BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFDelegations from the U.S. and China will come to Los Angeles, California, August 16 and 17, 2014 to review the past and explore the future of U.S.-China relations. “Building Peace: The Growth of US-China Diplomatic and Trade Relations Celebration and Forum on the 35th Anniversary of the Renewal of Diplomatic Relations between the United States and China” is sponsored by the Chinese-American Federation and the Zhou Enlai Peace Institute. Climate Change will be a primary issue discussed.
  • Infocast has announced its inaugural Solar O&M 2014 Summit on October 1-2, 2014, at the Rancho Bernardo Inn, in San Diego, CA. At the Solar O&M 2014 Summit features an impressive roster of speakers including solar asset owners, investors, lenders and the O&M community will report on the latest developments in the ongoing effort to organize the industry to meet the challenges of operating and maintaining its expanding asset base. From the strategic factors shaping the O&M landscape to best practices on the ground, the event will provide the information and insight needed to better manage the industry’s assets and maximize its investments.
  • Palmetto has launched a new online investment platform that enables accredited individuals to invest their money in solar projects for secure returns of 6% and upwards. Palmetto says their offer is markedly different to other clean energy investment platforms: with Palmetto the investment is put into secure debt-style instruments and the minimum investment period can be as low as 12 months. This compares to other investments that lock up investors’ funds for much longer periods – sometimes five years and more – while paying a lower interest rate and providing less security. Palmetto believes that gaining direct access to retail investors via these solar-backed loan notes could be a tipping point for the industry, opening up much wider opportunities for solar financing.
  • Three new scholarships available through the online University of Wisconsin Sustainable Management program will help keep some green in students’ pockets while rewarding their dedication to furthering their careers and education. The Sustainable Employer Match Scholarship, the Green Student Scholarship, and the Sustainable Management Academic Scholarship are designed to provide new and returning students with assistance to pay for their education. Two scholarships are designed to help new students – the Sustainable Employer Match and the Green Student Scholarships. The Sustainable Employer Match is for students whose employers offer tuition-reimbursement programs. This scholarship covers the cost of one Sustainable Management course ($1,170), if the student’s employer covers the cost of a second course.
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