investment

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Over the past few years, we've had "clean energy" and "advanced energy"; once the favored term was "renewable energy" and even "alternative energy." And then there was the battle over "cleantech" or "greentech."[read more]

Currently, near-term-focused clean energy policies fall well short of spurring the kind of transformative energy technologies we need. To realize drastic carbon emission cuts, we need significantly better clean technologies in energy storage, solar, electric vehicles, critical materials and biofuels that are cheaper than their fossil fuel equivalents without subsidy in addition to the incremental improvements spurred by deployment policies.[read more]

Either you have Feed-In Tarrifs or you have direct investment in power plant or production (R&D) of power plants. The fact is there is no other way to get to the size of R&D and production where RES are competitive to fossil fuels.[read more]

“We can’t wait …” President Obama’s words as to a private-partnership set of building energy-efficiency investments that will total $4 billion are, sigh, ever-so-true across a huge portfolio of issues. And, well, let us be clear that this $4 billion is only a drop in the ocean of national requirements and opportunities even...[read more]

China is the most active investor in Smart Grid infrastructure today.  According to a 2010 report from Zpryme, the State Grid Corporation - the largest utility in China - was projected to spend $7.3 billion in that year alone on Smart Grid projects.  Their focus is on a concept called the Strong Smart Grid.  Like other...[read more]

I recently engaged in a discussion with David Zetland, a former economics professor of mine, on the value of public investment in technology (NB: I feel authorized to re-publish his and my comments because they were originally published on his public blog). It's worth noting that his blog, Aguanomics, is spectacular and I enjoy reading...[read more]

By now you have probably seen the interview with House Speaker Boehner on ABC about the need to look at tax policy towards oil companies at a time when "we need to have revenues to keep the government moving." If you haven't, check out this article from The Hill, which includes a link to it at the end. It's worth a look,...[read more]

The Mid-Atlantic Cleantech Investment Forum has become the premier showcase for clean- and greentech companies and investors in the region. A collaboration between the Cleantech Alliance Mid-Atlantic (of which I am co-founder) and Blank Rome's energy law practice, the Forum brings together investors and entrepreneurs from around the...[read more]

One of the many benefits of living in Silicon Valley is the proximity to innovation – game changing technologies or service models, creative people, and exciting new businesses.  Some people call it the world capital for innovation, which is an exaggeration, but not by much.  I’m an Executive in Residence at a technology...[read more]

An ugly truth of the new green economy is that the energy transition away from carbon-based fuels will be slow and powered by the very fuels from which we're transitioning.  We'll be using coal, oil, and natural gas for many years to come.  Here at The Green Skeptic we've long made the point that we need to fire on all...[read more]

After the dark economic events of 2009, 2010 is a brighter year for renewable chemical/ industrial biotechnology/ green chemistry companies as far as project milestones, investment activities and company exposures are concerned. More traditional chemical [and petroleum] companies are jumping into the concept of using renewable-based...[read more]

Transitioning into a new, low-carbon energy future costs money. No doubt about it. Yet the flip-side of cost is opportunity. Pew just released a new study on Global Clean Power: A $2.3 Trillion Opportunity. Is this just a smart attempt at rebranding the inevitable, or is there more behind this? Costs now, savings later First, a quick...[read more]

 The ongoing failure of UN climate negotiations – which resume in Cancun later this month – is often characterized as consigning the world to a “race to the bottom” on emissions. It’s a popular characterization of a complex, messy process. Before this rhetoric starts again, however, we wanted to take a minute to remind folks about...[read more]

For decades, progressives have worked to cut the cost of clean energy through R&D and deployment programs that pro-pollution, anti-science conservatives have bitterly fought.  This year, conservatives defeated the most promising effort to generate the funds needed to make massive clean energy investments — a federal climate and...[read more]

True stories of the hidden barriers to residential energy efficiency “In essence, the rebate on the boiler (which I’ve already paid for via a surcharge on my electricity bill) is captured by the plumber” by David L. Levy This week the temperature hit 90F in Boston, and after appropriate procrastination, I finally started replacing the...[read more]