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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

That’s “Trillions” with a “T” -- Investments in Renewable Energy Outpacing Those in Fossil FuelsOf the $7.7 trillion that will be invested in new power generation capacity between now and 2030, $5.1 trillion will come in the form of renewable energy—mostly solar and wind.  That’s why, when I attend top-level conferences on clean energy financing, I run into players from CitiGroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, etc.–each antsy to deploy massive amounts of capital in this space.  This is happening in a big way.

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Post at The Hedge Connection Presents Waste-to-Electricity Plants in PanamaMy quest to connect solid cleantech business plans with sources of investment capital requires that I have a reasonably good supply of both these two elements. And of the two, investors normally keep a lower profile.  They tend not to carry a big sign across their chest that reads: “I’m worth $350 million; please come sell stuff to me.”  For that reason, I need to show a bit of cleverness here if I’m to get an audience with the right people.

My current focus is on hedge funds and their clients; I’m trying hard to get to know as many of these folks as I possibly can. And, to that end, I’m happy to report that I’ve recently become friendly with the people at The Hedge Connection, an online platform that enables hedge fund managers and marketers to interact with potential investors, providing all parties a way to get around what was previously an awkward dance.  I was delighted when the Hedge Connection founders asked me to contribute–in particular, to send them a monthly article discussing one of the more exciting cleantech business investment opportunities I’ve come across recently.

Here’s my first such submission for their blog, called “The Edge.”

 

 

 

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

A Post for People Who Wonder If Their Work Makes a DifferenceHere’s a post that has nothing to do with cleantech, but everything to do with the heart and soul of the many people who work hard to accomplish something on behalf of others.  Did you know that there are over 200,000 groups on planet Earth whose purpose is social and environmental justice?  Think about the sheer enormity of all that horsepower.  Then, for a moment, think about the many millions of these people who are involved with these groups, working tirelessly to ensure that we leave behind a clean and healthy planet …. and ask yourself: are there times when some of them doubt that they’re making a real difference?  You bet there are.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Largest Climate March in HistoryIt’s because we’re all aware of our own mortality that we endeavor to make the most of our days here on Earth.  I’m reminded about this, as it’s the 423rd anniversary of the baptism of poet Robert Herrick (pictured), who wrote:

“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, / Old Time is still a-flying, / And this same flower that smiles to-day / To-morrow will be dying.”

In a similar vein, we need to acknowledge that we really are running out of time if we’re going to make a difference in the outcome of humankind vis-à-vis the vast environmental damage we’re wreaking on our home planet.  Fortunately, tens of millions of people all over the world are working hard to develop and implement solutions.

One way anyone can make a difference is to be a part of the “People’s Climate March,” September 21, in New York City.

 

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

The Toll from CoalI often quote the number 13,200 as the annual death toll associated with Americans’ breathing the aromatics from coal-fired power plants, but I never actually had seen the source document until a reader sent it to me just  this morning.  Here it is, assembled by the Clean Air Task Force, headquartered in Boston.

Looks like I’m headed back that way in a couple of weeks.  I’ll try to drop by and shake some hands.

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Using Renewable Energy to Address the Destruction of the Natural EnvironmentAs I just noted, California acts as an incubator for concepts in environmentalism.  Of course, California has a lot of other things going on that have nothing to do with eco-consciousness—and one of them is car shows.   I just got back from a show of American and British cars from the 1910s to the 1970s.  I describe the early part of this chronology as follows:

If it’s primitive, with an emphasis on pragmatism and a minimum of attention on design, it was probably made before the mid-1920s.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability, Uncategorized

California Is an Incubator for Concepts in Environmentalism, SustainabilityWe in California bear a particular responsibility, as, for some reason, many social phenomena start here, and, if they’re successful, they’re picked up by the rest of the country and ultimately by the rest of the world. This, btw, is one of several good responses to the oft-asked question: does it really matter what happens in California environmentally, considering that China is building a new coal-fired power plant at the rate of one per week? Of course it matters. What starts here doesn’t stay here.

And even if that we’re the case, here’s another response, one that would apply even if California were an island with no communication to the rest of the world at all:  Decent people do what’s right regardless of how other people are acting.  You don’t litter, do you?  Now ask yourself why you refrain from littering.  Is it because no one litters?  No, plenty of people litter; they’re called “slobs.”  You’re not a slob.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Video Calls for Sustainable Approach To EnergyHere’s an eight-minute video called “Carbon” which summarizes nicely where our civilization finds itself vis-à-vis a sustainable use of energy, climate change, the oil companies, political corruption, etc. Very well done, IMO.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Photovoltaics

Renewable Energy Has Unseen BenefitsIn the process of helping me on my new book project, “Bullish on Renewable Energy – Eleven Reasons Why Clean Energy Investors Can’t Lose,” my UK-based colleague Gary Tulie sent me a video to underscore the point that renewable energy has benefits most of us don’t see every day. Here’s a school with 400 students in Kenya’s Nyeri county in the Aberdere mountains, around 60 miles to the North of Nairobi, where the kids were performing poorly for two reasons:

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Possible Explanation for Slowdown in Global WarmingAccording to a report published yesterday, scientists may have found the answer to the unpredicted slowing in the warming of global air temperatures. They had suspected that the heat was somehow winding up in the oceans, and it appears they are correct. But what does all this mean? I hope you’ll check out the report.

 

 

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