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its gross national product by 48 percent –
due to an 80 percent increase in biomass
for energy, a shift that created more than
30,000 new jobs. A key part of Sweden’s
renewable energy approach, he noted, is its
district heating industry, including such
systems as the Renova company waste-to-energy plant that supplies space heating
and electricity to homes and commercial
buildings in the Gothenburg area.
N.J. Governor Signs
Energy Bills
New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed
three clean energy bills March 31, aiming
to further New Jersey’s efforts to reduce
dependence on foreign oil and to protect
the environment. The legislation was signed
against the backdrop of the combined heat
and power plant at Rutgers University’s
campus in Piscataway. The first piece of
legislation provides grants for CHP production
and energy-efficiency projects promoting
renewable energy. The second bill allows
wind and solar facilities to be located within
industrial zones, and the third bill requires
developers to offer solar energy systems in
some new home construction.
Duke Study: Wood Energy
Needs More Attention
A newly published analysis by a Duke
University-led team of experts has concluded
that sustainable wood energy is one of
America’s most important renewable fuels,
with forests producing at least 368 million
dry tons of wood for energy annually, yet
wood energy is not really on the national
radar screen in the discussion of renewable
energy sources.
An article detailing the benefits of
increased U.S. investment in sustainable
wood energy appeared in the March 13
issue of the journal Science. It was written by
Daniel D. Richter, lead author of the study
and professor of soils and forest ecology at
Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment,
together with a multi-institutional team of
French-American Business Award Dinner Honors Veolia Energy
The New England Chapter of the French-American Chamber of Commerce hosted the
8th Annual French-American Chamber of
Commerce Business Award Dinner April 15 to
honor Veolia Energy, a leading international
provider of sustainable energy services and
facility operations and management solutions.
tributor to the New England economy, and its
district energy networks play an integral role in
New England’s infrastructure.
The dinner featured energy leaders from across
the world offering insight on current energy
policy. Speakers included the Commonwealth’s
DOER Commissioner Philip Giudice; Olivier
Barbaroux, chairman of Veolia Energy/Dalkia;
and Francois Gauthier, Consul General of
France in Boston. In addition, Veolia Energy
secured the equivalent of 25,000 pounds of
carbon offsets to cover the emissions associated
with the travel to the event and the hotel’s
energy usage during the dinner.
“On behalf of Veolia Energy, I would like to offer
my sincere gratitude to the French-American
Chamber for the honor they have bestowed
upon us,” said Stewart A. Wood, president and
CEO, Veolia Energy North America, who accepted
the award. “We commend the chamber’s work
to bring international investment to the Commonwealth and look forward to building on
this long-term partnership as we continue to
deliver environmentally sustainable services to
customers throughout New England. Our commitment to New England is evident through our
solutions, which include district energy, energy
efficiency, facility operations and management
and renewable energy.”
A subsidiary of Veolia Environnement, Veolia
Energy focuses on controlling energy costs and
reducing carbon footprints through energy-efficient, custom solutions. Veolia Energy serves
customers throughout the continental United
States and owns and operates the largest portfolio of district energy networks in the country.
“This annual event highlights the robust business environment that has developed between
France and the United States, particularly in the
field of clean energy,” said Maurice Gervais,
president, French-American Chamber of Commerce,
New England Chapter. “Veolia Energy, a leader
in this domain, has been a great contributor to
this relationship. On behalf of the French-American
Chamber of Commerce’s New England Region,
I am pleased to recognize Veolia Energy and
appreciate the steps they have taken to help
offset the carbon footprint associated with this
evening’s event.”
Photo David Fox. Courtesy Veolia Energy/FACCNE.
With a 26-mile network of underground steam
distribution pipes, 225 employees in Massachusetts,
and more than 240 customers in Boston and
Cambridge, Veolia Energy is an important con-
Photo David Fox. Courtesy Veolia Energy/FACCNE.
International and Boston leaders at the April 15 dinner
to honor Veolia Energy included, from left to right,
Francois Gauthier, consul general of France in Boston;
Oliver Barbaroux, chairman, Dalkia; Stewart A. Wood,
president and CEO, Veolia Energy North America;
Maurice Gervais, president, French-American Chamber of
Commerce, New England; Jim Hunt, Environment and
Energy Department chief, city of Boston; Roland Shrull,
esq., partner, Middleton & Shrull; Francoise Oldcorn,
director, Air France; Kenneth J. Vacovec, esq., partner,
Vacovec, Mayotte & Singer; Isabelle Estebe, business
Stewart A. Wood, president and CEO of Veolia Energy development director, Dassault Systemes; Jim Collins,
North America, accepted an award on behalf of Veolia chairman, New England Business Partners; and Philip
Energy from the New England Chapter of the French- Giudice, commissioner, Massachusetts Division of Energy
American Chamber of Commerce. Resources.
