CLEVELAND

Panel looks for jobs ideas

The Council for Excellence in Government will hold a town hall meeting on jobs at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Cleveland State University's Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs. The nonprofit, nonpartisan group based in Washington, D.C., will ask residents for suggestions on job creation and the roles that government and the private sector should have in economic development. The session is also sponsored by the Global Markets Institute at Goldman Sachs. Panelists include Mayor Jane Campbell, Ohio Lt. Gov. Bruce Johnson and the head of the Cleveland AFL-CIO Federation of Labor John Ryan. The meeting is free, but seating is limited. Call 202-728-0418

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With financial help from the German government, the wind turbine manufacturer REPOWER designed, manufactured, installed, and commissioned this fall the largest capacity wind turbine ever. During the first month of operation the 5 megawatt turbine sent to the grid over 1 million kilowatt hours of electricity (average output of 1.3 mw/hr). Compare that to the production of the turbines in Bowling Green, Ohio where, in approximately 13 months, a 1.8 MW Vestas machine produced apx 1,300,000 kilowatt hours (avg. output of .137 mw/h) See details of the Repower machine at: http://www.repower.de/ and click on the 5MW website in the lower RH corner of the home webpage. The output differences between the two machines are primarily related to the larger size of the Repower machine and the difference in wind energy between the two locations – not differences in blade or generator technology.

Herb Crowther assembled an excellent and diverse panel of experts with a range of backgrounds, affiliations and interests related to the future of "energy" and implications on Earth and here in NEO - "scientists, entrepreneurs, energy specialists, economic development and community development professionals". The session flowed as follows:

This morning’s PD cited a Michigan research paper that concluded that economic cars, hybrids and the like, will generate a stronger economic return for European manufacturers, who have adapted to meet the more aggressive, European environmental standards and are now poised to reap the economic benefit of this growing market in the US. As a result, the study says, the US government should assist, despite the current $400+ billion budget deficit, in the retrofit/reengineering of the US plants to be able to compete. Of course, the industry could have also asked for assistance in meeting the environmental demands decades ago to seize the leadership mantel now held by European manufacturers, but for decades, US auto industry opposed stronger environmental standards, rather than adapt. Another significant, unmentioned lesson also warrants noting: Sound environmental policy, environmental leadership, can generate economic leadership in a very short time.

REI has scheduled a REALNEO orientation session from 2 - 4 PM for anyone interested in becoming more familiar with our Regional Economy Action Links for North East Ohio. We'll walk through basic site administration, like setting up a user account and adding content, and setting up a Drupal site from scratch. We'll discuss how to best use this transformational technology to transform the NEO economy. This is of course free and open to the public - when you sign in with the security desk at the PBL building (the Gehry) the guard will tell you how to find the session... room 401

Immediately following is Tuesday@REI: "Unique
Value: Cleveland & Northeast Ohio,"
with
Guest Moderator Charles D. Weller, Cleveland Author, Lawyer
and Health Care Entrepreneur. Chuck is Editor and Contributor of the new book
(Released 12/04) "Unique Value:
Competition Based On Innovation Creating Unique
Value

Any questions, please email norm [at] icearth [dot] com

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Jeff gives overview of history of wind power in NEO and of
his effort to reestablish this here

Then he gets into the needs to make this happen. He
stresses need for open model – open communications – to move our efforts
forward. Mentioned Wind Power conference and that no email addresses were
provided for attendees and presenters – old model. New model is open meetings
like at REI and the vision of social networks and analysis.

 If you haven't been to REALNEO recently, you've missed lots of exciting developments in our virtual and real community. For a chance to get up to speed, and become more involved in the REALNEO development process, join folks supporting this effort at Case/REI for a hands on orientation (and can get involved with the developing Wind Power industry right after - see below).

To find Ohioans walking the walk to make NEO a Green region by a blue lake, one needs look no further than the non-profit organization E4S. Learn more about this fantastic organization and contribute related insight here

Developing a sustainable community, defined by the UN as "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". How we may accomplish this for future generations of NEO is developing here!

At the fascinating November 11 NEOSA/REI Future Forum, EcoCity Cleveland's David Beach discussed frightening challenges for our global ecology, and proposed the best place for anyone to start being a solution is at home - NEO. Let's make NEO energy sustainable, all agree. This week, Cleveland was also home to the Ohio Wind Conference and there 100+ global sustainability experts proposed NEO can develop a significant wind generation capacity, and become a center for wind power generation equipment manufacturing, expertise, and innovation. This is one well developed objective our millions of regional citizens should embrace - see notes posted from that important conference, which highlights valuable opportunities, and provides a foundation for actionable planning, all rooted at REALNEOWIND

People who complain there aren't leaders in Northeast Ohio fighting each day to improve our economy and quality of life are themselves ignorant and to blame for the problems in this community. Innumerable exceptional, dedicated, capable and effective leaders fight day in and out to improve everyone's lives here, every day - it is the people who do not participate actively in this process who are our region's "quiet crisis"?. Each day we have opportunities to be solutions - visit the REALNEO calendar frequently to get up to speed and learn where, when and how to make differences in the future of this community, participate in forums on-line, find and share insight with our community leaders, and take personal responsibility, now.

REALNEO Wind is covering and supporting the Ohio Wind Power conference
by posting all available insight from
this important event - held November 9 & 10, 2004 in downtown
Cleveland. See comments post at the close of the event and develop thenafter - all linked together at a special "Community Of Interest Link" at the REALNEO Wind Power COIL

With four utility grade turbines operating in Bowling Green and many community leaders in support, wind power is a factor in NEO economic development, poised to be a major contributor to our economy. Read and post more about this here!

Alternative Energy is a global opportunity, to improve economies and ecologies, and NEO is taking an aggressive approach by developing enterprises and resources in this cluster. This book explores economic development and entrepreneurship related to Alternative Energy!

Celebrating
the Champions of Sustainability

Tuesday,
November 16, 2004

5:30
- 6:15 P.M. Networking
6:15 - 7:30 P.M. Presentation
7:30 - 8:00 P.M. Networking

Great
Lakes Brewing Company - Tasting Room (entrance
on Carroll Avenue)

events [at] e4sustainability [dot] org">Registration
is Required. RSVP for this free event today!
Please
include your name, the names of any guests, your organization or business
and your contact information when you RSVP.

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To a large degree University of California in San Diego gets credit for
reinventing their regional economy, most visibly through their
"Connect" services. Below is an article from their latest
e-newsletter which highlights how much they do to connect early stage ventures
there with all levels of funding - from "food and rent" grants to
partnering with large pharmaceuticals. Important model and lessons to learn of
NEO to connect with the new economy!

Most people probably don't realize Cleveland is the origin of wind power generation - renowned Cleveland innovator Charles Brush invented and built the first wind power generator behind his mansion on Euclid Avenue in 1888.

Next week, Cleveland again becomes a leader in the wind industry by posting the Wind Power Conference, November 9 & 10 at the Sheraton Cleveland City Centre Hotel.

Read more about the conference and wind industry opportunities for our region at a special REALNEO provided just for that Community Of Interest Link (COIL) - linked from here!

Topic:
"The Budding Ohio Wind Industry: Where
Do We Stand in the Nation?"

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"Energy
Alternatives: The BIG multi-dimensional--technical, political and economic --
Picture!" 09-30-04. Student
lead forum with a panel of topical experts juxtaposing a fossil-fuel centric
viewpoint with realistic
summaries of state of the art Wind, Solar and Fuel Cell technologies,
wrapping up with what public energy policy might look like in the future.

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is soliciting proposals for
grants for projects which design, demonstrate, or disseminate
environmental education practices, methods, or techniques.
Environmental education, as defined in the EPA, increases public
awareness and knowledge about environmental issues and provides the
skills to make informed decisions and take responsible actions. It is
based on objective and scientifically sound information. It does not
advocate a particular viewpoint or course of action. It teaches
individuals how to weigh various sides of an issue through critical
thinking and it enhances their own problem-solving and decision making
skills. All proposals must satisfy the definition of "environmental
education" specified above and also address one of the following
educational priorities: Capacity building, education reform, community
issues, health, teaching skills, and career development. Grant amounts
vary. Applications are due November 15, 2004. For more information

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"Energy
Alternatives: The BIG multi-dimensional--technical, political and economic --
Picture!"
09-30-04. Student lead forum with a panel of topical experts juxtaposing a
fossil-fuel centric viewpoint with realistic summaries of state of the
art Wind, Solar and Fuel Cell technologies, wrapping up with what public energy
policy might look like in the future.

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Norm Roulet's notes from Wind Power session at REI:

Reporting
from REI on dialogue among a range of community leaders interested to develop a
wind power industry in NEO. The focus is on developing this as a product
fabrication industry – building a facility to manufacture towers. At the meeting
are folks from the heavy fabrication side – Lincoln Electric and AT&F. Also
here are lots of folks from the sustainability non-profit side – Entrepreneurs
for Sustainability, Green Energy Ohio, Bowling Green Wind Farm - and there are
promising, hopeful wind industry entrepreneurs like session leaders Jeff Buster
and Martha Eakin.

Topic:
"Wind
Innovation and Manufacturing Opportunities in Northeast
Ohio"

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Today, I received a notification about a federal EPA grant program that would be available and valuable in NEO (APPLICATIONS DUE NOV. 15) - and also notification of an alternative fuel related fund available from Toyota. Anyone interested in these COILs should investigate