Organized by the same folks responsible for the world famous Film, Interactive and Music festival usually held in early March, SXSWEco brought together many of the world’s brightest minds and most interesting companies to talk about solutions to our social and environmental problems. My mind is still overflowing
Tag:
cleantech
While I was visiting my family in the Region of Lorraine – North Eastern France – I came across two distinct news illustrating the possible future of the region, and in a way, of the whole country.
The first one is about dirty polluting fossil energy as to Elixir Petroleum, an Australian company, there would be massive quantities of shale oil and gas in Lorraine’s soil. To the volumetric estimates, there would be no less than 164.7 billion barrels of shale oil and 649.7 trillion cubic feet of shale gas. Large amounts of more traditional oil and gas has been found as well.
This announcement took place as France has been the first country to ban fracking. As the local newspapers note, this announcement is little credible and is merely done to keep the exploration permits as the law is changing.
The enormous quantities found reminded me that US geologist recently estimated there is FIVE times less shale oil and gas in the American soil as it was previously stated by companies. I have no doubt that the situation in Lorraine will be the same if not worse.
I agree that local populations could benefit from jobs as the worst economic crises of our time is striking. But the countryside and its various cultures and fruits is a wonder we have to keep. Whoever ate mirabelles knows what I am referring to.
Now let’s have a look at something that is already taking place, and which holds a better future: cleantech!
A former military air base near Toul (in the Département of Moselle) will be cleaned up and 400 hectares of solar panels will be installed. The total capacity will be of 143 MW, enough for 62,000 people.
This project is a direct consequence of the new legal background enacted by the French government earlier this summer. See my post for more : France Issues New Regulations for Large Solar PV Installations
A few green jobs will also be created: 150 for the construction and an additional 15 to maintain the plant.
The plant will bring 1.3 million euros per year in revenue to the Région, the Département and the three cities where the air force base is located.
EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDF EN), a subsidiary of the national utilities Electricité De France may work with First Solar, which could provide the solar panels for the plant.
The company plans to invest no less than 434 million euros in the next ten years for this plant alone.
Trees will be planted in the remaining parts of the old air base and a little museum dedicated to renewable energies will be created as local authorities are willing to transform this as a touristic attraction.
France is moving forward on cleantech. Of course, there has been setbacks, but we can globally be satisfied. Let us hope it will continue doing so whoever will be elected as President in the Presidential elections next year.
Photo: Julien Hillairet, Flickr
Autodesk is an international leader in three dimensional design software for building, engineering and architecture construction, manufacturing, and entertainment and media. Autodesk became well known for AutoCAD – its flagship computer-aided design software. Other software products include Digital
Several green patent lawsuits have been filed in the last two weeks in the areas of biofuels, energy storage, smart grid, LEDs and environmental remediation.
Biofuels
Genifuel Corporation et al. v. Oyler
With the emergence of China as the globe’s cleantech powerhouse (see Why China has already overtaken the U.S. in cleantech), it’s become fashionable for cleantech companies with products to sell to target China seeking large purchase orders.
What’s not been so popular is to go to China seeking
It’s the fall, and the discontent of American billionaires, like that of New York Mets fans, is rising. Not only has laconic investment guru Warren Buffett demanded that the U.S. levy more taxes on the privileged, i.e., super-wealthy people like him; but also another group of billionaires (or at least hundreds-of-millionaires) has
Top 5 Things Cleantech Entrepreneurs Fail to Understand About Raising Capital
written by Walter Wang
After decades of venture capital investment, growth and exit, the traditional focus areas of venture capital (such as IT, web and software) have developed strong entrepreneurial ecosystems. A high percentage of start-ups in these traditional areas come to market with one or more experienced entrepreneurs or
Itochu Corporation is a Japanese general trading company that is based in Tokyo and Osaka. As the mission is that “The Itochu group respects the individual, society, and the future in its commitment to the global good,” it has been involved in the clean technology industry, including renewable energy and energy efficiency. Because of this, Itochu has been extremely active within the clean technology sector. Here are just a few highlights about what Itochu has done for the environment.
1) Itochu Partners with EnerDel for Smart Grid Integration. Itochu and lithium-ion battery manufacturing company EnerDel unveiled in May 2010 a new smart grid integration project by Tokyo, which is said to be “the first integration of EVs, stationary grid storage, renewable energy technologies and rapid recharging in a real-world setting.” at the heart of the project are EnerDel’s advanced batteries and they are intended to demonstrate the overall value that batteries can have in a stationary grid application.
2) Itochu Partners with Google and Sumitomo to Invest in Oregon Wind Farm. Itochu, in April 2011, partnered with Google Inc. and Sumitomo Corp. to invest approximately $500 million into a large wind farm based in Oregon. It is an 845 megawatt wind farm developed by Caithness Energy LLC. The project is slated to be complete in 2012 and will provide generated energy to supply more than 235,000 average sized homes in the United States. It will also save approximately 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, the equivalent of what is produced by 260,000 cars.
3) Itochu Partners with General Electric for Joint Investment in an Oklahoma Wind Farm. In October 2010, Itochu and General Electric entered into a new partnership to invest in a number of green energy companies. One of the investments was approximately $319 million to the CPV Keenan II wind farm in Oklahoma. The farm is about 12 miles south west of Woodward and spreads over 8,000 acres. When complete, the wind farm will provide enough electricity for approximately 45,000 average homes. It will also offset carbon dioxide emissions by 413,000 tons, which is equivalent to 72,000 cars.
4) Itochu Launched its IT-Based Energy Conservation and Management Services in September 2009. The Energy Conservation Services for enterprises, and Energy Efficiency Assessment and Solution Services and Next Generation Energy Management Services for buildings, facilities and stores will assist in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and comply with national regulations. Through the know-how and all technology cultivated through its IT services, Itochu will include a number of solutions that are integrated in their energy control systems.
5) Itochu and Think Expanded their Partnership in Asia in July 2010 with an accelerated growth plan along with an equity investment for the marketing and distribution of THINK City electric vehicles and electric vehicle drive systems. Following the success of a number of projects in 2009, Itochu and THINK formalized the partnership to further develop the marketing and distribution opportunities for urban vehicles and drive-train businesses. “The partnership was already in place informally, as seen in the success we have had in ventures such as the Tsukaba Green Crossover Town sustainability project in associated with Mazda,” said Masahiro Okafuji, the Corporation President and CEO of Itochu. He continues, “The demonstration projects are already delivering strong results, giving us the confidence to bring similar projects to other Itochu businesses.”
6) In July 2011, Itochu Corporation invested in a Gainesville, Florida Renewable Energy Center Power Project. The center is a 100 megawatt biomass power project developed by BayCorp Holdings, Ltd., Energy Management Inc., and Tyr Energy Inc. This project is one of the largest biomass fueled electric generating facilities throughout the United States and its emission control system is set to meet and even exceed all requirements in Florida and the United States.
7) In February 2011, Itochu and Echelon Partnered to Provide Energy Management and Smart Street Light Solutions. Echelon and Itochu planned to develop and sell a number of solutions for the growing global smart grid market, focusing on street lighting, enterprise energy management, and renewable energy. “Conservation of energy and development of renewable energy sources are ITOCHU‘s focal business areas. There is a huge, global market opportunity to provide open, distributed energy control solutions that support enterprise energy management, smart street lighting and management of renewable energy. We believe Echelon’s products are a perfect match for these solutions,” said Tomohito Arai, GM, Information Technology Business Department of ITOCHU.
8 ) In June 2011 Itochu Installed a Battery Storage System in an Apartment Building. Itochu installed photovoltaic panels, a large storage battery system used for stationary applications, as well as LED lights in an apartment complex in Tokyo, Japan as part of their “Local Production for Local Consumption” project revolved around clean energy. This system is said to provide almost all the electricity needed to light the place up.
9) In December 2010, Itochu Partnered with Abengoa Solar to Build a Concentrating Solar Power Plant in Spain. The construction will actually be of two 50 megawatt concentrating solar power plants and will cost over €500 million in investment. The operation of the plants will begin in 2012 and will sell the power created to the grid based on the current Spanish feed-in tariff program. Santiago Seage, Abengoa Solar’s CEO, says: “This partnership with a leading Japanese trading firm and the participation of international banks confirms the growth potential of CSP fueled by the international investment community. For Abengoa Solar, it constitutes another step forward in the execution of our pipeline of projects that have secured their registration in the feed-in-tariff pre-assignment registry set up last year in Spain.”
10) In November 2010 Itochu and Duke Energy Partnered to Develop Strategies to Reuse Electric Vehicle Batteries. This collaboration is to assist with advanced energy technologies, including evaluating and testing second-life applications for electric vehicle batteries. The two companies believe that batteries that are no longer suitable for use in electric vehicles can be applied to other items. Possibilities to reuse these batters include supplemental home energy supply and renewable power storage. The companies look to assess how the batteries perform on their “second life,” including stationary applications in commercial buildings, neighborhoods, and homes.
Article by Shawn Lesser, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Atlanta-based Watershed Capital Group – an investment bank assisting sustainable fund and companies raise capital, perform acquisitions, and in other strategic financial decisions. He is also a Co-founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association ”The Global Voice of Cleantech”. He writes for various cleantech publications and is known as the David Letterman of Cleantech for his “Top 10″ series. He can be reached at shawn@watershedcapital.com
Building on the success of an energetic premier conference held last year in Austin, this year’s Cleanovation again promised an interesting dynamic, where Israeli cleantech startups travel to Texas to pitch for investment from a community of experienced energy-sector investors.
How refreshing to hear a NZ political party talking about green jobs. The Conservatives in the UK have got a massive policy on green jobs, renewable energy and lowering carbon emissions, Obama has announced billions in this field, Angela Merkel in Germany has made dramatic moves in this are, the Chinese have a
Here in Boulder, Colorado the mood is impatient when it comes to the future of energy in the United States. The pace at the national level is not quick enough to deliver the clean-energy future that many Coloradans view as crucial to the future viability of our economy and environment. As a result, the
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, commonly referred to as NYSERDA was established in 1975 and is known as a public benefit corporation offering information and analysis, technical expertise, programs, and funding to assist New York in increasing the use of renewable energy
Global Cleantech Cluster Association Announces 185 Nominations For 2011 Later Stage Awards
written by Walter Wang
The Global Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA), known as the global voice of cleantech, announced today 185 companies have been nominated for the 2011 GCCA Later Stage Award by 30 cleantech clusters from around the world. Nominations in 10 categories ranging from renewable energy and