Dion Banks, Director of Governmental Affairs
As a part of Maryland’s growing business base in the renewable energy sector, Cambridge continues to support the Maryland Energy Administration in the development of the renewable energy market in the state.
Cambridge, Maryland (PRWEB) November 06, 2013
Cambridge EnTech, a division of Cambridge International, was a top-tier sponsor of the Maryland Wood Energy Coalition's 2013 conference, “Advancing Sustainable Wood Energy in Maryland,” last week in Annapolis, Maryland. The coalition is composed of agencies, organizations, businesses and others committed to advancing the responsible use of Maryland’s vast supply of woody biomass for clean, affordable energy production.
Since Cambridge EnTech joined the Maryland Wood Energy Coalition (MWEC) in 2012, the partnership has achieved all major priority goals for 2013. By creating the Maryland Thermal Renewable Energy Credit Task Force, the Coalition has provided support for MDE air emission regulations and awarded Renewable Energy Credits in the biomass industry. The Coalition also made progress in support of the Maryland Wood Grant Program by refining the MEA Game Changers Grant -- while also conducting events to encourage public agencies and facilities to lead the way in advancing sustainable wood energy in the state.
Dion Banks, Director of Governmental Affairs for Cambridge International, represents Cambridge EnTech as a member of the Maryland Wood Energy Coalition and spoke on the company’s behalf at the conference. “Events such as this are imperative to understanding how we can come together as a state to provide a diverse portfolio of alternative energy sources,” Banks says. “As a part of Maryland’s growing business base in the renewable energy sector, Cambridge continues to support the Maryland Energy Administration in the development of the renewable energy market in the state.”
This year’s MWEC Conference built on the momentum of last year’s successes. Topics discussed included new regulations that make using wood as fuel in boilers to heat commercial and institutional buildings legal, paving the way for the growth of the wood energy industry. Highlights included Director Abby Hopper, Director of MEA, as keynote speaker, as well as featured panelist, Jerry Redden, Interim Director of Rural Development Center at UMES for which the Game Changers Grant benefited.
The event addressed new incentives that will establish Maryland as a leader in wood heat policy and addressed new federal legislation that would provide tax incentives similar to those for solar, wind, and geothermal. Speakers addressed new advances in residential wood heat, improvements in the wood stove grant program, how to broaden the coalition of stakeholders, and how to initiate on-the-ground projects that will grow the wood energy industry. The event collected feedback from government officials, interest groups, and other stakeholders on how to overcome remaining barriers and will move forward the adoption of wood energy for residential and commercial/institutional applications.
About the Maryland Wood Energy Coalition
The Maryland Wood Energy Coalition was organized by the University of Maryland Extension and the Department of Natural Resources Forest Service in April 2010 with the goal to increase the use of woody biomass for high-efficiency wood energy technologies. Woody biomass is an overlooked renewable energy source that produces green jobs locally, is sustainable, has low emissions due to new technological advances, and is affordable and price stable.
About Cambridge EnTech
CET is an innovative U.S.-based engineering and manufacturing company specializing in systems design, material handling and filtration. Our multidisciplinary industrial design and engineering team provides expertise in game-changing process solutions, drawing on a century of experience and innovation from its parent company Cambridge International. For more information on Cambridge Environmental Technologies go to http://www.cambridgeentech.com.