Many Different Industries Should Be Interested in the Clean Energy "Corporate Role Models" Blog

I began to write a private email to my colleague Stephan Williams who is helping out with our “Corporate Role Models” blog, when I realized there is really nothing private about it at all. Here are notes on the industries I would like to include, and the potential bearing each has on clean energy, i.e., why companies in these industries should be interested in participating in the blog.

Industry	Should Be Interested Because:
Aerospace and defense	Any group interested in technology generally is a candidate. Also, (ironically) the military loves cleantech, and these guys will build them whatever they’re paid for. They’re also looking for good PR. Boeing, e.g., spends a fortune sponsoring PBS.
Chemicals	They supply to important industries within cleantech: batteries, PV equipment, solar thermal, geothermal, biomass, etc.
Computers	Cleantech will be one of the most important focal points of IT solutions for the foreseeable future; it will figure prominently in building efficiency, smart-grid, telematics, on-board computing for appliances, vehicle-to-grid, intelligent integration of renewables into the grid-mix, etc.
Construction	A large and growing percentage of the things we’re building will be directly or indirectly related to clean energy and electric transportation. Cleantech standards (e.g., LEED) will continue to grow in importance. Building retrofits for efficiency will also be huge.
Electronics	See “Computers”
Energy	This is the core discipline, but obviously thousands of people in fossil fuels and nuclear are royally cheesed off at me for what I’ve written about them over the years. Of course, I have no regrets; the industry will not change unless people realize how poorly they’ve been behaving and how corrupt their relationship with the government has become. Having said this, it’s worth a try. Some of these groups are sincerely trying to reposition themselves.
Engineering and construction	See “Construction”
Metals	Huge volumes of metals of all types are used in clean energy and electric transportation. In fact, some say that the supply of non-ferrous metals is the gating factor for the whole cleantech industry – especially for electric transportation.
Mining	See “Metals.” Also, mining has huge environmental issues, and could certainly use some good PR.
Motor vehicles	The key “driver” here (pardon the pun) is alternative fuel transportation. In addition, they also need to monitor the new paradigm in transportation in which people begin to question the need for vehicle ownership. Also, see “Computers” re: the use of IT/telematics.
Networks	See “Computers”
Oil and gas	See “Energy”
Pipelines	See “Energy”
Railroads	See “Motor vehicles.” Also, they’re working on regenerative braking and other important efforts to save fuel.
Real estate	Lots of land and improvements are associated with clean energy generation, transmission, distribution, and storage.
Scientific equipment	See “Computers”
Semiconductors	See “Computers”
Telecommunications	See “Computers” and “Motor vehicles”
Transportation and logistics	See “Computers” and “Motor vehicles”
Trucking	See “Motor vehicles”
Utilities	See “Computers”