UMass Amherst Holds Third Annual ‘Clean Energy Connections’ Conference in Springfield on Oct. 20

Oct. 14, 2010

Contact:

Marla Michel 413/577-0092

Theme is Business Growth for a Carbon-Neutral Future

AMHERST, Mass. - "Clean Energy Connections," the third annual conference and opportunity fair for those interested in green careers, green business development and networking, will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in Springfield on Wednesday, Oct. 20.

The opportunity fair begins at 2:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public, while conference registration fees range from $20 for students to $150 for the general public. Some student and low-income scholarships are available.

Conference chair Marla Michel, executive director of the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s strategic partnership with Springfield, says the events are the region’s premier forum for business owners, entrepreneurs, financiers, educators, career seekers, community leaders and public agencies to learn the latest sustainable energy news and renew their enthusiasm while networking with clean energy leaders.

Networking is a key to plugging into new opportunities in the green energy economy, Michel points out. Career seekers can expect a lot of traffic at the free opportunity fair this year, based on the 68 exhibitors on hand last year. She expects an equal number this year.

Peter Rothstein, president of the New England Clean Energy Council, is the first of two conference keynote speakers. In discussing how to grow a green business and how current policies in the Commonwealth help support such efforts, he will outline the potential for clean energy companies in Massachusetts to be players in a rapidly growing national and global clean energy movement.

Rothstein says, "We’ve seen some Massachusetts start-ups in the last decade who are now global leaders or soon will be, in such areas as electric vehicle storage batteries and in energy services. I’ll outline the scale of opportunities, review new and emerging businesses and discuss the partnerships required, to show how the sustainable energy sector is really taking off in New England. There are new technologies each year, new financing opportunities and new businesses being created all the time."

The second keynote speaker is Stephen Herbert, a UMass Amherst associate dean and director of its Center for Agriculture, who will discuss how agriculture and farm products relate to our overall energy economy and how to integrate solar panels into agricultural settings without disrupting farming. As director of the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station, Herbert will also talk about how buying food locally supports energy conservation.

He explains, "Agriculture is a consumer of energy in the food system, but not the only one and not the largest one. In producing our food, only about 21 percent of total energy is used on the farm, while 25 percent goes into packaging and processing, 14 percent into transportation and about 10 percent into retail sales facilities. Finally, about 30 percent of the total energy is used in the consumer’s home for cooking, refrigeration and freezing, and for heating water."

"We know that developing nations are growing wealthier, and if they want to eat as we do, locally grown food can make a difference to the planet by reducing the amount of energy needed to feed us all."

Conference breakout sessions and panel topics will include: "Business Trends, Energy Efficiency," "Financing: Not Your Typical Financing Session" and "Lessons Learned: Lab to Market."

The day of events is sponsored by WGBY, PeoplesBank, MassMutual Financial Group, Western Massachusetts Electric Company, DIF Design, the MassMutual Center, Springfield Technology Park, ECS, Baystate Health Systems, Holyoke Gas & Electric, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Springfield Incubator, Absolute Green Energy, Mass High Tech, BusinessWest, WRSI/WHMP, CSRwire and many non-profit affiliate sponsors.

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