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Maryland Energy Administration Will Host Two Live Community Wind Conferences

February 23, 2017
2 – 3 pm
Chesapeake College
Register today

March 9, 2017
2 – 3 pm
Frostburg State University
Register today

The Maryland Energy Administration’s (MEA) wind energy program focuses on three categories of deployments:  residential, community and commercial scale projects. Through its various Windswept Grant Programs, educational outreach, and Anemometer Loan Program, MEA provides support to Maryland residents, businesses, government entities and non-profits wishing to install wind energy systems.

Speakers Include:


Samuel Beirne, Maryland Energy Administration, Wind Energy Program Manager

Samuel Beirne is the Energy Program Manager for the Wind and Game Changers Grant Programs at the Maryland Energy Administration. Most recently, Samuel was MEAs intern for the 2016 legislative session where he worked on public policy initiatives. He previously held several internships with Washington, DC based energy and environment non-profits and with two members of the Maryland Delegation to the United States Congress. Samuel has a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in American History from Syracuse University. In his spare, he brews his own beer and likes to explore Maryland’s best food scenes.

 

Christopher Burgess – Managing Partner, Alpha Energy

Chris is a managing partner at Alpha Energy, a renewable energy development company in Annapolis, Maryland. At Alpha Energy, Chris is responsible for the company’s feasibility studies and project management for commercial wind and solar installations which total over 150 MW. Chris and Alpha Energy have been an advocate for renewable energy in the State of Maryland since 2008. The Alpha Energy Team has been instrumental in shaping the local market with legislative and pilot project support.

Chris has over 15 years of experience as an environmental professional and project manager with practice in a variety of multi-disciplinary energy and infrastructure projects.  Chris is also the Director of Caribbean Projects at the Rocky Mt Institute – Carbon War Room where he manages the Islands project management staff and a portfolio of 144 MW of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Chris is a recognized leader in renewable energy development and implementation in the Caribbean region with active projects in Aruba, The Bahamas, Belize, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Turks & Caicos.

He earned his master’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in Coastal and Environmental Planning from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.

Rebecca Rush, Community Wind Gamechanger, Contract Outreach Coordinator

Rebecca Rush is a Project Manager and Co-Founder of multiple initiatives in support of economic, energy, emergency and environmental resiliency especially for rural farms, businesses and communities.

She is also a member of the National Institutes of Standards and Technologies (NIST) Community Resiliency Panel’s Energy Committee, Project Manager for the 501c3 non profit Community Renewable Energy Program, and Managing Member of DERP Technologies, a developer of Safe Haven Microgrids™ and advanced power control systems.

She is also a sub-contractor supporting Alpha Energy’s Contract with the Maryland Energy Administration’s Community Wind Project’s Outreach Programs.

Bruce E. Weaver, Business and Cooperative Specialist/State Energy Coordinator, Rural Development, United States Department of Agriculture

Bruce Weaver is the State Energy Coordinator for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Delaware/Maryland Region. Bruce manages the Rural Energy for America (REAP) grants and Business Guaranteed loans with local banks, and Value Added Producer Grants. He has extensive experience working with local communities, farms, small businesses, cooperatives and not-for-profit organizations on energy efficiency and renewable energy investment projects.


What you will learn: Community wind basics including, size, location, best resources, and the guidance when planning your community wind project. In addition, you will learn about community wind economics, financing mechanisms, and grant programs provided by MEA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other sources.

Questions?

Contact Samuel Beirne at wind.mea@maryland.gov or 410-537-4000