Green energy can accelerate local employment but developers need a forum to trade ideas, entrepreneur Michael Hurst said.
What is impressive to visitors is the county’s capacity for green job creation and related industries, Hurst, president of Chlorofill, said.
Chlorofill, a San Diego-based company, toured Valley clean energy facilities Tuesday. Chlorofill produces renewable building materials from agricultural waste, primarily sorghum residue. It is a green alternative to plywood and particle board.
There is a lot marginal land here that can be used for growing sorghum and for locating a manufacturing plant, Hurst said. He plans to rely on local farmers, financial institutions and investors to get his plant running by 2013, he said.
“I’m very enthusiastic in working with Imperial energy companies and others to create green jobs in the Valley,” Hurst said.
Many contribute toward Imperial County’s rich renewable resources. And as a potential site of the state’s largest green energy producer, organizers provided a forum for stakeholders to network Tuesday.
The Valley has 45,000 megawatts of geothermal energy potential but the problem is how to get that to market, Tim Kelley, Imperial Valley Economic Development Corp. president, said. IVEDC is hosting the fourth Renewable Energy Expo at the Quechan Casino Resort through Thursday.
Renewable projects could generate $3 billion in economic output the next five years and create 3,000 jobs, Kelley said.
In order to facilitate discussion among developers, Realtors, bankers and ancillary business essential to sustain green energy, IVDEC organized a bus tour of Valley clean energy developers.
Eusebio Arballo, San Diego Gas & Electric spokesman, led a tour of local green energy facilities. Dozens of green energy stakeholders, 80 percent from out of the county, visited plants such as Energy Source of El Centro, Ormat Nevada Inc. of Heber and other facilities.
Equally important is Imperial Irrigation District’s Midway transmission line, Martin Hermann, president of 8minutenergy, a solar power developer, said. IID did a great job with the technology (high temperature conductors) and configuration (wires and route), he said.
There are already 300 megawatts of solar photovoltaic projects 8minutenergy has planned in Imperial County and the idea is to build plants along the new line, Hermann said. His projects will create 1,000 construction jobs, some lasting three years, and 45 permanent ones to begin in 2013, he said.
And there will be many services 8minutenergy will require, civil engineers and most obvious, housing for construction workers. But local sourcing is more efficient, he said.
“It’s very encouraging to see IID complete their new line under budget,” Hermann said. “There’s still a bit of work but this is an important milestone.”
Staff Writer William Roller can be reached at 760-337-3435 or wroller@ivpressonline.com
What is impressive to visitors is the county’s capacity for green job creation and related industries, Hurst, president of Chlorofill, said.
Chlorofill, a San Diego-based company, toured Valley clean energy facilities Tuesday. Chlorofill produces renewable building materials from agricultural waste, primarily sorghum residue. It is a green alternative to plywood and particle board.
There is a lot marginal land here that can be used for growing sorghum and for locating a manufacturing plant, Hurst said. He plans to rely on local farmers, financial institutions and investors to get his plant running by 2013, he said.
“I’m very enthusiastic in working with Imperial energy companies and others to create green jobs in the Valley,” Hurst said.
Many contribute toward Imperial County’s rich renewable resources. And as a potential site of the state’s largest green energy producer, organizers provided a forum for stakeholders to network Tuesday.
The Valley has 45,000 megawatts of geothermal energy potential but the problem is how to get that to market, Tim Kelley, Imperial Valley Economic Development Corp. president, said. IVEDC is hosting the fourth Renewable Energy Expo at the Quechan Casino Resort through Thursday.
Renewable projects could generate $3 billion in economic output the next five years and create 3,000 jobs, Kelley said.
In order to facilitate discussion among developers, Realtors, bankers and ancillary business essential to sustain green energy, IVDEC organized a bus tour of Valley clean energy developers.
Eusebio Arballo, San Diego Gas & Electric spokesman, led a tour of local green energy facilities. Dozens of green energy stakeholders, 80 percent from out of the county, visited plants such as Energy Source of El Centro, Ormat Nevada Inc. of Heber and other facilities.
Equally important is Imperial Irrigation District’s Midway transmission line, Martin Hermann, president of 8minutenergy, a solar power developer, said. IID did a great job with the technology (high temperature conductors) and configuration (wires and route), he said.
There are already 300 megawatts of solar photovoltaic projects 8minutenergy has planned in Imperial County and the idea is to build plants along the new line, Hermann said. His projects will create 1,000 construction jobs, some lasting three years, and 45 permanent ones to begin in 2013, he said.
And there will be many services 8minutenergy will require, civil engineers and most obvious, housing for construction workers. But local sourcing is more efficient, he said.
“It’s very encouraging to see IID complete their new line under budget,” Hermann said. “There’s still a bit of work but this is an important milestone.”
Staff Writer William Roller can be reached at 760-337-3435 or wroller@ivpressonline.com
