Seeing as how I live in this fine city I figured I should start getting up to date on the local goings on renewable energy wise. With that in mind I have gathered up a couple of Boston area specific events and news items. Enjoy.

First some events:

Matthew Richards of the local TiE clean energy special interest group has organized what sounds like a very fun networking day-cruise to tour Hull Wind 1, a large local wind turbine site.

Sign up now for a tour of the Hull Wind turbine, featuring a catered lunch on a YACHT as we sail to Hull! The town of Hull hosts one of the premier coastal Wind Power facilities in the United States, earning a recent Department of Energy Wind Power Pioneer award for the program that provides more than 10% of Hull’s energy needs. Sign up now for this exclusive (and fun!) tour of Hull Wind 1, a 660-kilowatt wind turbine that is part of this innovative clean energy program! If you work (or WANT to work!) in Boston’s fast-growing clean energy industry, but have not yet seen Hull Wind 1, IT’S YOUR TURN! This tour leaves from Quincy Terminal and features a catered lunch on the Island Expedition, a full-featured harbor cruising vessel that fits up to 200 people. Enjoy food and networking, PLUS a guided tour and in-depth seminar on the science of wind power, the history of launching Hull Wind 1, and the technology innovations that are on the horizon for the wind sector. The cost for this event is $60, and the only additional cost is $1 to park at Quincy Terminal. They leave at 12pm, and dock back in Quincy Terminal at 3:15pm.

DATE: Tuesday, August 28, 2007, from 12pm – 3:15pm
TO REGISTER: go to http://boston.tie.org

Foley Hoag (www.foleyhoag.com) has graciously offered to host and sponsor the next Renewable Energy Business Network event at their Emerging Enterprise Center in Waltham. The event will be the same informal format as our previous get-togethers, each of which had over 80 attendees, so bring your business cards and your elevator pitches, all are welcome…

REBN-East Happy Hour: September 11, 2007, 6:30pm.
Hosted and sponsored by Foley Hoag
Location: Emerging Enterprise Center at Foley Hoag, 1000 Winter Street, Waltham MA

(hat tip to Cleantech investing for the events)

Nathan Phillips at BU has managed to make his office completely carbon neutral including fun things like a bike he can ride to create energy while he checks his email, and solar panels.

“I burn calories instead of carbon,” he says. “Generally, I try to bike about an hour a day, although if it’s sunny, I can operate primarily from the solar panel.”

The energy generated by Phillips’ pedaling — approximately 100 to 150 watts of power — is stored in a 12-volt battery. “It’s completely proportional,” he says. “If I pedal faster, more energy goes in. When the battery is full, there’s more resistance, so it’s like pedaling uphill.”

On cloudy days, Phillips may have to get back on the bike and pedal, although he can operate at a deficit for approximately 24 hours, he says, before his laptop completely depletes the battery. “The setup is kind of like having a bank account,” he says. “You have to budget for unforeseen expenses.” (via)

Dedham wants to move towards carbon neutrality by installing some new turbines.

DEDHAM – Installing a wind turbine proposed for Fairbanks Park may be only the first step in a plan to make the town a center for renewable energy.

Town Administrator William Keegan this week, during hearings over a proposal to power the Rustcraft Road athletic field lights with a 90-foot high windmill, reaffirmed his desire to see the town use wind power to bring its energy bill down.

“Wind power is becoming more and more available to save electricity and provide a renewable energy source,” Keegan told the Zoning Board of Appeals. “If this does work, we will look to place (turbines) at other places around town.”

Yesterday Keegan said athletic fields at Memorial Park and facilities at town schools could be future sites where wind power might provide substantial savings. He also said preliminary suggestions had been broached about studying the Town Forrest, between the north and southbound lanes of Rte. 128, as a site for a wind farm.

“Now is the time to evaluate all options for renewable energy,” Keegan said. “I think the issue with aesthetics is something that’s becoming less of an issue.”

Keegan is not the only one pushing wind power in Dedham.

Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Donald Reisner, who is spearheading the Fairbanks turbine plan, has said during numerous meetings that he does not intend to single out Rustcraft Road for a turbine.

“Once this one is working we will look to do more on other parks,” Reisner said.

The Fairbanks Park wind turbine, it is estimated, could save the town $1,900 each year by offsetting the cost of powering the athletic field lights. Town consultants have said the town could expect $45,000 in grants to help pay for the $60,000 cost of the project.(via)