NCET

The sun already shines year-round in Nevada.

Now, a California company says it has found a way to harness sunlight around the clock as well, and Nevadans soon could see the resulting solar energy powering their homes.

NV Energy was scheduled to announce today a 25-year agreement to buy power from the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, a plant that SolarReserve plans to build on federal land outside Tonopah, about 175 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

Crescent Dunes will be the nation’s first commercial solar power plant using salt storage to distribute energy after the sun sets, and it will be the second-largest renewable-power source in NV Energy’s fuel portfolio. The power plant will yield enough juice to power 75,000 homes during peak electric use. Read full story:

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The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) recently announced what the Nevada Development Authority and local entrepreneurs have known for years  –  Las Vegas is open for business with one of the best business climates in the U.S.!  The SBE Council released its 14th annual rankings of the states according to their public policy climates for small business and entrepreneurship in the “Small Business Survival Index 2009: Ranking the Policy Environment for Entrepreneurship Across the Nation.”  Nevada was ranked as one of the states with the most favorable business climate, second only to South Dakota. 

The “Small Business Survival Index” helps business owners and investors understand public policy burdens placed on entrepreneurship and small business and ranks each state accordingly.  The factors included in the index and ranked individually for all states are taxes, various regulatory costs, government spending, property rights, healthcare and energy costs.

Contributing to Nevada’s business-friendly ranking are the state’s no corporate or personal income tax policies and low workers’ compensation fees, for which Nevada was placed at #10.  Coming in at first place, Nevada was ranked as the state with the least full-time state and local government employees per 100 residents.  Nevada was also among the top 20 states for the lowest amount of state and local property taxes, local government expenditures and local government five-year spending trends.

Now that you’re feeling proud of the state you do business in, why not brag a little?  Please share this news with your friends and associates in other states by forwarding this email or sending them this link for the full report: http://sbecouncil.org/survivalindex2009.

Technorati Tags: Nevada Development Authority, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, business, NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

TMCC is announcing new entrepreneurship training courses for the Spring 2010 semester. TMCC’s School of Business & Entrepreneurship (SOBE) provides students with the skills and knowledge to compete and succeed in today’s marketplace. Each courses offers up-to-date, practical business fundamentals. The SOBE is proud of its high-quality instruction and absorbing courses which directly lead to student success. Classes are available in accounting, business, economics, entrepreneurship, logistics, management, marketing and real estate. Degrees include a certificate of achievement, an associate of arts, or an associate of applied science.  The associate of applied science is a useful two-year degree that employers see as verification of your capabilities in the business area. A TMCC associate of arts with a business emphasis enables you to transfer to upper division status at UNR’s College of Business. For more information, click HERE.

Technorati Tags: TMCC’s School of Business & Entrepreneurship, UNR’s College of Business, business, NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

Almost three years ago, the Target2010 economic development strategic plan, created by the community was presented to the community. The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada and our many region-wide partners knew progress would be a long, challenging process, but had no way of knowing the particular challenges that would arise. Yet progress has been made, and Target2010 is still at work as we near the actual calendar year 2010.

My two-year term as chairman of EDAWN’s board of trustees comes to an end with the close of 2009. The chairmanship comes after several years of service on the board, which allows for a greater understanding of the economic issues and opportunities facing our region. While six-plus years may seem like a long time, it is appropriate to the length of time it takes to effect economic development, especially with the goals we all set together three years ago.

Much has transpired since fall 2006 when the business community gathered to commit to a Target2010 action plan including specific strategies to help bridge the gap between workers’ earnings and the rising cost of living in Greater-Reno Tahoe. There have been wins along the way. And there have been setbacks as the greatest recession of our time hit in 2007, impacting each and every one of us as business owners, economic developers and residents. Read full story:

Technorati Tags: Northern Nevada Business Weekly, Target2010, Jack Prescott, Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, Greater-Reno Tahoe, Nevadaworks, NV Energy, REA250, C4CUBE, Nevada Center for Renewable Energy Commercialization, University of Nevada Reno, Truckee Meadows Community College, Desert Research Institute, Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce, Reno Tahoe Young Professionals Network, Angelos Angelou, entrepreneurship, business, NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

Save the dates – March 12-13, 2010

Nevada Small Farm Conference – Farming for the 21st Century

Fallon Convention Center & Western Nevada College Fallon Campus

This conference is a collaborative effort between WNC Specialty Crop Institute and several Nevada agricultural organizations to provide the best in workshops and speakers.

Conference details and registration forms will be available by early January.

For more information, contact Ann Louhela, Project Director, WNC Specialty Crop Institute
(775) 351-2551 (phone & fax) or visit www.wnc.edu/sci.

Technorati Tags: Nevada Small Farm Conference, Fallon Convention Center, Western Nevada College Fallon Campus, WNC Specialty Crop Institute, Ann Louhela, business, NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology