Early Stage Cleantech Venture and the Next Billion Dollar Businesses

Early Stage Cleantech Venture and the Next Billion Dollar Businesses

Looks at how cleantech has the potential to produce the next billion dollar companies and become the engine of growth for the US; and goes on to look at how the entrepreneurial ecosystem can be encouraged, especially in the critical early stage phase.

How to Set Sustainability Goals: The Do’s and Don’ts

How to Set Sustainability Goals: The Do’s and Don’ts

In this post Elaine gives some examples of successful sustainability goals and examples of goals that fall short of the mark, arguing that reporting needs to address what companies WILL do not just what they HAVE done. This post seeks to give insight on what is the right way for companies to establish sustainability goals.

Drive Energy Innovation to Grow the Clean Economy Says Brookings

Drive Energy Innovation to Grow the Clean Economy Says Brookings

Summarizes the new green jobs study by the Brookings Institute, noting that the study reports that the driving force behind the U.S. “clean economy” over the last decade has been emerging energy technologies. It is these dozen or so “hot” segments within the larger green economy where most of the growth has been concentrated. This suggests that, in order to build a cleantech economy, the U.S. should put primary emphasis on new, technology-intensive, energy-related sectors.

The U.S. Government’s Green Purchasing Programs Have Some Serious Problems That Need to be Addressed

The U.S. Government’s Green Purchasing Programs Have Some Serious Problems That Need to be Addressed

The Federal government recently issues a new rule that requires that 95 percent of new contract actions be green.This sounds great. But there are some underlying systemic issues related to the timing of the FARC interim ruling. Industry groups and procurement agencies are scratching their heads. Several industry associations requested that the government stop issuing rules that change federal procurement policy without first considering public comment.

12 Synthetic Biology Biofuel & Biochemical Companies to Watch

12 Synthetic Biology Biofuel & Biochemical Companies to Watch

A detailed review of 12 U.S. based synthetic biology, biofuel & biochemical companies that are developing third and fourth generation biofuels, bioindustrial & household chemical, and food additive products; using synthetic biology to produce engineered microorganisms and specialty enzymatic products. Each company is examined in turn, looking at its financials and the uniqueness and strength of its processes and technology as well as at any important partnerships or alliances that have been formed.

The Summer Rooftop Solar Goes Big

The Summer Rooftop Solar Goes Big

Solar power continues along its firmly established downward cost curve and edges ever closer to achieving the historic milestone of grid parity. Today it just got a huge boost that will help it scale out in this country and will go a long way towards tipping the long term balance in favor of solar. In fact as the industry achieves scale it is cutting per unit costs down. This post outlines the announcement of a large DOE initiative to promote rooftop direct grid connected solar power in the US.

Rare Earths and the Cleantech Paradox

Rare Earths and the Cleantech Paradox

In this post Rien discusses the paradox that pervades so much of the high tech and cleantech world; the world that is supposed ot bring us a green and clean future free from the polluting industries of the “old” industrial paradigm. AND yet, so much of cleantech (and high-tech) depends in often critical ways on rare earths. Rare earth mining and refining is a very dirty business that has lead to some pretty horrible pollution, mainly in the Chinese regions in which it is mostly sourced from. This post focuses on a major new refining operation that Australian mining giant Lynas is trying to open in the country of Malaysia; an operation that is being opposed both by Malaysian activists and by some Australian Green Party activists as well. It forces us all to ponder this paradox and ask ourselves just how green is the green economy?

7 Ways To Get Employees To Change For The Greener

7 Ways To Get Employees To Change For The Greener

In this post Jennifer uses excerpts from an article on change management and applies the seven strategies outlined in the article to the specific challenge of getting employees to change their habitual behaviors in ways that help the organization achieve its sustainability goals. Actually getting people to adopt change in their lives is a lot more involved than a glossy vision statement that outlines lofty and worthy goals; unless the message connects with the people it needs to reach it will soon be forgotten.

If Energy Were Free and Unlimited…

If Energy Were Free and Unlimited…

This post examines the central role of energy in our lives by posing the hypothetical question the impact that free and unlimited energy would likely have on our world. Of course, as the author points out energy is neither free nor is it unlimited and prices for fossil fuels are destined to rise as emerging economies energy appetites make themselves felt on the market. From a venture capital perspective, it is this type of disruption that makes cleantech a compelling area for investment.

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