Can We Trust General Motors?
You’ll travel far to find someone with more provocative and important observations on the subject of transportation than Chelsea Sexton. (more…)
Macro-economic Implications of Clean Energy
Good news: After a considerable chain of referrals, I have a really good starting point for my next book. My strategy is to make sure my first interview is with someone who can really take me on a deep dive into the big-picture macro-economics of clean energy (particularly job creation) both here in the US, and internationally as well.
In response to my request to Dr. Robert Pollin, from the Department of Economics and Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst:
Per the voice message I just left for you, I’m working on a follow up to my first book, Renewable Energy – Facts and Fantasies, which was a fairly general survey of the subject of clean energy: I’d like this one to focus on the macro-economic implications, particularly job creation. Do you suppose I could interview you?
Dr. Pollin writes:
Of course I would be happy to speak to you. Great idea for a book. This week is pretty booked already but next week is more open. Let’s find a decent time.
Not only is the guy super-qualified, but I really like his enthusism! Looks like a bulls-eye.
Aptera – Unique Approach to Electric Vehicle Design
A few readers have written in, worried about Aptera, afraid that they might have gone belly-up. No, they’re alive and well, though still in pre-production. They’ve moved to a nice facility in Oceanside, which I plan to visit next time I drive to San Diego:
4010 Ocean Ranch
Oceanside, CA 92056
760-477-2300
Their website is out-of-date; I’ve encouraged them to get their act together there.
The Vector: Gates Feeds-in on Tariffs
Bill Gates gave the concept of Feed-in tariffs a bit of a battering during his recent publicity drive to promote energy R&D funding.
Feed-in tariffs have given renewable energy companies a major boost in countries such as Germany and Spain. But Gates believes the money could have been better spent: “The world has spent a massive amount of money which, in terms of creating both jobs and knowledge, would have been far better spent on energy research,” he claims.
Gates firmly believes that R&D is the only viable solution and R&D will not be properly funded without government action. He sees a need for what he calls ‘miracles’ to reduce our CO2 emissions. Reductions of 20 per cent in CO2 output won’t cut it.
“There is absolutely no hope if you just say the world should use less energy. The only hope is less CO2 per unit of energy.” There is no existing technology that at anywhere near economic levels gives us electricity with zero CO2.”
Heavyweights in Environmentalism and Sustainability
I spent a chunk of the day hunting up mailing addresses for the most influential folks in environmentalism/sustainability I could find — the Al Gores and Bill McKibbens of the world. I’d like to send a a signed copy of Renewable Energy — Facts and Fantasies to each as a gift, as reciprocation for their work in enlightening the people around them.
I included people from Grist, Greenpeace, Mother Nature Network, World Wildlife Fund, and the United Nations’ Environmental Programme,. On the list are Tom Lovejoy from the H. John Heinz III Center for Economics and Science, Ken Cook from Environmental Working Group, Frances Beineke from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Robert Redford and the League of Conservation Voters, Andrew Revkin at Dot Earth/NY Times, Lester R. Brown of the Earth Policy Institute, and other folks like Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and Thomas Friedman.
If anyone has other good suggestions, please let me know.
Tagged with: Andrew Revkin, Dot Earth/NY Times, Earth Policy Institute, Environmental Working Group, Frances Beineke, Greenpeace, Grist, Jon Stewart, Ken Cook, League of Conservation Voters, Lester R. Brown, Mother Nature Network, Natural Resources Defense Council, Robert Redford, Stephen Colbert, Tom Friedman, Tom Lovejoy H. John Heinz III Center for Economics and Science, United Nations' Environmental Programme, World Wildlife Fund
Breakfast with a True Visionary in Electric Transportation
My first duty tomorrow morning is dropping off my daughter Valerie at school.
Then it’s off to breakfast with Bruce Severance, one of the true visionary in electric vehicles and sustainability. I’ve spent many hours with Bruce — mostly driving all over the state — headed to EV conversion seminars, as well as meetings with battery suppliers, carbon composite car body designers, and everything in between.
The common denomintor? Listening. I don’t speak; I take notes.
2GreenEnergy's Financial Analyst, Bill Paul, on PBS's WealthTrack
Consuelo Mack’s award-winning show WealthTrack on PBS just aired the second part of the interviews they conducted with Bill Paul, 2GreenEnergy’s financial analyst. Again, our thanks to our friends at PBS for all the airtime, and congratulations on their decision to hail Bill Paul in the same way we do here: a visionary whose strength is based not on his bombast, but on his track record.
Of course, Bill’s core abilities lie in what he knows about the industry, and his ability to distill the enormous quantity of information he pores through every day. But I also admire the way he handles himself in front of the camera: he’s completely imperturbable. Catch his interviews here.
Solar Power International – Enormous in Scope
Traipsing around the Solar Power International show just now, I was struck by the overwhelming scale of the event itself. I was one of a swarm of people – tens of thousands of them from countries all over the world — rambling over two gigantic halls hosting acres of displays.
Accompanying that impression of enormous scope is the feeling that this industry is here to stay, communicated by how many older and established industries have formed strong interconnections. In addition to the dozens of PV and CSP systems (different technologies, configurations, materials, etc.), we have:
Components (uncountable numbers of connectors and subsystems)
Testing and certification (Companies that test everything from bulldozers to Band-Aids now have business practices that specialize in the safety and efficacy of solar.)
Robotics (Machine tools that make cars and printed circuit boards now arrange PV cells into panels.)
Supply chain management. (SAP had its own booth, demo’ing its enterprise resource planning software developed specifically for the solar industry.)
Financing (equity capital, debt, tax, project financing)
State and local government (each extolling the virtues of their region of the world)
Media (online, print magazines, and events)
I’m thrilled to see a trade show of that scope – one which, if it had been held 10 years ago, would have fit nicely in my living room.
Great Debate on Proposition 23 and Renewable Energy
I’m constantly amazed at how talented people are nowadays. Take the two folks who duked it out on this debate on California’s Prop 23 this morning on KPCC (Pasadena, CA) — both of whom did a terrific job of articulating their positions.
Of course, as a renewable energy advocate and a fan of living things, I have to admit that I was rooting for the No position, but that woman on the Yes side handled herself pretty darn well — in the face of what many people would consider overwhelming rationale in favor of her opponent. Not one but both gubernatorial candidates are against Prop 23, and 98% of the money funding the initiative comes from two Texas oil companies. I’m glad they didn’t ask me to try to defend that one!
If you have a few minutes, you may what to check it out.
2GreenEnergy's Motto: "The Answer Is Always Yes"
The motto of 2GreenEnergy is: “The Answer’s Always Yes.” I.e., I don’t want to find myself in a position where I have to tell someone with a business in sustainability that I can’t help them due to my not having as associate in some particular business discipline. Yet several people have noticed that I don’t (yet) have an associate practicing the types of law that would be most relevant to entrepreneurs in this space, e.g., intellectual property protection.
I’ve been keeping my eyes open for a path to rectify this, and I think I’ve nailed it. At the Renewable Energy Finance Forum a couple of weeks ago, I met a top-notch lawyer with a not-too-ridiculous billing rate from Santa Monica, and I’m trying to put together a working arrangement. More soon.
