY State incentives for renewable energy generation. Both low- and high-income households have access to these benefits on equal terms. This first-of-kind opt-out community solar program and the signing of the tri-party agreements delivers participants a guaranteed 10% savings on solar credits without requiring them to sign an individual contract, undergo a credit check, pay a second bill for solar, or install solar panels on their home or property. As such, the program is the first community choice aggregation in NY State to serve low-income consumers. As part of the community choice program designed by Joule and approved by DPS on September 3, 2020, the two municipalities signed a community-level tri-party agreement on behalf of their residents and small businesses, enabling eligible account holders to be automatically enrolled in the program with any credits or charges accounted for on the consumer’s National Grid electricity bill. The credits, and the resulting electricity bill savings, are supplemental to any benefits delivered by a community choice electricity supply program.

Community Solar Attracts Local Investment, Creates Jobs

Re-localizing energy generation helps build local wealth. Solar projects distribute benefits back to individual households in the form of reliable savings, but also to communities in the form of job creation and community revenue. Jobs are created in the construction, operation, and management of the solar projects that are located in close proximity to the communities they serve. Local businesses will benefit from more and steady income flowing into the community. The projects themselves will also contribute to local revenues.

Progress Toward Achieving NY’s Clean Energy Goals

Opt-out community solar not only reduces carbon emissions, but it also moves NY State closer to achieving its clean energy goals. While benefiting communities and residents, opt-out community solar also provides significant benefits to solar project developers. Opt-out community solar effectively guarantees the solar developer all the generated electricity output will be purchased without any need to solicit interest or market to each potential individual customer. The municipal-level agreement essentially ensures that subscribers have been secured in advance, thereby fostering an environment that allows for at-scale development of solar projects throughout NY State.

Brockport Mayor Margay Blackman said, «We have been continually trying to find ways to save our residents money, and one of them has been through true renewable energy. We converted to municipal solar in 2019 and have been waiting and waiting for the opt out community solar program that Joule has offered. So, we’re really thrilled to now be a part of it.»

«Implementing community choice aggregation has been a goal that the Village of Lima has been working on for four years,» stated Lima Mayor John Wadach. «Thanks to the support and expertise of Joule and its local partner Roctricity, we are excited to bring renewable energy at a cost savings to our residents. Although our residents will not have to take any action to receive the savings on their National Grid bills, those of us on the Village Board know how much work with State regulators and utilities that Joule undertook to make this a reality.»

«Joule has cemented itself as a leading in clean energy solutions for New York residents, offering solar choice to communities that otherwise may not be able to access it,» said Peggy Flannery, principal at Generate, which currently operates over 50 MW of community solar in New York State. «Generate is proud to continue our commitment to expanding affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy options through this innovative partnership.»

«Joule and the Villages of Brockport and Lima have developed a market leading structure that will provide significant savings to the whole community. We are proud to have partnered with Joule and Generate to provide innovative financing solutions that will accelerate the growth of community choice aggregation throughout New York,» said Chris Bailey, Managing Partner at 38 Degrees North.

«New York has kept the community in community solar,» remarked Joule Founder Mike Gordon. «Because CCA [community choice aggregation] authority empowers our Mayors and Supervisors to grant credits to their residents, substantially all Brockport and Lima residents will see twenty years of ensured bill savings without lifting a finger. Because New York State allows leaders to direct these credits even to subsets of their community, we should see replication throughout the state and beyond—leaders will credit the utility bills for the neediest folk in their respective communities.»

National Grid will continue to deliver electricity to all residents and remains responsible for repairs, maintenance, and service. Residents can opt out of the program at any time with no penalty, but would lose the guaranteed 10% price reductions on the solar bill credits that lower their annual electricity costs.

ABOUT GENERATE
Generate Capital, Inc. is a leading sustainable infrastructure company driving the infrastructure revolution. Generate builds, owns, operates, and finances solutions for clean energy, water, waste, and transportation. Founded in 2014, Generate partners with over 35 technology and project developers and owns and operates more than 2,000 assets globally. Generate is the one-stop shop offering pioneers of the infrastructure revolution tailored funding and support needed to get projects built. Our Infrastructure-as-a-Service model delivers affordable, reliable, and sustainable resources to over 1,000 customers, companies, communities, school districts, and universities. 

ABOUT 38 DEGREES NORTH
38 Degrees North is an investment manager specializing in contracted renewable energy infrastructure with a primary focus on solar energy and battery storage. The managing partners have a track record of over 3GW of successful renewable energy project financings across a variety of asset classes. For more information, please visit.www.38degreesn.com.

ABOUT FINGER LAKES COMMUNITY CHOICE
Finger Lakes Community Choice is a community choice aggregation program—comprising communities in Western New York—that enables participants to save money on electricity by pooling local electricity demand in order to leverage the collective buying power of their residents and small businesses in effort to secure more favorable terms on their energy supply and/or community solar contracts, protect consumers, and choose renewable generation sources. The participating communities include the Town of Geneva and the Villages of Brockport, Honeoye Falls, and Lima. As of July 1, 2019, the default energy supply to homes and small businesses in the Town of Geneva is 100% renewable. The groundbreaking community choice solar program will be an important pillar in the NY State Climate Action Plan mandate to reach 70% renewables by 2030. Finger Lakes Community Choice was formed in partnership with Joule Community Power. To learn more, visit fingerlakescommunitychoice.com. 

ABOUT JOULE COMMUNITY POWER
Joule Community Power (Joule) works with municipalities and local partners to empower communities and facilitate their goals of providing residents and businesses with cleaner and cheaper energy. With no upfront cost to a municipality or its residents, Joule’s first-of-kind, integrated Community Power program helps municipalities and consumers (1) save money by gaining leverage to procure less expensive electricity for residents and businesses, (2) make money by creating new revenue opportunities through participation in energy markets, and (3) go green by gaining local control to opt for clean and renewable generation sources. Joule’s distinctive expertise in designing and implementing new consumer-protective energy supply contracts was instrumental in the creation of New York State’s first community choice aggregation (CCA) energy program.  Joule is the only company in NY State offering CCA administrative services with a Public Service Commission-approved implementation plan that integrates community solar projects; and only Joule has the expertise, relationships, and experience to effectively design, implement, and manage such a program. Joule’s innovative renewable energy strategy is driving new regulation and encouraging the NY State Public Service Commission to rapidly advance innovative solutions. Having created the blueprint to guide communities through a smooth and empowering decision process, Joule aims to scale its Community Power model across NY State and beyond. Joule also offers capacity tag management services to businesses wishing to reduce their electricity costs by strategically managing their energy consumption. Joule Community Power is a division of Joule Assets. To learn more, visit joulecommunitypower.com.

 

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SOURCE Joule Community Power

Impact of COVID-19 Continues to Influence Construction Costs

NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Turner Construction Company announced that the Fourth Quarter 2020 Turner Building Cost Index—which measures costs in the non-residential building construction market in the United States—had maintained the value of 1177. This remains unchanged from the Third Quarter 2020 and represents a decrease of 0.51 percent from the Fourth Quarter 2019.

«Raw material costs in the Fourth Quarter of 2020 continued to fluctuate due to the pandemic. Fuel,…

NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Turner Construction Company announced that the Fourth Quarter 2020 Turner Building Cost Index—which measures costs in the non-residential building construction market in the United States—had maintained the value of 1177. This remains unchanged from the Third Quarter 2020 and represents a decrease of 0.51 percent from the Fourth Quarter 2019.

«Raw material costs in the Fourth Quarter of 2020 continued to fluctuate due to the pandemic. Fuel, copper, steel and aluminum have experienced modest increases, while concrete slightly decreased. Many of these increases were offset by increased competition by trade contractors,» said Attilio Rivetti, the Turner vice president responsible for compiling the Cost Index.

Turner has prepared the construction cost forecast for more than 80 years. The building costs and price trends tracked by the Turner Building Cost Index may or may not reflect regional conditions in any given quarter. The Cost Index is determined by several factors considered on a nationwide basis, including labor rates and productivity, material prices and the competitive condition of the marketplace. This index does not necessarily conform to other published indices because others do not generally take all of these factors into account.

About Turner Construction Company
Turner is an international construction services company. Founded in 1902, Turner first made its mark on the industry pioneering the use of steel-reinforced concrete for general building, which enabled the company to deliver safer, stronger, and more efficient buildings to clients. The company continues to embrace emerging technologies and offers an increasingly diverse set of services. With an annual construction volume of US$12 billion, Turner is the largest builder in the United States, ranking first in the major market segments of the building construction field, including healthcare, education, sports, commercial, and green building. The firm is a subsidiary of HOCHTIEF, one of the world’s leading international construction service providers. For more information, please visit http://www.turnerconstruction.com.

Media Contact

Christopher McFadden, Turner Construction Company, +1 (212) 229-6145, cmcfadden@tcco.com

Twitter, Facebook

 

SOURCE Turner Construction Company

Iconic Jalisco nature and culture inspire The Design Solution’s redesign of Guadalajara International Airport

LONDON and GUADALAJARA, Mexico, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — With ambitions to create the ‘best airport in Mexico‘ at its home base in Guadalajara, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAP) plans to invest 10 billion Pesos (US$504m* see note) before 2026 in the development of Guadalajara Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport.  The plan includes an…

LONDON and GUADALAJARA, Mexico, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — With ambitions to create the ‘best airport in Mexico‘ at its home base in Guadalajara, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAP) plans to invest 10 billion Pesos (US$504m* see note) before 2026 in the development of Guadalajara Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport.  The plan includes an additional runway and new terminal building as well as, in the short/mid-term, a radical new 6 billion Pesos (US$302m* see note) redesign of the commercial space in the existing building.  The Design Solution has been appointed to deliver the redesign with the new space due to open on a phased basis over the next 2 years before being fully open in 2023.

The current terminal has benefited from numerous expansion projects since its opening in 1966 and today is a collection of airside zones, complex circulation patterns and architectural styles.  The objective of the terminal redesign is to rationalise passenger flows, creating a series of engaging touchpoints along the passenger journey, from security to gate, with a visionary design that unifies the entire experience.  The Design Solution has worked alongside the project’s commercial consultants, Pragma Consulting, in fulfilling the approved proposal.

The new plan optimises previously under-utilized space, creating a new vibrancy to the passenger experience with a significantly enlarged commercial zone.   The two security areas are retained and passengers are now drawn towards the airside heart of the terminal, a newly revitalised area overlooking the apron, surrounded by a dynamic mix of retail, bars, restaurants, pop-up sites and other customer service facilities.  

«Our first task was to rationalise the passenger flows through the terminal to create an intuitive route in the airside commercial area.  With this approach, passengers have much more direct engagement with the greater exposure given to stores, restaurants, bars, pop-ups and seasonal event experiences» explains Graeme Johns, Director of the Design Solution. «It is always a challenge to transform older terminals that have evolved through piecemeal development, especially those that were predominantly assembled before commercial revenues became so important.  These new designs will create a world class facility and passenger experience fitting for GAP’s ambitions to transform Guadalajara International Airport and to maximise its commercial potential.»

«Mexico is so rich in history, culture, craft and unique landscapes and so finding a special feature to tie the designs together was not difficult.  Guadalajara is the heart of the Tequila and we were inspired by the shape of the harvested Agave plant used in the production of this iconic spirt, which is also one of the fastest growing categories in travel retail.  Its unique form is evident throughout the decoration of the terminal, such as the decorative lighting grilles featured in the main walkways and in the food & beverage area.»  

Raul Revuelta, Chief Executive Officer, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico adds. «We first worked with The Design Solution at Sangster Montego Bay Airport in Jamaica, one of our other operated airports.  Shortly after, we appointed them to work at Los Cabos airport in Mexico and now on to Guadalajara.  We have worked together as a team over many months to create something we believe will transform the terminal, both in terms of bringing passengers the best travel experience as well as growing our commercial offer. In the core airside commercial area, we currently have 5,700 sq m and that will increase to 7,250 sq m.  The pandemic inevitably means the implementation of our ambitious plans will likely take longer than originally hoped but we look forward to a phased approach to achieving this vision.»

A key area of the redesign is centred on a flat roof canopy, located outside the centre of the terminal building, over an expanded baggage area.  The proposal is to transform this into a signature feature of the terminal, with an external garden terrace, surrounding an Agave-inspired architectural shade pod, offering casual seating, planting and a unique eating and drinking destination.  The ambience of this garden has also inspired the character of the indoor food & beverage zone and is further reflected in the outside feel that is brought inside to the gate seating areas. Heavily planted areas include trees to complement the minimalistic concrete benches with low level under-lighting, combining to create a light, contemporary and natural landscape look and feel. The exterior aesthetic is further enhanced with the application of resin-bound aggregate floor finishes and warm natural materials.

A large rotunda space is introduced directly after the wall-through duty free store, enabling passengers to pause, orientate themselves, check flight information and then plan how to spend their time before heading to the gate.  A large aura formation of pendant lights, made from Peltra, a Mexican porcelain enamel, designed by local contemporary design agency Bandido Studio in Puebla, is suspended within the space, creating a striking statement with a strongly local sense of place. 

Beside agave cultivation, Tequila and Mezcal production, Guadalajara is home to Mexico’s thriving software industry, known worldwide as Mexico’s Silicon Valley.  The airport is the country’s third largest airport, handling almost 15m passengers in 2019.  The new development will increase capacity to 30m passengers per year, an increase of 60% more flights.  Pre-pandemic passenger growth was double-digit and the airport anticipates a return to growth in due course. ENDS

Note: US$ amounts quoted in 1st paragraph are approximate due to US dollar exchange rate on the date of publication and also according to the peso exchange rate on the date of investment approval.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About The Design Solution

The Design Solution is a London based retail architecture and design practice with a strong specialism in the $70bn+ travel retail industry.  The practice has over 30 years’ experience in developing world-class retail solutions for airports, rail, motorways and other retail destinations all over the world together with compelling merchandising and experiential designs for brands. 

About Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, S.A.B. of C.V. (GAP) is a Mexican company that develops its activity in the airport sector. GAP operates 12 international airports in Mexico and two in Jamaica, serving more than 330 destinations, through 35 airlines. Its shares are listed on the stock exchanges of Mexico and New York.

In 2020, GAP served 27.3 million passengers, achieving a 56% recovery compared to those served in 2019 (48.7 million passengers).

The airports managed by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico are located at:

  • Guadalajara and Tijuana, serving the main metropolitan areas.
  • Mexicali, Hermosillo, Los Mochis, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, and Morelia, serving medium-sized developing cities.
  • La Paz, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo and Montego Bay, serving some of the most important tourist destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean.
  • On October 10, 2018, GAP signed the concession contract with the government of Jamaica to operate, modernize and expand the Norman Manley International Airport («KIN») located in the city of Kingston.

The airports managed by GAP in Mexico are owned by the Mexican government and have been allocated in a 50-year concession starting in 1998, as part of a domestic initiative to privatize and improve the quality and security of the country’s airport services.

In Jamaica, the government owns the Montego Bay Airport and the concession granted for its operation is for a 30-year period, which will conclude on April 2033. The Kingston Airport was granted for a 25-year concession. GAP took control of the operation and administration this past October 2019.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico believes in the value of each individual and seeks to trigger his or her potential through education. Better-educated Mexicans will raise their quality of life and contribute towards the country’s development. GAP, in line with its business model and through its Foundation, is committed to be a factor of change. We work on two strategic pillars: work with the community, through the GAP Schools, and on training the airport community, with Community Training Centers.

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Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1440075/GAP_logo.jpg

SOURCE Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico

IDTechEx Consider the Potential of E-Fuels

BOSTON, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Growth in global energy consumption has caused CO2 and greenhouse gas (GHG) missions to rise, in turn causing an increase in average global temperatures. The combustion of fossil fuels including coal, oil, and natural gas, has been a key driver behind this, providing the underlying driver for the production and use of non-fossil alternative fuels that can help reduce emissions.

…

BOSTON, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Growth in global energy consumption has caused CO2 and greenhouse gas (GHG) missions to rise, in turn causing an increase in average global temperatures. The combustion of fossil fuels including coal, oil, and natural gas, has been a key driver behind this, providing the underlying driver for the production and use of non-fossil alternative fuels that can help reduce emissions.

While progress is being made in the power sector with the integration of renewable power sources, and in light-duty on-road transport with battery electric vehicles, other sectors have been slower to adopt low-carbon technologies. See the report «Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea and Air 2021-2041» for IDTechEx’s latest research on electric vehicles. Electrification is key to any low-carbon strategy, providing the most efficient means to utilize renewable power sources. However, complete electrification is unlikely to be feasible for areas such as heating, shipping, or aviation. Taking aviation as an example, this can be easily understood given the much lower energy density of battery technology compared to kerosene (a major component of jet-fuel). Instead, sustainable gaseous and liquid fuels are going to be needed, with two main routes available: biofuels and synthetic electro-fuels (e-fuels), including green hydrogen.

Biofuels are widely used today, primarily by blending bioethanol and biodiesel for on-road transport fuels. To date, food crops have been the major feedstock. Sugars can be fermented to produce ethanol, while transesterification of vegetable oils produces biodiesel. Longer-term, more advanced feedstocks from cellulosic or woody feedstocks, or from waste materials, can help limit the impact on land use, competition with food production, and minimize lifecycle emissions from biofuel production. Nevertheless, concerns remain over the true sustainability biofuels offer and limits on feedstock availability.

An alternative to biofuels may therefore be needed and electro-fuels (e-fuels or synthetic e-fuels) could provide an alternative means to produce drop-in liquid and gaseous fuels. Electro-fuels, or e-fuels, consist of fuels that are produced using hydrogen from water electrolysis, referring to the process rather than the fuel itself, and incorporates the terms power-to-X, X being a gaseous or liquid product. Hydrogen itself can be considered an e-fuel, along with methane and ammonia as other power-to-gas fuels. However, H2 in particular is difficult to store and transport and, even liquid H2, has a comparatively low volumetric energy density. As such, liquid fuels are likely to be preferred for hard to abate transport sectors. Drop-in liquid fuels, such as gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel (power-to-liquid), can be obtained by combining hydrogen with a carbon source, such as from direct-air-capture (DAC). While there are various routes to produce a final e-fuel, many will rely on syngas, a combination of H2 + CO, as an intermediate. Syngas can be produced through the combination of H2 and CO2 in a water gas shift reactor and further processed into drop-in fuels, though it is also possible to produce syngas directly, for example, though co-electrolysis of CO2 and steam. Methanol may be another important intermediate, produced either from syngas or again, directly via electrochemical or thermochemical routes, to be used as a fuel additive or as a precursor to a variety of fuels and chemicals. See the brand new IDTechEx report «Sustainable Alternative Fuels: 2021-2031«.

Conversion from hydrogen to fuels such as methane or liquid fuels will be beneficial by allowing easier transport and distribution and their ability to act as a drop-in replacements to current fossil fuels. However, e-fuel synthesis presents additional process steps and energy consumption requirements, resulting in high capital costs and inefficient use of input energy compared to the direct use of electrical power, in addition to the relatively low efficiency of the fuel combustion itself e.g., an ICE will be only 20-30% efficient compared to a battery at >90% or a fuel cell, which can operate at efficiencies above 60%. This concern is exacerbated if the carbon source stems from CO2 captured from DAC, which provides the greatest flexibility in plant location but also results in greater energy consumption compared to point-source-capture from industrial sources. 

Irrespective of the route taken to e-fuel production, electrolyzer technology will be key, not only for H2 production but potentially as a means for CO2 reduction and production of syngas or multi-carbon products. However, electrolyzers are currently expensive whilst the economic case for both H2 and e-fuel production are likely to be entirely dependent on low-cost electricity. As such, electrolyzers used for e-fuel production may be reliant on using low-cost power at periods of low demand or excess production i.e., electrolyzers will be operated dynamically. Indeed, the possibility of production being able to help integrate variable renewable power by operating at periods of high production/low demand is often cited as a benefit of e-fuels. Currently though, electrolyzers are generally operated under relatively steady-state conditions. Operating dynamically can lead to lower efficiencies and higher levels of degradation, reducing the operating lifetime of the electrolyzer stack. There are various reasons for this, for example, high voltages can increase corrosion, while dynamic operation can cause pressure, temperature, or potential differentials, which can induce mechanical stresses and accelerate catalyst dissolution and degradation. Operation of an electrolyzer system of course also requires simultaneous operation of various pumps, compressors, heating units, and gas separators, all of which could limit the level of dynamic operation that is possible. The above points are particularly true for high temperature solid-oxide-electrolysis-cells (SOEC), which need to be heated to >650 °C, and alkaline electrolyzers. While proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) electrolyzers are expected to be better suited to dynamic operation, cost reduction will still be needed and if catalyst loadings are reduced as a way to do this, durability may again be impacted. Reliance on variable power will also lead to lower utilization factors, i.e., operating below full capacity, leading to higher lifetime costs. For more on electrolyzer technology for e-fuel production, see IDTechEx’s latest report «Sustainable Alternative Fuels: 2021-2031«.

In short, e-fuels offer the possibility of distributed fuel production reliant only on the supply of electricity. However, improvements to electrolyzer technology are likely to be necessary to enable them to truly use low-cost, surplus renewable power. There are various issues that need to be addressed before e-fuels can offer a significant contribution to global energy needs but they are one of only a limited number of options for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors, ensuring development is likely to continue.

IDTechEx provides research on a range of emerging technologies and markets, including e-fuels, the hydrogen economy, battery technology, and electric vehicles. For the full portfolio of Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage market research available from IDTechEx, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research.  

Images download: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7rjln1lynqpto9t/AAAHWi53A0eZekHgbULkbLYPa?dl=0 

About IDTechEx
IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com.

Media Contact:
Natalie Moreton
Digital Marketing Manager
press@IDTechEx.com
+44(0)1223 812300

Social Media Links:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/IDTechEx
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/idtechex/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IDTechExResearch

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SOURCE IDTechEx

Dandelion Raises $30 Million Series B Led By Breakthrough Energy Ventures

PEEKSKILL, N.Y., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Dandelion Energy, the nation’s leading home geothermal company, announced today the close of a $30 million Series B round of funding, bringing the company’s total funding to $65 million. The raise was led by…

PEEKSKILL, N.Y., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Dandelion Energy, the nation’s leading home geothermal company, announced today the close of a $30 million Series B round of funding, bringing the company’s total funding to $65 million. The raise was led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures with participation from existing investors, including GV, NEA, Lennar Corporation, Collaborative Fund, Building Ventures, Catchlight Ventures, and GroundUp.

Dandelion Energy raises $30 Million Series B led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures.

More than 70% of energy usages in homes comes from heating, cooling, and water heating. Installing a Dandelion Geothermal Heating & Cooling System can reduce a home’s carbon emissions by as much as 80%, all while eliminating the need to buy heating fuel. Dandelion’s innovative business model aligns federal, state, and utility incentives so that homeowners can upgrade to geothermal for less than they’re currently paying to heat and cool their home. This new investment enables the company to expand operations, while continuing to invest in research and development which has made Dandelion the industry leader.

«Through a combination of technology, data and operations, Dandelion is making geothermal heating and cooling cost-effective for the residential market, and working to solve a critical need for homeowners and our energy ecosystem,» said Carmichael Roberts, Breakthrough Energy Ventures. «Dandelion’s geothermal heat pumps provide an efficient electric heating and cooling system that lowers the cost of heating and cooling for homeowners, no matter their region or climate. We’re looking forward to working with Dandelion as they look to fully displace fossil fuels from the home’s heating and cooling systems.»                        

This news closely follows a momentous 2020 year for the company, marked by a $12 million Series A-1 in January 2020 and an expansion of operations into Connecticut. In 2020, Dandelion also developed a fully virtual sales and design process and surpassed 100,000 tons of carbon emissions avoided.

«Breakthrough Energy Ventures is the leading climate tech investor, and we could not be more thrilled to welcome them to Dandelion,» said Michael Sachse, Dandelion’s CEO. «We always knew that geothermal was the single best thing you can do for your home from a sustainability perspective. Dandelion has proven that geothermal is a cost-effective option for consumers that can be delivered at scale. Now we look forward to partnering with BEV and our existing investors to expand our reach, deepen our research and development, and bring sustainable heat to the millions of homes that need it.»

A homeowner can upgrade to geothermal for $0 down, and as little as $150/month. Click here to find out if your home qualifies for a Dandelion Geothermal Heating & Cooling System. Dandelion is hiring for a number of roles, take a look at our Careers page if you’re interested in joining our growing team.                                        

About Dandelion:                
Dandelion is on a mission to enable the widespread adoption of geothermal by creating a smarter, more affordable and more innovative approach than any other heating/cooling system on the market. The Dandelion team began working on creating more cost-effective geothermal solutions while working at Google parent company Alphabet’s X lab and in May of 2017, Dandelion launched as an independent company. To learn more, visit www.dandelionenergy.com, and follow them on Facebook @dandelionhomeenergy and on Twitter @DandelionEnergy.

About Breakthrough Energy Ventures
Backed by many of the world’s top business leaders, Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) invests in cutting-edge companies that will lead the world to net-zero emissions. BEV has more than $2 billion in committed capital to support bold entrepreneurs building companies that can significantly reduce emissions from agriculture, buildings, electricity, manufacturing, and transportation. BEV’s strategy links government-funded research and patient, risk-tolerant capital to bring transformative clean energy innovations to market as quickly as possible.

Press Contact:
Jenna Guarneri
JMG Public Relations                    
jenna@jmgpr.com
212-206-1645  

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SOURCE Dandelion Energy

Trimark Awarded SCADA for World’s Largest PV+BESS Project

FOLSOM, Calif., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Trimark Associates, Inc. is proud to announce our involvement in the Edwards & Sanborn project, the world’s largest solar-plus-storage (PV+BESS) project currently under construction. Located in Kern County, California, the project…

FOLSOM, Calif., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Trimark Associates, Inc. is proud to announce our involvement in the Edwards & Sanborn project, the world’s largest solar-plus-storage (PV+BESS) project currently under construction. Located in Kern County, California, the project weighs in at 1,118 megawatts (MW) of solar and 2,165 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy storage.

The project is owned by Terra-Gen, while Mortenson Construction acts as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor for both the solar and storage. Terra-Gen and Mortenson selected Trimark as a subcontractor for the SCADA portion of the project, which also includes meteorological («Met») stations, networking equipment, and a Dynamic Loss Compensation (DLC) system to address Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) requirements. Trimark will also provide complex metering, including CAISO-compliant revenue meters (under a separate contract with Electrical Consultants Inc.).

The latest in a long line of utility-scale PV+BESS SCADA installations under Trimark’s care, Edwards & Sanborn is a massive undertaking, but one that Trimark’s talents are perfectly suited for. Mark Morosky, Trimark’s President and CEO, is excited for Trimark’s involvement: «We’re very proud that Terra-Gen has placed their confidence in Trimark to provide our expertise and skills to control and monitor Edwards-Sanborn, which will be the largest project of its kind in the world. Terra-Gen has relied on Trimark for the last twenty years, and can rely on our team to make them a success for the next twenty.»

The design phase is already underway, with installation planned for the beginning of June. The process will be a long haul, more so than most: site construction just started this month, and is expected to be completed sometime in Q4 of 2022.

Selecting a SCADA system for a utility-scale generation site is no simple decision—especially when that site happens to be the largest PV+BESS site ever constructed. However, both Terra-Gen and Mortenson knew they could count on Trimark’s reputation for quality work, having worked with us on other large scale utility projects.

About Trimark

Trimark Associates, Inc. (Trimark) delivers industry-leading solutions to allow real-time operational control, enable informed management of power production operations, and ensure regulatory compliance. Trimark’s turnkey products, engineering, and customer support services control, measure, and manage all aspects of power production that utility-scale power producers require to maintain peak business performance.

About Mortenson

Mortenson Construction is a private U.S.-based construction company headquartered in Minneapolis. Founded in 1954, Mortenson provides project planning, design, program management, preconstruction, general contracting, construction management, and turnkey solutions. Mortenson’s project portfolio is one of the largest of any EPC.

About Terra-Gen

Terra-Gen is an owner, operator and developer of utility-scale renewable and clean energy assets, including wind, solar, energy storage, and geothermal generation facilities. Established in 2007, Terra-Gen’s operating portfolio encompasses over 1,238 MW across the western United States.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Dean Schoeder, Chief Marketing Officer
916.350.2954
DSchoeder@trimarkassoc.com

 

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SOURCE Trimark

Eco Lips Revolutionizes Lip Balm Industry with First 100% Plant-Based, Plastic Free Tube

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The future of lip balm is 100% plastic-free. Eco Lips today is introducing Plant Pod, the first-ever environmentally sustainable lip balm tube that is made entirely from plants and looks, feels and functions like a plastic tube.

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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The future of lip balm is 100% plastic-free. Eco Lips today is introducing Plant Pod, the first-ever environmentally sustainable lip balm tube that is made entirely from plants and looks, feels and functions like a plastic tube.

Eco Lips – a certified B Corp – is the nations’ largest independent organic lip balm manufacturer – each year developing and manufacturing sustainably-produced branded and private label lip balms for millions of lips worldwide. It introduces Plant Pod at a moment when consumers are looking for more plant-based, sustainable products in all aspects of their lives.

«Eco Lips doesn’t give lip service to sustainability — we live it every day, from our organic and fair trade ingredient sourcing, manufacturing running on 100% renewable energy, and now our NEW 100% plastic free packaging, we’re truly ‘eco’ in every sense of the word,» said Steve Shriver, founder and CEO of Eco Lips. «But, plastic. PLASTIC! We couldn’t make a truly sturdy Eco Lips container without it. It was like a fly buzzing around a perfect picnic plate.»

«Now, with Plant Pod, we’re reaching that next level, and look forward to a zero-plastic future,» he added.

Eco Lips’ plant-based tubes are available today via online order and will begin appearing at retail in the next several months.

What Zero Plastic Truly Means
«With the absence of plastic and fossil fuel-based ingredients, we are dramatically reducing our carbon footprint and decreasing the production and disposal of plastic,» Shriver added. «Not to mention, because plants absorb CO2 before harvest, they reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This move not only aligns with our values as a company but satisfies the ever-growing demand for environmentally conscious products.»

About Eco Lips 
Founded in 2003, Eco Lips is the original organic lip balm. They manufacture the best USDA organic and Fair Trade Certified™ lip care products FOR the world using 100% renewable energy. Eco Lips products are Non-GMO Project Verified, Leaping Bunny Certified, and gluten-free. Eco Lips is a certified B Corporation focused on the triple bottom line – people, planet, and profit. Private Label and Contract Manufacturing is also available. To learn more, visit www.ecolips.com or call 866.326.5477.

Media can access images here.

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SOURCE Eco Lips

HBG Design Celebrates the Completion of the new Canopy by Hilton Memphis Hotel

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Nationally recognized hospitality design firm, HBG Design, Memphis/San Diego, is excited to announce the hotel opening and formal completion of its architectural design and construction administration services for the new Canopy by Hilton Memphis Hotel in downtown Memphis, Tn. The official grand opening was held on September 8,…

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Nationally recognized hospitality design firm, HBG Design, Memphis/San Diego, is excited to announce the hotel opening and formal completion of its architectural design and construction administration services for the new Canopy by Hilton Memphis Hotel in downtown Memphis, Tn. The official grand opening was held on September 8, 2020, with reservations launched in November 2020. The Memphis property is the 24th Canopy by Hilton hotel to open in the world. 

One of Hilton’s most acclaimed upper upscale, full-service international brands, Canopy is a lifestyle concept hotel designed to immerse guests in the unique characteristics of host cities and neighborhoods, while attracting local residents to the public spaces. True to its brand promise, the Memphis Canopy brings a fresh urbane flair to its 174 hotel guestrooms, the ‘Curfew’ indoor/outdoor restaurant and bar, and multiple open lounge spaces, while adding conference and meeting space and underground valet parking to the downtown core. 

«Located at a gateway into downtown Memphis, at the prime intersection of Union Avenue and B.B. King Boulevard, the Canopy Memphis hotel forms a distinctive modern first impression for visitors coming to enjoy the area’s abundant dining and entertainment options,» says Danny Valle, AIA, Principal at HBG Design, «including the city’s significant destinations–The Peabody Hotel, AutoZone Park, Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous, the legendary barbeque restaurant, and the world-famous Beale Street entertainment district.»

The five-story hotel’s architectural design was impressively noted by Memphis’ Design Review Board for its «lack of ego by either architect or owner» and its aesthetic deference to allowing its «exuberant, civically important neighbors» to shine as the main act at one of Memphis’ most vibrant corners.

«To achieve its understated design intent, charcoal gray color variations were used on the exterior to balance the rich brick, wood, and concrete material palette and provide neutrality for the well composed fenestrations on the main elevation,» says Nathan Peak, AIA, Principal / Design Director at HBG Design. «A lighter gray metal distinguishes the corner façade immediately fronting this important intersection and provides a muted contemporary backdrop for Canopy’s signature orange logo signage.»

Two large skylights stream natural light into the central lobby. The interior design by Sawyer + Company, New York, was influenced by Memphis culture and history with nods to the area’s iconic music legacy and riverfront industry. Montgomery Martin served as general contractor. Visit www.hbg.design.  

 

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SOURCE HBG Design

ZKW se expande y genera más de mil millones de euros en ingresos

WIESELBURG, Austria, 17 de febrero de 2021 /PRNewswire/ — El Grupo ZKW, especialista en sistemas de iluminación y electrónica innovadores de calidad superior, que opera instalaciones norteamericanas en Troy, Michigan, y Silao, México, está ampliando su red internacional. A principios de mayo, el Grupo ZKW sumará una nueva oficina de desarrollo en Olomouc/República Checa y una oficina de ventas y desarrollo en Shanghái a sus 10 instalaciones internacionales existentes. La nueva sucursal…

WIESELBURG, Austria, 17 de febrero de 2021 /PRNewswire/ — El Grupo ZKW, especialista en sistemas de iluminación y electrónica innovadores de calidad superior, que opera instalaciones norteamericanas en Troy, Michigan, y Silao, México, está ampliando su red internacional. A principios de mayo, el Grupo ZKW sumará una nueva oficina de desarrollo en Olomouc/República Checa y una oficina de ventas y desarrollo en Shanghái a sus 10 instalaciones internacionales existentes. La nueva sucursal de Olomouc prestará apoyo a la red mundial de ingeniería, a la vez que se ocupará de otras tareas de desarrollo para aumentar las operaciones existentes en Austria. Durante la expansión inicial, se crearán 50 nuevos puestos de trabajo bajo el objetivo de la empresa de emplear a más de 100 especialistas para 2023. La nueva oficina de ventas y desarrollo en Shanghái brindará apoyo a la instalación actual de ZKW en Dalian. Estos pasos de expansión ponen de relieve la exitosa trayectoria del Grupo ZKW. A pesar de la pandemia y el difícil entorno económico, el Grupo logró generar ingresos por 1.030 millones de euros en 2020. «Pudimos mantener la producción en nuestras instalaciones a través de un gran esfuerzo de la organización y demostrando una excelente flexibilidad. Agradecemos nuestro éxito al excelente trabajo en equipo y el compromiso de todos nuestros empleados. Ahora, seguiremos creciendo a través de nuestra huella de desarrollo global», comenta Oliver Schubert, director ejecutivo del Grupo ZKW.

Fuerza de trabajo local
Con su nueva oficina de desarrollo en Olomouc, ZKW está aplicando su estrategia de utilizar el suministro local de mano de obra y la experiencia automotriz en las instalaciones. Olomouc es sede de la segunda universidad más antigua de la República Checa, y además tiene su propio departamento de tecnología de iluminación. Esto garantiza que los nuevos empleados de ZKW tengan una profunda experiencia técnica. Además, la región de Olomouc cuenta con una larga tradición en el desarrollo y la fabricación de faros automotrices. «La región ofrece una fuerza de trabajo altamente calificada, que pensamos utilizar para nuestro desarrollo de sistemas de iluminación de primera calidad. Actualmente, estamos buscando ingenieros experimentados de la industria automotriz en las áreas de luz, diseño, electrónica y software», dice Schubert.

Más cerca de los clientes
La nueva oficina de ventas y desarrollo en Shanghái brindará apoyo a la instalación actual de ZKW en Dalian. «Esta es una decisión estratégica que busca acercarnos a nuestros clientes, como SGM y Volvo», indica Schubert. Además de las tareas de ventas y desarrollo, los colegas de la nueva oficina de 200 m2 (2.152 pies2) también apoyarán las actividades de compra del Grupo. Cinco empleados serán contratados inicialmente en abril de 2021. Más adelante, se pretende aumentar la fuerza de trabajo a un total de 15 especialistas para 2022.

El exitoso año fiscal a pesar de la pandemia del coronavirus
A pesar de la pandemia y la difícil situación económica global, el Grupo ZKW sigue estando bien posicionado para enfrentar futuros desafíos. El equipo de trabajo de la empresa especialmente dedicado al coronavirus está coordinando el mantenimiento de la cadena de suministro dentro del Grupo. A fines de 2020, la empresa recibió 150 millones de euros en financiamiento por parte del Banco Europeo de Inversiones (BEI). ZKW utilizará esos fondos para ampliar sus actividades de innovación, que son clave para el éxito del Grupo. Además, ZKW planea invertir en fabricación sostenible y desarrollo ecológico; por ejemplo, invirtiendo en sistemas de energía eficiente en la planta de Krušovce en Eslovaquia. «Nuestros libros de pedidos ciertamente se ven muy sólidos para los próximos tres años. ZKW espera establecer un nuevo récord de ingresos en 2022. Nos enorgullece tener el mayor volumen de pedidos en la historia de la empresa y nos sentimos optimistas con respecto al futuro. Estamos seguros de que podremos manejar desafíos como la digitalización, la presión competitiva y la sostenibilidad junto a nuestros empleados», comenta Schubert, de cara al futuro.

Acerca de ZKW
El Grupo ZKW es especialista en sistemas de iluminación y dispositivos electrónicos innovadores de primera calidad. Como proveedor de sistemas, ZKW es un socio global de la industria automotriz. El Grupo desarrolla y produce productos basados en su lema «Bright Minds, Bright Lights» («Mentes brillantes, Luces brillantes»), que combina mentes brillantes con tecnologías de producción modernas para producir complejos módulos electrónicos y de iluminación de primera calidad para fabricantes automotrices internacionales. 
Nuestros principales productos incluyen sistemas de LED completos, potentes y rentables. El Grupo ZKW tiene un total de 12 instalaciones en todo el mundo, con desarrollo y producción coordinadas de manera inteligente. En 2020, el Grupo empleó a alrededor de 10.000 trabajadores y generó ingresos totales de 1.030 millones de euros. 
De acuerdo con la visión corporativa «Innovadores sistemas electrónicos y de iluminación de primera calidad de ZKW para todos los conceptos de movilidad de la industria automotriz global», el objetivo principal de la empresa es fabricar productos de alta tecnología y de la mejor calidad, además de promover el desarrollo de sistemas innovadores de iluminación integral. 
Con nuestros descubrimientos e invenciones, el Grupo corporativo ZKW hace que los vehículos sean más deseables, más únicos, más seguros y más eficientes en energía. 
Nuestra completísima cartera de productos incluye faros delanteros y focos neblineros, luces traseras, luces intermitentes, luces interiores y de placa de licencia, así como módulos electrónicos. Los principales fabricantes de automóviles confían a sus marcas los productos innovadores de ZKW. Estamos orgullosos de nuestros clientes, como BMW (BMW, Rolls Royce), DAIMLER (vehículos y camiones MERCEDES-BENZ), FORD (Lincoln, Ford), GEELY (Volvo, Polestar, Lynk & Co, Geely), GENERAL MOTORS (Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac), JLR (Jaguar, Land Rover), PSA (Opel, Citroen), RENAULT/NISSAN (Infiniti, Alpine), VGTT (Camiones Volvo, MACK) y VW (Audi, Porsche, Skoda, Lamborghini, MAN, VW, Seat). 
Con sistemas de iluminación inteligentes y estilo innovador, ZKW está dando forma a la apariencia y el carácter de los vehículos en todo el mundo.

Contacto de prensa: 
ZKW Group GmbH
Sandra Simeonidis-Huber
Comunicación con el Grupo
Tel: +43 7416 505 2051
sandra.simeonidis-huber@zkw-group.com
www.zkw-group.com

Las imágenes se pueden encontrar aquí: https://3kda3m2nmwh53ejt063u4hn3-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ZKW_Turnover_2020.zip

FUENTE ZKW Group

FMI Releases First Quarter Heavy Civil Construction Index

RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — FMI Corporation, the leading provider of consulting and investment banking services to the built environment, is pleased to announce the release of the first quarter 2021 <a target="_blank"…

RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — FMI Corporation, the leading provider of consulting and investment banking services to the built environment, is pleased to announce the release of the first quarter 2021 Heavy Civil Construction Index (HCCI) report, which presents construction spending forecasts for transportation, highway and street construction segments.

This quarter’s questions polled participants about capacity, backlog and hiring goals for 2021. Respondents were also asked to identify the current top economic risks and challenges as well as their top political and regulatory concerns for 2021.

Key findings from this quarter’s survey include:

  • Sentiment is improving, increasing from 43.3 to 44.9. However, the measure remains below 50, suggesting a continued pessimistic outlook.
  • Compared to last quarter, the general U.S. and regional economic outlooks retreated, while the book to burn metrics improved. Continued relaxation of government-mandated closures, increased hope for improving vaccination efforts, and the prospects for ongoing and increased government investment have not been enough to counter economic anxiety.
  • Though it is encouraging to find most contractors adding backlog faster than they are burning it, with only one-third experiencing a decline in this ratio, the trend may be a result of slower burn rates during winter months or an urgent effort to add backlog.
  • Survey findings also show that 85% of respondents are seeing an increase in competition and 60% are seeing lower bid prices, raising concerns about potential panic bidding scenarios.

Click here to access the full report.

About FMI

FMI is the leading provider of consulting and investment banking to the built environment. We provide services in the areas of strategy, leadership and organizational development, performance, technology and innovation, mergers and acquisitions, financial advisory and private equity financing.

For more information, please visit www.fminet.com.

Media Contact:
Liz Hester, FMI
919.785.9209
lhester@fminet.com

 

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SOURCE FMI Corporation