Knox Green jobs

The MTSU green-jobs report for the Knoxville area is reported by the Knoxville News Sentinel, here.

Greenjobs Memphis

The MTSU report on Green-jobs formation is parsed, as it relates to West TN, the Commercial Appeal has it.

Solar investment at Jackson, TN

Investors in Tennessee-based Natural Energy Group are funding Meridian's Solar project at Jackson, the MBJ reports.

TVA and Clean Line wind-energy partnership?

Clean Line Energy Partners is proposing TVA buy wind-generated direct current electricity from wind farms in Texas and Oklahoma. TVA previously committed to buying wind energy from five other states. The TFP reports. Lest it go overlooked: Former FCC Commissioner Reed Hundt recommends selling TVA, story here.

Some TN solar execs fret about Institute's grant impact

The KNS reports that some Tennessee solar-energy industry execs worry that the Tennessee Solar Institute's parceling-out of $9MM in three months was too hasty, and lasting benefits are uncertain.

Reality of Green Jobs in Tennessee

At the MTSU Business & Economic Research Center (BERC), Assoc. Director Murat Arik, Ph.D. (at left), said yesterday he's studying Green Jobs' economic impact, in the wake of the state's receipt of a federal grant. Tennessee Business covered related issues, and the US Labor Department continues trying to define and measure the impact of Green Jobs.

ORNL 'Green' $$

Oak Ridge NL is set to pursue a fresh round of funding for Green science and development, according to Frank Munger at the KNS. In addition, Lab Manager provides an update on ORNL's new carbon-fiber facility. Also, ONRL Director Mason says 'Climategate' is a serious distraction from more important facts.

TN Green jobs review

Ed Marcum of Knoxville News Sentinel reviews prospects, pay and politics of Green jobs in Tennessee.

TN Green-jobs training grant

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded Tennessee more than $765K in ARRA funds for training and information services to help Tennessee workers retrain for Green jobs. DOL release here.

Green meetings in TN

Over at Bizplanet, Larisa Brass comments on green- and clean-oriented meetings next week in East Tennessee, including some attended by Gov. Phil Bredesen.

Green-job earnings may disappoint

The KNS reports on efforts to retrain laid-off workers for Green jobs, dealing with hazardous waste, etc., but notes that wages are often much lower than applicants previously enjoyed.

'Green' permeating UT

Larisa Brass of the KNS reports on how sustainability is permeating the University of Tennessee's courses, operations and more, partly in recognition of the need to compete on the basis of greenness. Accompanying KNS story here.

RePower TN expands

Nashville-based Repower Tennessee has opened a Chattanooga office, the TFP reports. As part of the Repower America campaign, the TN operation aims to spur clean energy and creation of Green jobs.

Gov. Bredesen underscores clean-energy target

In an op-ed published by the Times Free Press, Gov. Phil Bredesen reiterates his reasons for commitment to Tennessee's clean-energy sector, citing national and international recognition the state has received, in addition to investments here by Hemlock, Wacker, et al.

e-Autos: Powertrain horserace off-and-running

Tennesseans have great hopes that tech advances at Oak Ridge NL and recent corporate investment announcements will spawn not only electric-vehicle production (thanks! Nissan), but also battery powertrain-related jobs. San Jose's Mercury News reports Tesla Motors is making a $100MM play to build such a facility in the Bay Area, using Stimulus resources. That's a Tesla PR photo of a Tesla roadster.

Tenn-Hut! Green tech may revive Aladdin

Tennessee State Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) simply mentioned in passing last Thursday, in comments prior to a key committee vote on Tennessee new Small Business Investment Company Credit Act that someone in his district was about to get maybe thousands of Green jobs, and how it sure would be helpful if the state passed the TNSBICCA, to create new venture capital funds that could only invest in TN companies. Well, a little scurrying about revealed that Aladdin is preparing to lend its name to a new line of energy-conserving street lights, in partnership with Mid-TN manufacturer The Davis Groupe, and a couple of Washington State technology companies. Here's the full story.

TFP: State has strong foothold in Green industries

The Times Free Press' Dave Flessner provides one of the more comprehensive reviews of the state's recent industry-recruitment and green-industry initiatives. The TFP photo at left shows Revenue Commissioner Reagan Farr (left) and ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber during their interview. They were scheduled to depart Nashville today for Europe, accompanying the governor on a Green-industry hunting expedition.

Techies Tout Trees for Tomorrow

Seeing this KNS article about a father-daughter project to create a social-networking site that plants a tree each time someone subscribes (aided by PlantIt2020) reminded me of Emma's tree-planting push, in coordination with Trees for the Future. Gotta love the Green-Giveback-PayItForward climate change we're experiencing.

T. Boone Pickens at Sewanee

T. Boone Pickens, oilman, entrepreneur and creator of the Pickens Plan for building a sustainable U.S. energy future, will speak at 4:30 p.m., April 15, at the University of the South. Addressing the economy, the environment and our national security. The Pickens Plan proposes using wind and natural gas to smooth the nation's transition toward new energy technologies. His talk, “The Pickens Plan: Mobilizing a new energy army,” is open to the public. Sewanee says Pickens, the founder of Mesa Petroleum and BP Capital, will discuss his perspective on energy issues in an informal conversation with David Johnson C'71, a 35-year Wall Street veteran and long-time contributor to public radio’s “Marketplace.” Sewanee's full release is here.

Beating the 'Green' Drum

That recent Tennessee Labor Department report on the potential of Green industries in Tennessee is getting plenty of airtime, thanks in part, as we reported earlier, to ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber; and, thanks to technojournalists like Larisa Brass in Knoxville.