Awards and Honors, Business, Free News Articles, Government

NAES Southampton Power Station in Franklin, Virginia Receives the Virginia ‘Star’ Designation Under the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry’s Voluntary Protection Programs

RICHMOND, Va. -- Commissioner C. Ray Davenport announced today that NAES Southampton Power Station in Franklin, Virginia, has been recertified as a Virginia STAR Worksite under the Virginia's Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP), the agency's highest level of recognition for excellence in safety and health management systems. The facility was honored with its fourth recertification since being originally certified on December 13, 2004. NAES operates the biomass fueled Southampton Power Station which is owned by Dominion Energy, Inc.

"This outstanding achievement in occupational safety and health has come through the dedication and hard work of NAES Southampton Power Station employees and management. I commend NAES Southampton Power Station for embracing the cooperative spirit of VPP, and congratulate them on their hard earned recertification as a Virginia STAR Worksite," said Commissioner Davenport.

NAES Southampton Power Station's commitment to providing a safe and healthy workplace for its employees is demonstrated by its low injury and illness rates. The Franklin facility has a total three-year average for the TCIR (Total Case Incident Rate for injuries and illnesses) of 0.0 compared with a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) national rate of 6.4, representing a TCIR rate 100% lower than the national average for the industry. The site's three-year average DART rate (Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred injury and illness cases) is 0.0, compared with the national rate of 2.1, which is 100% below the national average for the industry.

As part of the recognition for achieving Virginia STAR status under VPP, the worksite is entitled to fly the Virginia "STAR Worksite" flag. The NAES Southampton Power Station facility is the only STAR Worksite in Virginia for NAES and is one of two NAES VPP STAR sites currently in the United States.

Virginia businesses that participate in VPP substantially improve safety and health protections for thousands of Virginia employees through cooperative efforts to reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatal accidents. VPP STAR sites regularly report decreased bottom line costs associated with dramatically reduced injury and illness rates (an average of approximately 50% below the respective industry average), and improved productivity and employee morale. Reducing private sector employer costs associated with injuries, illnesses, and fatal accidents enhances a company's economic viability, competitiveness, and increases available capital for reinvestment, expansion, and new hiring.

VOSH operates six recognition programs. These include:

1 - Virginia STAR is a cooperative relationship between the VOSH program, the employer, and the employees that include the agreement of company leaders to operate exceptional safety and health management systems that meet a rigorous set of occupational safety and health criteria. Participating employers agree to voluntarily participate in the program and to directly involve employees in all aspects of the company's safety and health management systems. Requirements include an extensive application process, submission of written safety and health policies and procedures, demonstration of successful implementation of those programs through injury and illness rates that are below the national average for the employer's industry, and an intensive weeklong inspection by a team of VPP experts.

2 - Virginia BEST (Building Excellence in Safety, Health and Training) is a strategic partnership between the DOLI and the Associated General Contractors of Virginia that recognizes AGCVA members who voluntarily implement highly effective safety and health management systems to benefit construction workers and reduce or eliminate injuries, illnesses, and fatalities on construction sites in Virginia.

3 - Virginia BUILT is a new strategic partnership between the DOLI and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Virginia and is designed to encourage and recognize ABC-VA members who voluntarily implement highly effective safety and health management systems to benefit construction workers and reduce or eliminate injuries, illnesses, and fatalities on construction sites in Virginia. The Virginia BUILT program incorporates the ABC STEP program (Safety Training Evaluation Process) as the gateway to participation in Virginia BUILT.

4 - Virginia CHALLENGE is a formal three-stage recognition program that dramatically improves safety and health at the worksite and prepares the company to apply for Virginia STAR recognition.

5 - VOSH-VADOC CHALLENGE is a strategic partnership between the DOLI and the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) to recognize safety and health excellence at correctional facilities around the Commonwealth. Three stages of participation in VADOC Challenge prepare a site to apply for Virginia STAR recognition. Virginia has the only two correctional facilities in the nation to have received VPP STAR status, Augusta and Lunenburg Correctional Centers. For additional VPP information, contact Milford Stern, VPP Manager, at (540) 562-3580, ext. 123, or Milford.Stern@doli.virginia.gov.

6 - Virginia SHARP recognizes businesses of 250 employees or fewer and is administered by the DOLI VOSH Consultative Services Division. Contact Tracy Michaud, Consultation Program Manager, at (804) 786-8707 or tracy.michaud@doli.virginia.gov.

DOLI also offers free On-Site Consultation Services to help employers better understand and voluntarily comply with VOSH standards. Priority is given to high hazard workplaces with 250 or fewer employees and all services are offered to employers at no cost. On-Site Consultation Services helps employers identify and correct potential safety and health hazards by conducting walk-through surveys (without citations or penalties), abatement advice, on-site training, and program assistance to develop safety and health programs.

For additional information about On-Site Consultation Services visit https://www.doli.virginia.gov/vosh-programs/consultation/.

Related link: https://www.doli.virginia.gov/

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Business, Free News Articles, Product Launches

Technology Meets Tradition on A Monson Family Farm

MONSON, Mass. -- SunBug Solar, a Massachusetts-based solar solutions provider, has completed the construction of a dual-use solar-terra photovoltaic system in Monson, Massachusetts. The design of the system allows the local landowner to harvest both sun from above and crops from below on land which has been in the family for three generations.

The system, dubbed "Million Little Sunbeams," and owned by Monson native Nate Tassinari and his wife Ania, is the first operational dual-use agricultural photovoltaic (PV) system in the state.

Generally, solar projects on agricultural land face pushback because traditional solar systems cover the ground in a manner that significantly reduces the amount of available farmland. This project did not face this kind of opposition because a dual-use system doesn't replace crops, it works with them. The array is designed to allow sufficient sunlight for the crops and raised high enough in the air to allow tractors continued access underneath.

"It's a good compromise between the need for innovation and respecting the land," said Tassinari. "Plus, it's my backyard. I want it to be both functional and beautiful!"

Just like all operations on the farm, the system must be designed to make a profit. Designing Million Little Sunbeams to be the most efficient PV system possible required pairing together several innovative technologies.

Million Little Sunbeams features an East-West tracking system from RBI Solar. The array is designed with 20 ft row-spacing and a minimum panel height of 10 ft to improve performance and to allow tractors continued access. Dual-use systems use special solar photovoltaic (PV) racking to harvest power from the same sunlight that nourishes the crops that grow under the mounts. On typical PV systems, solar panels are fixed and so consume the energy from direct sunlight themselves, shading the ground below and rendering it not suitable for crops.

Additionally, the Million Little Sunbeams project uses Longi Perc bifacial panels which allows some solar energy to go through the panels reaching the plants below while capturing radiation on the opposite side of the panel as it bounces off the ground and crops below. Lightly colored crops, such as dry hay, are particularly helpful to this process.

Finally, per panel power optimizers mitigate factors such as shading and aging of the solar panels. Using SolarEdge optimizers, the maximum power point of every module is tracked individually. This advancement prevents one panel from slowing down the rest of the system from operating at full capacity.

The land where the solar array is located has been in his family since Nate's Grandmother bought it more than 70 years ago. The neighboring Murphy Dairy Farm, owned and operated by Nate's cousins, utilize the fields to help feed to their cattle. The Murphy Farm was established in the 1910s by Nate's Great Grandfather; Thomas F. Murphy. Today the farm grows hay, produces milk, and now hosts two types of honey-producing bees as well as a young orchard with variety of fruits, exemplifying the diversity of resources this land generates.

Tassinari had worked with SunBug to put solar on his home in Boston, and reached out to SunBug to see what could be done with this land. When SunBug designed a dual-use solar photovoltaic agricultural solution, Tassinari was able to reconcile tradition with technology, and named the project Million Little Sunbeams after a book by conservationist and author Thornton Burgess.

Tassinari will be able to provide power not just to his own home, but through the Community Solar SMART program, he will also have the opportunity to sell this green power back to the community. Participants save money on their utility bills by purchasing through MLS, and part of the proceeds will be donated to Norcross Wildlife.

The website for Million Little Sunbeams - Millionlittlesunbeams.com - is scheduled to go live on October 22, 2020. There, interested Monson residents and anyone who has National Grid as their electricity provider will be able to learn more and sign up to purchase energy fresh from the farm.

About SunBug Solar:

SunBug Solar is a local, Massachusetts owned-and-operated solar energy consulting and installation company with offices in Arlington and Westfield, Mass. SunBug Solar creates positive environmental and social impact by exemplifying our core values of responsiveness, resourcefulness, and reliability with our customers, within our industry, and among our teammates. Founded in 2009 and a Certified B Corporation.

Visit the website at: https://sunbugsolar.com/.

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*Caption: Bifacial solar panels allow crops to grow on this family farm while producing energy from the sun.

Related link: http://sunbugsolar.com/

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Business, Construction and Building, Free News Articles, HVAC Heating and Cooling

Berico Fuels Appoints Fourth Generation Company President

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Founded by W.N. Berry in 1924, Berico Fuels recently named its sixth Berry to be the company's president. Will Berry is fourth generation and does not take the position for granted.

Will did not originally set out to work in the family business. After getting his master's degree at Michigan State, he worked in the real estate development business for five years. Ready for a change, Will and his father, Tom Berry, Berico's current CEO, said that he and his son traveled the country studying franchises as they sought out new business opportunities together. They looked at the books and analyzed many different opportunities.

"After studying various franchises, my father and our other partner, John Fuquay, approached me on my interest in joining Berico," Will says. "After considerable thought I agreed to join Berico in 2011."

Since then, he's helped grow the multiple company divisions and has cultivated valuable employee relationships. He bought into the partnership in 2017.

"I could not have done any of this without the direction and mentorship of my father and John, the company's current Chairman of the Board. John gave 50 years of service to this business and he's one of the most dedicated people I know," Will says. "I've got some big shoes to fill."

With no signs of slowing down, Will is looking to a future of smart growth - one that focuses on company culture, values relationships and positions them as a regional energy leader. He's committed to Berico's mantra - "Always dependable" - and adds, "I will always work to keep our employees and our customers happy."

"I realized early on that I needed to give 120 percent effort to show the other employees I wasn't looking for the silver-spoon per-say," he says.

About Berico Fuels

Berico Fuels started out in the coal business delivering and servicing clients via its horse-drawn buggies. Today, it has more than 100 employees and has been through numerous acquisitions; six in the last six years. The company, and its subsidiaries, Alamance Oil and Carolina Fuels, deliver residential heating fuels and propane, commercial fuels and lubricants, and HVAC service within the Greensboro Triad Area.

Since its inception, Berico has tried to be the "always dependable" company for home comfort through its various avenues of business. Each generation of the business has been deeply rooted in giving back to the local community. Berico is particularly proud of its "Gift of Warmth" campaign, raising and matching over $50,000 in donations to the Salvation Army; helping the less fortunate to heat their homes each winter.

For more information: https://www.berico.com/

Related link: https://www.berico.com/

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Alliances and Partnerships, Business, Free News Articles

Aris Energy Solutions and Partners Win Dept of Energy Award to Advance Modular Fuel Cells from Development to Deployment

MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. -- Aris Energy Solutions announces that it has been selected for a Department of Energy funding award for its proposal "Modular Fuel Cells Providing Resiliency to Data Centers and Other Critical Power Users." Aris celebrates this $2.66 million 3-year award with its esteemed program partners - the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), West Virginia University (WVU), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Gaia Energy Research Institute, and Velocity Data Centers.

Steve Almeida, Aris' Director of Fuel Cells and CHP, commented: "We are grateful for this opportunity with the DOE, our partners, FCHEA and SOLIDpower to bring a Resilient fuel cell-based energy solution to the markets. Our scalable solution will increase Energy Efficiency, enhance Electrification, minimize downtime - ensuring Resiliency, while decarbonizing Data Center operations. In a present/post Covid World, critical power is where we need it most, in our homes and businesses. Hence, small capacity fuel cells will prove a preferred medium transitioning towards a hydrogen economy, as we will also demonstrate functionality via hydrogen/natural gas blend."

The core fuel cell technology, the modular/scalable BlueGEN micro fuel cell was developed by SOLIDpower, a European company with facilities in Italy and Germany. Aris is currently installing early units in the U.S. and will demonstrate a key feature that will be integrated into the fuel cell system: Resiliency. Near term targeted markets include small/distributed data centers and other critical power users, some of which are in the small commercial segment, and multi-family residential.

Through both the kW size scale-up and cost reductions that are incorporated into this DoE program plan, the markets will broaden to include Medium Size Commercial, Institutional, Municipal and larger scale Data Center/Critical Power users.

Separately, but closely aligned with the goals of the DoE program, Aris is installing BlueGEN units in "real world" applications.

Lou Lombardozzi, Aris' Director of Engineering & Project Development said: "We're pleased to announce grid interconnect approval allowing for BlueGEN installation in a single-family home. This achievement enhances commercial readiness; an objective of the DoE program."

Dan Connors, Aris's COO and Co-Founder, added: "The market has made its two key needs very clear: Resiliency and De-Carbonization. Beyond the Resiliency goal on this program, we seek to advance the BlueGEN's current ability to De-Carbonize buildings and facilities of all types. We believe the BlueGEN fuel cell can become a key part of a Resilient and De-Carbonized energy infrastructure."

We encourage you to Learn More About This Program and Aris Energy Solutions (PDF): https://ariswind.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/PR-Web-link-20201008-1.pdf

About ARIS:

Founded in 2013 and lead by executives with decades of experience in the electric utility, engineer, construction and fuel cell industries, Aris Energy Solutions is introducing the BlueGEN mCHP fuel cell solution to a broad range of US markets.

More information: https://ariswind.com/

Related link: https://ariswind.com/

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Business, Construction and Building, Electronics, Free News Articles, Home and Garden

Sunpro Solar First to Install New NeON LG Solar Panel In US

MANDEVILLE, La. -- Sunpro Solar announced today that they will be the first solar contractor in the U.S. to install the new series of LG NeON 355 watts solar panels. These new modules are more aesthetically appealing and perform with cutting-edge high efficiency to bring more savings to homeowners.

"Installers will appreciate the new module's installation flexibility and higher output in less roof space, while homeowners will know they are investing in cutting-edge renewable energy technology from a brand they know and trust," said LG Solar USA Senior Director David Chang. "LG continues to be on the cutting-edge of high-efficiency."

As the future points to increased U.S interest in residential solar, Sunpro Solar is thrilled to offer homeowners the industry's top LG solar products that come with a 25-year performance and labor warranty. Giving homeowners a greater degree of investment security from a brand they trust makes going solar an easy decision for Sunpro Solar customers.

"We are proud to be the first company in the U.S. to install the new LG-355N1C-N5 bifacial solar module," said Dean Scott, Senior Director of Operations. "Our exclusive relationship with LG Electronics has been instrumental to our fast growth across the U.S. As LG's largest solar customer in the United States, Sunpro Solar continues to purchase and install the majority of the U.S. assembled solar product from LG's plant in Huntsville, Alabama, driving U.S. manufacturing and construction jobs."

About LG Business Solutions

LG Electronics is a leading provider of high-efficiency solar modules to the U.S. commercial and residential markets. LG's U.S. solar business is part of the LG Electronics USA Business Solutions division based in Lincolnshire, Ill. LG's U.S. solar module production is located in Huntsville, Ala. LG Electronics USA Inc., headquartered in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics Inc., a $53 billion global innovator in technology and manufacturing. www.LG.com/solar.

About Sunpro Solar:

Sunpro Solar is a top solar company in the U.S. that provides affordable solar energy and battery storage solutions to homeowners nationwide. Sunpro Solar was named 5th largest residential solar contractor in the U.S. by Solar Power World magazine in 2020. Sunpro Solar operates in 15 states and is headquartered in Mandeville, Louisiana. For more information visit https://www.gosunpro.com/.

Related link: https://www.gosunpro.com/

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Aerospace and Aviation, Business, Free News Articles, Reports and Studies

Track the Sudden Conversion to Renewable Fuels

BOULDER, Colo. -- The Jacobsen Publishing has launched a hub for tracking the rapidly changing landscape of fuel producers adopting renewables, with a focus on renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuels and co-processing operations.

The special coverage includes tracking on:
* Current US Renewable Diesel Production Refineries
* US Co-Processing Refineries
* US Refinery Conversions and New Builds
* Renewable Diesel Facilities List with 10 Year Projections
* Renewable Diesel Feedstock Balance Sheets
* Price Forecasting and Supply and Demand Analysis

The Jacobsen's position between agriculture and energy gives them a practical and insightful understanding of how these two industries will converge at an ever-increasing rate in the upcoming year.

Access to the hub is available to the public and can be accessed at https://thejacobsen.com/renewable-fuels/

About the Jacobsen:

The Jacobsen has been a price reporting agency since 1865 which puts us in a rarefied field of companies that have survived for so long. We set the benchmark for a wide range of commodities trading as a result of our unbiased, rigorous, neutral position in the market. Our team is unparalleled in experience on supply-demand fundamentals, reporting and forecasting in both long-standing and emerging markets.

Please contact George Morris at George [at] thejacobsen.com for more information.

*IMAGE link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/20-0908s2p-thejacobsen-300dpi.jpg

MEDIA ONLY CONTACT:
George Morris
The Jacobsen
george@thejacobsen.com
303-775-4213

Related link: https://thejacobsen.com/

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Business, Education and Schools, Free News Articles, Software, Taxes and Accounting

EnergyCAP, Inc. Celebrates 40th Anniversary with New Headquarters, Logo, Training Services, and More

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- EnergyCAP, Inc. (ECI) is pleased to announce a list of notable accomplishments as it celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2020.

New EnergyCAP Headquarters

ECI employees will begin operating from the company's new state-of-the-art, 20,000-square-foot headquarters facility this month.

The building is located on a prime lot in the Boalsburg Technology Park. To the south, there are beautiful unobstructed views of Tussey Mountain, and to the north, Mount Nittany. The site is directly adjacent to the planned Harris Township Tussey Pond Park and connects to the recently developed network of hiking and mountain bike trails of the Harvest Fields Community Trail System. Besides enjoying the inspiring mountain views, employees and family members will have free and easy access to disc golf, miles of trails, fishing, a picnic pavilion, fitness center, local bus service, and streams and ponds, with convenient childcare available next door.

ECI's new address is: EnergyCAP, Inc., 360 Discovery Drive, Boalsburg, PA 16827.

New Logo and Icons

ECI's 40-year anniversary year became a great occasion to modernize the company's logo. The new design is displayed on the new headquarters facility and is being rolled out to the software and webpages: https://www.energycap.com/

EnergyCAP Academy

The pandemic forced ECI to cancel its popular national Catalyst training conference in April, in addition to other in-person training opportunities. In quick response, the company created EnergyCAP Academy, a collection of online training courses that EnergyCAP users can complete at their own pace.

The EnergyCAP Academy courses are an easy and convenient way for users to develop EnergyCAP Version 7 skills and earn Professional Development Hours (PDH). The collection of Academy training programs starts with EnergyCAP Fundamentals. From there, users can complete programs focused on energy management functionality, utility bill accounting, and chargebacks accounting. Users can also confirm their mastery of EnergyCAP's concepts and functionality by successfully completing an online exam to earn the Mastery of EnergyCAP certificate.

Additional information about the Academy courses and other valuable EnergyCAP services is accessible through ECI's Customer Services Catalog within the online Help Center.

FedRAMP Marketplace

Independently verified compliance with strict federal information security regulations is a gold standard for software. After a two-year effort to upgrade and certify software, policies, testing protocols, cloud hosting environment, internal networks, and even building physical security, EnergyCAP is now the only energy information software in its class to be listed in the FedRAMP Marketplace.

The Marketplace listing, in conjunction with a GSA contract, makes it easier than ever for federal agencies and other publicly funded organizations to license and implement EnergyCAP.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)

ECI launched its Bill CAPture utility bill process service in 2015, and the scope of available services has grown considerably over the past five years. Focusing initially on obtaining and processing utility bills, Bill CAPture added an Account Management service in 2019 and now completes the monthly utility bill process by offering bill payment services.

Organizations looking to reduce bill processing costs and eliminate late fees should contact ECI to learn more about how Bill CAPture can help.

EnergyCAP, Inc.'s CEO, Steve Heinz commented, "What a year it has been! And let me say that 40 times for the last forty years. Beginning with the simple proposition in 1980 that emerging PC technology could take the pain out of tracking energy information and validating troublesome utility bills, EnergyCAP software now processes millions of bills annually valued at tens of billions of dollars, and is a trusted tool for thousands of energy management and utility accounting professionals. Our beautiful new corporate headquarters is the perfect venue for the next 40 years of innovation and growth."

About EnergyCAP

EnergyCAP, Inc. has helped more than 10,000 energy managers in government, education, and commercial organizations derive value from their utility bills and energy data. Clients use our comprehensive EnergyCAP software-based solution to streamline utility bill processing and auditing, track energy and greenhouse gas data, process campus chargebacks, target reduction goals, benchmark facilities, submit to ENERGY STAR, measure and verify energy & cost savings, create budgets and forecasts, and much more. Learn more: https://www.energycap.com/

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Related link: https://www.energycap.com/

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Awards and Honors, Business, Construction and Building, Free News Articles

SUNPRO SOLAR Ranks No. 372 on 2020 Inc. 5000 List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

MANDEVILLE, La. -- SUNPRO SOLAR announced today that Inc. magazine ranked Sunpro Solar No. 372 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. With a three-year growth of 1,235%, Sunpro Solar is one of the nation's fastest growing solar companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy.

"This honor and our tremendous success in the markets we serve is a strong affirmation that what we are doing is working, and our focus and measure of success will always be on delivering an amazing experience to our customers and employees," stated Sunpro Solar Founder and CEO, Marc Jones. "Our incredible team will continue working together to build a trusted reputation and a sustainable future for communities across our great nation."

Sunpro Solar was named 5th largest residential solar installer in the U.S. by Solar Power World Magazine in July 2020. Sunpro Solar continues to expand as the demand for home solar in the United States rapidly increases. Sunpro Solar offers customers affordable home solar, energy efficiency solutions, and battery storage.

As a top solar company in America, Sunpro Solar is proud to bring cleaner energy and lower utility costs to residents across the nation. With over 1400 employees, Sunpro Solar currently operates in 15 states.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000 list can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are also being featured in the September issue of Inc., available at newsstands August 18.

About Sunpro Solar

Sunpro Solar is a top solar company in the U.S. that provides affordable solar energy and battery storage solutions to homeowners nationwide. Sunpro Solar was named 5th largest residential solar contractor in the U.S. by Solar Power World magazine in 2020. Sunpro Solar operates in 15 states and is headquartered in Mandeville, Louisiana. For more information, visit https://www.gosunpro.com/.

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit https://www.inc.com/inc5000.

Related link: https://www.gosunpro.com/

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Business, Free News Articles, Restaurant, Hotel and Hospitality, Travel and Tourism

Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Carpinteria Goes Solar to Reduce Hotel’s Carbon Footprint

CARPINTERIA, Calif. -- Holiday Inn Express & Suites, located in Carpinteria, California, owned and operated by the HMBL, LLC, is pleased to announce the activation of their solar power generating system. The hotel has installed over 500 solar voltaic panels on new carports built in the parking lot.

This new solar power system is rated to replace approximately 75% of the hotel's electricity use over the course of a year. The replacement of electricity from fossil fuel generating facilities will reduce the hotel's carbon footprint substantially over the life of the system.

The Holiday Inn Express-Carpinteria embarked on the process to install a solar electric system on the premises in 2018. Construction began in late 2019 and was completed in early 2020. As an added benefit to guests, much of the parking is now covered by carports, upon which the solar panels have been installed.

Electricity generated by the burning of fossil fuels generates carbon dioxide, among other waste products. Carbon dioxide is a known greenhouse gas. By replacing most of the electric power required by the hotel, Holiday Inn Express-Carpinteria reduces the amount of greenhouse gas released into the environment due to power generation. As most people know, carbon dioxide is absorbed by trees and other green plants. The carbon dioxide offset created by the new Holiday Inn solar power system is the equivalent to planting over 5,000 trees!

The Holiday Inn Express in Carpinteria has several other initiatives in place to help travelers "stay greener."

Hotel General Manager Michael Ensign said, "All our staff members are committed to our environmental stewardship and involved in the green movement of sustainability. We have and are taking steps to try to reduce our impact on the environment, preserve resources for the future, and prevent pollution."

For more information on the hotel's environmental efforts, please visit the website at https://www.CarpinteriaExpress.com/hotel-overview/greener-world.

Beyond the environmental improvements we are all working together to contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable travel experience, the Holiday Inn Express-Carpinteria has modified operations to address the concerns brought on by the current coronavirus pandemic.

The hotel's Housekeeping Manager, Christina Zepeda says, "Our staff takes the safety and comfort of our guests very seriously. We are committed to doing what we can, in working with our guests, to help keep them, their families, and ourselves as safe as possible during this pandemic. We are working hard to try to help limit the spread of this terrible virus through extra cleaning and sanitizing every day."

The hotel has instituted social distancing; face coverings are required of all staff and guests while in public spaces in the hotel building; and sanitization stations are positioned throughout the property. Upon check-out, all rooms are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. After housekeeping finishes cleaning a guest room, the room is then disinfected using state of the art electrostatic disinfectant sprayers which aim to ensure all surfaces are thoroughly addressed. The guestroom is then sealed and not entered again until entered by the next guest upon check-in. Public spaces are also cleaned multiple times a day, including treated with the electrostatic disinfectant sprayer two to three times a day.

Ensign concluded by saying, "I'd like the traveling public to know that our hotel is OPEN and we're doing what we can to keep them safe during their visit. I invite them to call us today and make a reservation for a summer get-away. Everyone needs a break from the stress and pressures we've experienced over the past few months, and we at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Carpinteria are happy to welcome them back."

About Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites in Carpinteria:

The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites is located at 5606 Carpinteria Avenue, Carpinteria, California. For Reservations, please call at 1-888-409-8300 or 1-805-566-9499.

For more information about our hotel, our "Greener World" initiatives, our facilities, or hotel room availability, please visit our updated website: https://www.CarpinteriaExpress.com. The Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Carpinteria is owned and operated by the HMBL, LLC under a license agreement with the InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG).

About 95Visual:

The website was updated by Los Angeles-based web agency 95Visual. The company provides web, identity, content, and marketing services to companies all over the United States. For more information on how 95Visual can help you update your web presence visit the 95Visual website for services offered: https://www.95visual.com

Media Contact:
Michael Ensign
General Manager, Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Carpinteria
(805) 566-9499

Agency Contact Info:
Joshua Maddux
CEO, 95Visual
(818) 495-5958
contact@95Visual.com

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*Caption: New Solar Panel carports.

Related link: https://www.CarpinteriaExpress.com

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Boating, Marine and Maritime, Business, Free News Articles, Funding and Investment, Government

Seattle Company, Oscilla Power, Developing Breakthrough Approach to Recharging Underwater Vehicles

SEATTLE, Wash. -- Oscilla Power, Inc. is proud to announce the receipt of a $200k grant from the US DOE to further develop technology that enables autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to recharge themselves using ocean waves. In this Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) project, Oscilla Power will collaborate with Lockheed Martin, through their Rotary and Mission Systems group, to explore how this capability can be incorporated into their AUV and UUV systems.

AUVs are now seeing significant use across a wide range of marine applications and the AUV market is projected to grow rapidly at a compound annual growth rate of 20.8% to over $1.6 Billion by 2025. However, the capability of an AUV is limited by its battery capacity. An NREL report noted that there were a number of key advantages in increasing the amount of power available, particularly the ability for longer duration missions. Oscilla's technology offers the ability for the vehicle to recharge its batteries using only the environment, potentially enabling unlimited range and duration.

According to Balky Nair, President of Oscilla Power, "The development of a capability that can be integrated into commercial AUVs to provide enough power to recharge the on-board batteries could be potentially game-changing for ocean science and military operations."

Solar panels have been used previously for AUV recharging, however, this approach suffered from very low power and constrained operations to daytime only. A significant advantage of using waves for this purpose is that ocean waves are more than 100 times more energy dense than solar, allowing for much higher power to be produced. AUV's spend the majority of their time working at depth so higher power is advantageous to minimize surfacing and recharging time.

Oscilla expect to demonstrate a fully working laboratory prototype early next year. If successful, Oscilla plans to work with Lockheed Martin to progress to a full ocean demonstration shortly afterwards, with the ultimate objective of transitioning the technology to commercial and military platforms.

About Oscilla Power, Inc.:

Oscilla Power, Inc. is focused on developing advanced technology to extract energy from ocean waves.

Learn more at: https://oscillapower.com/

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