I hope that by now it is widely understood, at least by this audience, that the future of Clean Technologies is strong. In case you were still wondering why… I would like to pick out a few headlines from the front page of yesterday’s Wall Street Journal.
Oil Industry Braces for Drop in US Thirst for Gasoline
Shell Said it is Shutting Flow
GM’s Bankruptcy likely to be challenged
Car-Battery Maker A123 is expected to announce $69M Raise
Snipers Kill Pirates, Save Captain
China Pledges $25Bn to SE Asia Economies
Social Responsible Funds still drawing investor Dollars
Asian Shares Spike
Oil Industry Braces for Drop in US Thirst for Gasoline
Sure the economy is to blame, but part of that brace (and you heard it here about 3 months ago first) is that capacity will be taken off line, investment in new oil fields will continue to dry up to meet demand given depressed prices. Think for a moment or two (if it isn’t clear) what will happen once demand comes back and supply is constrained? Yeah, that will make biofuels sexy again… and PHEVs.
Shell Said it is Shutting Flow on a Pipeline
Allegedly, it is precautionary… Ironic… no?
GM’s Bankruptcy likely to be challenged
Shareholders are weary that they’ll get “steam-rolled” – I’m worried that tax payers and the millions that GM has supported directly and indirectly will get steam-rolled for their consistent failure to meet clear environmental demands by neglecting to look strategically beyond a quarter-by-quarter. One of their few salable assets… the Volt program.
Car-Battery Maker A123 is expected to announce $69M Raise
Wouldn’t that have been a smart investment for GM a few years ago? (Full disclosure – they kind of did, but not heavily enough!)
Snipers Kill Pirates, Save Captain
How do you think Oil gets around the world? Makes sense to try and source your energy from a stable (and local) source.
China Pledges $25Bn to SE Asia Economies (Infrastructure funds)
This is an investment in relationships and more. China has been investing in UHV transmission lines for years (conducive to intermittent renewables) – they understand that unbridled growth without accounting for the environment has real economic impact, and will likely apply that experience in their SEA investments.
Social Responsible Funds still drawing investor Dollars
These funds typically look beyond quarter-by-quarter growth, which stimulates developing lasting value propositions. People have seen the impact of chasing the quick buck and have had enough of Wall Street’s typical modus operandi shenanigans.
Asian Shares Spike
This implied faith in Asia’s growth highlights a point made earlier… China and India are increasingly participating in the Solar and Wind Supply chains and actively developing their local market demand. They have strict quotas for local sourcing, they recognize the opportunities in CO2 projects, and they are able to maximize revenues from renewable energy projects because their grid is so dirty (1 Tonne/MWh).
Sure, I’m likely preaching to the choir given the URL… but the WSJ is preaching to the whole world, and if you read between the lines, it is pretty clear that the satus quo is rapidly becoming more sustainable. You might want to get your organization rolling in that direction – or change organizations to find a place that is.
