CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 9,2009 - PRNewswire-FirstCall - Provided by ProQuest LLC

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) today announced it will join forces with Cisco Systems Inc., the world’s largest network communications company, to fast- track development of Duke Energy’s state-of-the-art electric “smart grid.”

“Our goal is to rapidly transform the way electricity is delivered to, and used by, the 11 million people we serve in five states,” said Todd Arnold, senior vice president for smart grid and customer systems at Duke Energy, America’s third-largest electric utility.

The three-year partnership is the latest development in Duke Energy’s effort to rapidly convert its existing electricity delivery infrastructure into an advanced smart grid that uses two-way digital communication to reduce energy usage, improve efficiency, bolster system reliability, detect power outages, and integrate solar and other renewable energy sources into the electric grid.

Cisco, working closely with Duke Energy, will develop a highly refined, end-to-end, smart grid communications architecture - one that both companies believe will be among the most comprehensive and interoperable in the electric utility industry.

The newly created architecture will be based on what the industry calls “internet protocol-based open standards” - an approach that permits easy accommodation of new and emerging communications technology as it becomes available in future years.

“Internet protocol-based open standards are key to creating a smart, highly-secure backbone for the nation’s modern electrical grid,” said Marthin De Beer, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco’s Emerging Technologies Group.

The two companies will jointly evaluate a variety of smart grid communications hardware and software, and oversee installation and testing of selected equipment and software throughout Duke Energy’s electric grid.

In addition, Cisco will work with Duke Energy to develop and install home energy management devices to help customers control and reduce their electricity consumption.

The two companies also will test a new generation of durable, weather-proof communications equipment designed for use at Duke Energy’s electric substations.

“Replacing our analog electric grid with advanced digital technology to create a 21st century electricity delivery system largely involves data, networks and communications - all of it Cisco’s expertise,” Arnold said.

“Partnering with Cisco is central to Duke Energy’s plan to build an ‘energy internet’ that will improve electricity delivery, strengthen grid security, lessen our company’s environmental impact, and help customers reduce their electricity usage,” he said.

In Ohio, Duke Energy later this year will launch a five-year mass deployment of smart grid technology, including more than 700,000 electric smart meters and 450,000 natural gas smart meters.

In Indiana, Duke Energy is seeking approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to install extensive smart grid technology, including approximately 800,000 smart meters.

Duke Energy yesterday announced it had reached a settlement agreement with the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor and key consumer and business groups regarding the company’s Indiana smart grid proposal.

In addition to smart meters, Duke Energy plans to install a large amount of distribution automation - both hardware and software - to improve system efficiency and reliability on its electric grid in both Indiana and Ohio.

The company also is laying the groundwork to bring large-scale smart grid technology to three other states it serves - North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky.

“Working with innovative industry leaders like Duke Energy, Cisco will deliver an end-to-end network infrastructure from power plant to customer in order to manage electricity supply and consumption both efficiently and in an environmentally responsible manner,” said Cisco’s De Beer.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. The company’s web address is www.duke-energy.com. San Jose, Calif.-based Cisco is a Fortune 500 company traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol CSCO. Its web address is www.cisco.com.

Paul Iskalo, founder and CEO of Iskalo Development Corp., stands on the site of a 82,000-square-foot, multi-tenant office building under construction on North Forest Road in Amherst.

Developer seeks LEED certificationfor Amherst project

By Jonathan D. Epstein -BUFFALO NEWS BUSINESS REPORTER 6/1/2009

Paul B. Iskalo’s new multi-tenant office building on North Forest Road should be ready for occupancy in late fall, even as the Williamsville developer prepares to start a new project at the former Kane Doyle Jeep Eagle dealership in Kenmore.

The 82,000-square-foot, three-story office building at 2410 N. Forest Road is under construction. The $15 million project is located next to the University Ramada Inn, at the intersection with John J. Audubon Parkway, next to the University at Buffalo’s North Campus.

The new building will feature an atrium on the third floor, where law firm HoganWillig will be located, and an on-site fitness center. It also will have an additional underground level for 50 enclosed parking spaces, with a self-service car wash in the basement.

And it will share additional surface parking with the Ramada, since the office building and hotel operate at different peak times of the day and week.

Most significantly, though, Iskalo Development Corp. is seeking to obtain “silver” certification for the building under the guidelines of the U. S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

That would give it a much-desired, Earth-friendly stamp of approval for its tenants, and make it the area’s first LEED-certified multi-tenant office building, Iskalo said.

It’s “affirmation that we made the right choices,” he said. It “will be of interest to those progressive businesses that understand that their corporate facilities play a critical role in maximizing the productivity of their employees which represent their greatest investment.”

Specifically, the new project will feature underfloor air distribution, with diffusers that allow convection to take the air up and clear away contaminants instead of using forced air through ceiling vents.

Ten-foot ceilings will also be standard throughout the building, with floor-to-ceiling glass to allow natural light to penetrate to the center. Office lights will dim during the day to conserve power, but ambient light sensors will activate them when it gets dark at night or because of storms. And the building comes with full backup power.

“We tried to go after the features and amenities that would show the most benefit for our tenants,” said Jonathan Gill, Iskalo’s marketing manager.

Also, Iskalo hopes to start work this summer on a mixed-use medical office and retail building in the former Kane Doyle dealership on Delaware Avenue, near Kenmore Avenue.

Plans call for putting up a 21,000-square-foot, two-story building at 2780 Delaware Avenue, with the facility and a surrounding L-shaped parking lot occupying the entire block in the Village of Kenmore. The firm is negotiating with several medical practices and prospective retail tenants, but has not lined any up, Iskalo said.

Iskalo also owns three-fourths of the next block, but has no plans yet for that space. “As demand warrants, we’ll put a second building up,” he said.

Finally, he’s still trying to finish leasing space at the recently completed $4.5 million medical office building at 52 South Union Road in Williamsville.

Both the North Forest and South Union projects received tax benefits from the Amherst Industrial Development Agency. So far, the North Forest building’s only signed occupant is HoganWillig, which will move its approximately 80 employees, including 28 attorneys, from directly across the street.

The law firm will expand from its 16,000 square feet now to 28,000 square feet, gaining more room and the ability to grow to 100 employees.

“It’s exciting on a lot of different fronts,” said Diane Tiveron, managing partner. “We need more room, there’s no doubt about it. But we do foresee expansion as well.”

The trio of projects mark the latest development efforts by the 42-year-old Iskalo, a Kenmore native who got his start in real estate while a student at University of Rochester.

Perhaps most visible among his projects is the Electric Tower downtown. Iskalo purchased the 14-story former office of Niagara Mohawk in 2004 and began renovations in 2006 after the utility moved out. It was rededicated, with a restored lobby, in August 2007. The building is 60 percent occupied.

jepstein@buffnews.com

The Swedish company EcoEnergy Scandinavia and the Ukrainian government signed an agreement on June 15 to construct and operate waste incineration plants in the country.

“With state of the art technology, these plants will lead to large environmental advantages as well as a new cost efficient energy source for Ukraine,” the company said in its media release.

EcoEnergy will construct and operate up to 14 local plants for incineration of all sorts of waste to produce electricity, heating/cooling and biogas. The environmentally friendly technology used by the company enables carbon dioxide neutral production and operation.

EcoEnergy said it intended to bring third party investors and partners to speed up the implementation of its ambition plan that requires an investment of up to 20 billion euros. The project for the first two cities is planned to start up in the second half of this year.

“High-tech waste-to-energy plants will give us access to a renewable energy source that will be developed in a larger scale – something that will contribute to an increased independence regarding energy supply and for the country as a whole,” said Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

EcoEnergy is a Swedish supplier of waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities. The company’s engineering team has been involved in the construction of most of the large scale WTE facilities in Sweden during the last decade.

March 19, 2007

SunPower makes the best solar panels in the world and Kaco makes the best inverters in the world and Direct Power and Water makes the best mounting systems in the world, according to new research conducted by ENF among directors of photovoltaic installation companies in 45 different countries.

The directors were asked to name which brands of photovoltaic components they have purchased in the last 12 months, and rate the products for their quality and value for money.  An average of these two scores has been used to find the companies whose customers thought most highly of their products. 

The top ranking companies receiving awards are:

Solar Panels
No.1 in World -? SunPower (USA)
No.2 in World -? Schott Solar (Germany)
No.3 in World -? SolarWorld (Germany)

Best Product Quality -? Sanyo (Japan)

Best Value for Money -? Suntech (China)

Solar Inverters
No.1 in World -? Kaco (Germany)
No.2 in World -? OutBack (USA)
No.3 in World -? Mastervolt (USA)

Best Product Quality -? OutBack (USA)

Best Value for Money -? Kaco (Germany)

Solar Mounting Systems
No.1 in World -? Direct Power and Water (USA)
No.2 in World -? UniRac (USA)
No.3 in World -? SchA?A??A?AA¼co (Germany)

Solar Trackers
No.1 in World -? Zomeworks (USA)

Solar PV Systems
No.1 in World -? Sharp (Japan)

The research found that 49 percent of companies thought the cell brand in a panel was important, and the most commonly named cell brands that installation companies thought were high quality were Sharp, Q-Cells and BP Solar.

Another key finding was that the average price installers paid for their solar panels in 2006 was $4.16 per Watt.  Installers in Europe paid on average 10 percent more for their panels than installers in Asia Pacific.

« Peterbilt, Eaton, Wal-Mart Partner on Heavy-Duty Truck

By Jonathan D. Epstein – BUFFALO NEWS BUSINESS REPORTER 06/30/09

A Williamsville firm will handle most of the work on a $7.5 million contract to install a massive solar panel system at the University at Buffalo, designed to provide “green” energy to student apartments, the New York Power Authority said Monday.

Solar Liberty will work in conjunction with a Canadian firm to set up the system, which officials called the largest solar installation at any college or university in the state, and one of the largest on any U. S. campus.

It’s part of a new emphasis by the Power Authority and the state on renewable energy, and on lessening the state’s dependence on fossil fuels, officials said. And it will lead to the creation of what officials called “green” jobs that can’t be exported overseas.

The proposed contract, which still faces approval by the Power Authority board, calls for the installation of a 1.1-megawatt solar photovoltaic system on UB’s North Campus in Amherst. The project includes about 5,000 solar panels that will generate 1.3 million kilowatt hours of energy annually. That will power 735 apartments at UB’s Flint Village, housing more than 2,000 students. One megawatt typically powers 1,000 homes.

The contract, which was subject to competitive bidding, will technically be awarded to Simcoe, Ont.- based DeCloet Greenhouse Manufacturing. However, 80 percent of the contract, or up to $6 million, will go to Solar Liberty.

Power Authority President and CEO Richard Kessel said Monday that he will ask the authority’s board to approve the contract for Solar Liberty at the board’s regular meeting today, to be held at the Niagara Power Project’s Power Vista in Lewiston. Although the decision is not yet final, Kessel said he had spoken to many of the directors and said they are in favor.

“They think this is exactly what the Power Authority should be doing,” said Kessel. “This is the first of many projects we’ll be doing in Western New York.”

Under the contract, Solar Liberty, headquartered at 6225 Sheridan Drive in the Sheridan Meadows office complex, will purchase the panels and other equipment and provide the local labor to install the ground-mounted system. DeCloet, a greenhouse maker with expertise in laying fields of equipment in the ground, will provide technical expertise and supervision, but the work will be handled by Solar Liberty.

The panels will be installed at four feet off the ground, at a pitched angle facing south, and will occupy six acres near the campus’ chilling plant. Each panel is about 15 square feet. They can generate electricity even through a few inches of snow, but the top surface is glass with no friction so snow will slide off with a little heat.

Construction could start in August and it’s slated for completion by fall 2010, though Kessel said it could be ready sooner.

Solar Liberty, which employs 14, said it expects to hire another 10 to 15 installation workers, who will be paid between $35 and $50 an hour, as well as some more administrative staff to work in its offices.

The UB project is expected to be the largest ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system in the state. It’s part of a $21 million renewable energy program by the Power Authority that officials said will focus on Western New York and the North Country.

Founded by Rizzo, a UB Law School graduate, and his brother Nathan, Solar Liberty is one of the largest solar electric “integrators” and installers in the state. It serves government, nonprofit, education, commercial and residential customers.

In addition to its main office here, it has an office in Syracuse, and installation crews working around the state. It also serves installers nationally through a wholesale division.

jepstein@buffnews.com

Sunworks Pledges to Create 175 Jobs

By James Heaney - BUFFALO NEWS STAFF REPORTER - 7/01/09 

The state Power Authority has awarded a large block of low-cost hydropower to a fledgling California company that plans to build a plant in Western New York to manufacture solar panels.

Sunworks Solar plans to spend $200 million to build a plant that would employ 175. The New York Power Authority on Tuesday agreed to allocate five megawatts of hydropower, which it will sell to the San Francisco-based company for about one-quarter the market rate.

The plant would build large solar panels for utilities. Pay would range from $40,000 to over $100,000 a year, depending on the position.

Company officials said they have not yet selected a site, but that it would be in Western New York. A construction timetable is also up in the air. Work could start as soon as next spring.

The company was founded last year and does not operate a plant, but is in negotiations to build several in differing locales.

Sunworks Solar would be one of the larger buyers of low-cost hydropower from the authority. The five megawatt allocation is the fifth-largest made by the authority since 2006 and is eight-times larger than the typical allocation made by the authority during that period.

The deal would save the company an estimated $1.6 million a year, or $9,352 per job. By contract, the average deal made by the authority since 2006 provides annual savings of $11,833 per job.

The deal also compares favorably in terms of the amount of private investment the power leverages. On average, deals done by NYPA since 2006 produce $11,451 of investment for each kilowatt allocated. The Sunworks deal would generate nearly four times more investment, or $40,000.

The allocation marks the continuation of a trend by the authority to earmark large blocks of power to green manufacturing concerns.

In recent years, the authority has committed 40 megawatts to Globe Metals, which is refurbishing a plant in Niagara Falls to produce metallurgical-grade silicon for use in the manufacture of solar panels, and five megawatts each to ethanol plants proposed for Buffalo and Niagara Falls.

None of those facilities are operating yet, however. Globe is still overhauling its plant and the ethanol plants are still on the drawing board.

In the meantime, the authority is selling the allocated, but unused power at market rates and keeping the proceeds. U. S. Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, is pressing the authority to keep those proceeds in Western New York.

jheaney@buffnews.com