In response to my post Why Venture Capital Isn’t Embracing CleanTech, frequent commenter BreathOnTheWind asks, “Craig, you seem to have a good sense of the pulse of the VC world. Would you say as a group they tend to be somewhat conservative?”
Here are a couple of excerpts from my 2011 interview with Ray Lane (pictured), Managing Partner of Kleiner Perkins, that I offer as data points. Here’s one on investment strategy: (more…)
In the discussion following my post BioFertilizer and BioGas from Animal Waste, frequent commenter MarcoPolo notes: “The reason that Germany leads the world in bio-gas production is mainly due to massive government incentives, and assistance at every level,” and then carries on with a wonderfully interesting and comprehensive explanation that I urge readers to check out. (more…)
If you were looking for yet another reason to avoid commercial television, you just found it: CBS’s “The Briefcase,” a reality show in which impoverished families are given the opportunity to keep a briefcase that could be filled with cash, or give some of it away to another poor family. (more…)
Here’s an interesting article for those trying to understand the subsidies associated with fossil fuels; it’s an interpretation of the recent report from the International Monetary Fund, that pegs the number at $5.3 trillion annually, or $10 million per minute. (more…)
I try not to miss an opportunity to thank the people of the U.S. whenever they successfully come together and accomplish something wonderful. In this case, it was exerting enough pressure on our congress to deal a harsh blow to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). It’s not dead, but as of today’s vote, the road to fast-tracking this massive corporate power-grab is now much harder. (more…)
My colleague Walter Feuchs wrote the following about the Smithsonian Institution and the Koch brothers. I can only add that I’m flattered that Walter likes my slogan (the title of this post); I’m delighted that he makes frequent use of it.
In September 2014, the Smithsonian Institute announced it would conduct tours of U.S. innovations. America once ranked #1, and has slipped to 5th. (more…)
According to a recent statistical study conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), greenhouse gas emissions are decreasing. To recall, greenhouse gas emissions – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride and nitrogen trifluoride – trap the heat in the atmosphere, which affects global water temperature.
Therefore, the Kyoto Protocol target should be respected by 2020 as the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announced it. (more…)
There are many aspects of the green energy revolution that cause me concern, a major one of which is the prevalence of fraud, i.e., raising investment capital for the development of technologies that couldn’t possibly work.
Now I’m sure there are readers who think I exaggerate this, or perhaps that I don’t give certain new ideas a fair chance; for those I offer this first-class, bare-faced fraud presented here and here. Yowza.
I’m not the only one asserting that renewable energy is coming at us far faster than most people believe. This has several important implications that are going to cause a virtuous cycle, further accelerating the migration away from fossil fuels.
The most obvious of these is investor (herd) mentality. (more…)
A colleague of mine predicts a huge future for green bonds, e.g., municipal bonds that are directed solely at environmental targets: renewable energy, smart grid, clean transportation, etc. Linked above is an article that describes what Portland, Oregon is doing in this capacity.
This is a fledgling market now, but it is bound to expand. And as more investors climb on board, the coupon rates will fall, meaning a lower cost of capital enabling more projects to be completed. Perhaps that’s a good reason to buy now.
