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Harrisburg:  Rep. Eugene DePasquale (D-York) announced he will be introducing legislation to amend the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act to provide for increases in Tier I and solar share requirements, provide a Tier II carve out for advanced coal combustion with limited carbon dioxide emissions and create a permitting process for facilities that capture and sequester carbon dioxide. This new bill is expected to replace House Bill 80 as the principal Clean Energy bill in the state House.

Sponsors and environmental groups hope the bill will have broader support from labor and environmental groups which split over provisions in HB 80.DePasquale said in a memo to members that the legislation would increase Tier I requirements to 15% by 2024. The solar carve-out in Tier I will be increased to a total of 3% by 2024. DePasquale said extending these deadlines is important to provide those wishing to invest in alternative energy the time needed to plan, develop and build facilities and then operate them long enough to recover their investments. The bill will carve out a Tier II niche for advanced coal combustion electricity production.

This workshop will build upon the core concepts from Basic PV training and continue to emphasize grid-direct systems. The course will focus significantly on the National Electrical Code (NEC), including grid interface calculations, grounding considerations, and advanced component specification. Students will learn to evaluate system performance under various operating conditions. Commercial system design elements, such as inter-row shading, inverter selection, and data monitoring solutions will also be covered. This course combines class lectures with individual problem solving exercises covering common design considerations. The in-person workshop consists of 5 days of classroom lecture with tours.

Cost is $950 (includes lunch).  The cost of training has been supplemented by funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry and the Chester County Workforce Investment Board.  Pre-registration is required and participant must have previously attended a Basic PV course.  No walk-ins will be accepted. Class size and funding is limited; therefore applicants will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to register.

In order to comply with state requirements, participants must be willing to provide social security information. Participant’s employer must register with PA CareerLink.  Dislocated individuals must register with PA CareerLink.

Lancaster:  Recently, the City of Lancaster, in partnership with LIVE Green and the Lancaster County Planning Commission, announced the receipt of a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to develop a green infrastructure plan for the City.  This plan will assist in reducing the nearly 1 billion gallons of storm water that presently overflows annually into the Conestoga River polluting our local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.  The plan will:  

• Assess the City's impervious surfaces and open space opportunities to establish the City's capacity to implement Green Infrastructure technologies. (Green infrastructure includes things like rain gardens, rain barrels, green roofs, porous pavement, trees, etc...)
• Prioritize Green Infrastructure improvements such that we can begin to implementation of high impact, low cost projects. 

Green infrastructure has many benefits for our City.  Not only does it reduce storm water overflows, but also cleans the air and reduces energy consumption.  For example, trees absorb lots of water, absorb carbon dioxide and provide shade to cool homes and businesses.  A greener City will enhance our neighborhoods and improve home values.