On Thursday I participated in the latest CleanTECH San Diego SCRUB session.  SCRUB is an opportunity for early stage cleantech companies to present their business plans to a panel of CleanTECH San Diego members.  Three local emerging cleantech ventures made their case to twenty-one CleanTECH San Diego members representing a mix of venture capitalists, engineers, marketing specialists, intellectual property attorneys as well as local leaders from industry, research and government.  The objective of SCRUB is to provide feedback and assistance to take each company to the next stage. 

This quarter’s SCRUB showcased three distinctly different cleantech businesses.  TransPower seeks to become a leading supplier of power generation, energy storage and power control technologies. Principal product areas include an advanced electric propulsion system for heavy-duty vehicles and a modular energy storage system for use with EV technology.  Interra Energy’s core process revolves around using waste biomass to create biochar through pyrolysis for use within sustainable agriculture practices, which can create waste biomass and thus a sustainable loop. NuLEDs aims to be a leader in LED lighting and control for commercial environments. Their primary product is a networked digital controller technology that can provide flexible dimming and tailoring of specific colors, correlated color temperatures (CCT) and color rendering index (CRI).

In the past nine quarterly SCRUB sessions CleanTECH San Diego has provided advice, introductions and critical evaluations to 32 future cleantech stars.  If you have a cleantech enterprise that would benefit from a good SCRUB you should forward your business summary to Jason Anderson at jasona@cleantechsandiego.org  

CleanTECH San Diego SCRUB Graduates 2008-2012
(Click on name to link to website)

TransPower

Interra Energy

NuLEDs, Inc.

MultiSpark LLC.

TourEngine Inc.

Lightwave Photonics LLC.

Home Town Farms

Butler Sun Solutions

350 Green

WaterSmart Software   

Shrink Nanotechnologies  

Eco ReBox   

Vari-Ro

Marine Power Partners 

OnRamp Wireless

New Leaf Biofuel 

TransPacificEnergy, Inc. 

Balboa Pacific 

EcoDog

Malama Composites

Pyron Solar

Kai BioEnergy

Community Fuels

ISE Corporation

Chlorofill

Sustainable Green Technologies

California Wind Systems

ECOR (Noble Environmental Technologies)  

Strategic Enzyme Applications  

SleepServer

This quarter’s SCRUB was hosted by CleanTECH San Diego member, Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP. 

Soitec, a world leader in generating and manufacturing revolutionary semiconductor materials for the electronics and energy industries, dedicated its new North American solar headquarters and manufacturing plant in San Diego at a ceremony held on Friday, December 16.  Governor Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown Jr, provided remarks at the event.  Also participating in the factory dedication were San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, Jessie J. Knight, chairman and CEO of San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E), California Public Utilities Commissioner (CPUC), Timothy Simon and Jim Waring, CEO of CleanTECH San Diego.  They were joined by governmental officials and over 300 community and business leaders that attended the dedication event.  The factory is located in San Diego to supply more than 300 megawatts (MW) in solar projects to provide electricity to SDG&E.  All Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) have been approved by the CPUC.  The new factory will enable a manufacturing capacity of 200 MW of Soitec’s fifth generation of Concentrix concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules, with the opportunity for future expansion to double the capacity to 400 MW per year.

Soitec’s highly efficient, durable CPV systems have enabled the company to plan for more than 300 MW in utility-scale solar power plant projects throughout the Southwest U.S., including 155 MW in PPAs with San Diego Gas & Electric, approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) last month. Additionally, a power purchase agreement for up to 150 MW for the Imperial Solar Energy Center West project, another project that currently proposes to use Soitec’s CPV technology, was approved by the CPUC on December 15.  Tenaska Solar Ventures, LLC, an affiliate of independent energy company Tenaska, is developing that project.  

Click here for a brochure of the Concentrix concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) module.

“SDG&E has signed more contracts using CPV technology than any other utility in the world – a distinction we’re proud of,” said Jessie J. Knight, Jr., chairman and CEO of SDG&E.  ”At the time we began our talks with Soitec, we realized we had a unique opportunity to negotiate not only a good contract for solar energy at prices that competed head-to-head with other technologies, but also to solidify an agreement that would bear fruit for years to come in new local jobs and overall economic benefits.  From a reliability and grid stability perspective, this technology is far superior to other typical ground-mounted arrays.”

Soitec employs a distributed manufacturing model which locates CPV module factories close to its customers to provide the most efficient and environmentally beneficial green power.  The distribution model also calls for a large percentage of local content and local job generation.

“Soitec’s new facility will create hundreds of well-paying jobs and build on San Diego’s growing reputation as one of the world’s leading clean-technology clusters,” commented San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders.  ”We are so honored and proud to welcome Soitec to the San Diego community, and I know that San Diego’s collaborative business community will continue to work with Soitec to ensure the company’s success and prosperity.”

Governor Brown noted, “I’m glad to be here for the dedication of Soitec’s manufacturing plant. The expansion of clean energy businesses is a direct result of legislation mandating that one-third of California’s electricity come from renewable sources by 2020.  That’s a goal and we’re going to meet it. In fact, we are going to do better.”

Malama Composites, manufacturers of high performance polyurethane foams made from bio-based renewable resources, announced today that it has joined Spain’s Green Comm Racing Team at the America’s Cup, the world’s most prestigious sailing competition, in order to promote environmental innovation and technology within the sailing industry. 

“Our materials enable manufacturers to produce products that are stronger, lighter, faster and far more environmentally responsible than alternative core materials.  Our partnership with the Green Comm Racing Team provides a fantastic venue to premier the next generation of sustainable materials, and we are honored to be a part of it,” said David Saltman, Chairman and CEO of Malama Composites.

Francesco De Leo, Executive Chairman of Green Comm Racing, stated, “This is a unique opportunity to rally some of the best minds in the world behind a very exciting goal: designing and manufacturing the ultimate renewable energy machine – a winning America’s Cup boat.  Our goal is to promote a green agenda by leveraging the media impact of one of pinnacle sport events in the world.”

Malama Composites develops and produces rigid polyurethane foams made from soy polyols and other renewable resources.  The resulting panels serve as a light-weight structural core material in the manufacturing of everything from boat hulls to wind turbine blades, movie sets to surfboards.  While cost and performance competitive with alternative, petroleum-based foams, Malama’s products contain no toxic resins or additives, and can be easily reused or recycled.

Francesco De Leo is a thought leader in the field of communication technology with a particular focus on green IT.  He was the former Managing Director of Telecom Italia and Head of Strategy and International operations at Wind.  The Green Comm Racing Team is made of a group of young sailors and executives who see the America’s Cup as an opportunity to advance green innovation in the sailing industry by leveraging the media impact of one of the most high profile sporting events in the world.

Click here for some amazing photos and here for video. 

Live from San Diego – America’s Cup Webcam

How to follow the America’s Cup World Series in San Diego

What do electric vehicles have to do with winter sports?  Beats me.  But while all of the Shaun White want-to-be’s are checking out snowboards at SnowJam 2011 you can take a run in the new all-electric Nissan Leaf. 

The ‘drive electric tour’ will provide the opportunity to learn all about the Nissan LEAF.  You will be guided through several display areas, have the opportunity to talk with LEAF experts, and explore the many innovations from Nissan including:

· The Nissan LEAF battery system and charging details
· The “sexy science” of the Nissan LEAF and how it compares to other vehicles
· Staying in-touch with your LEAF through your phone or computer
· Fuel efficiency and costs
· Environmental impact
· Meet Nissan LEAF’s helpful accessories
· 100 miles is more than enough!

But the best part of the ‘drive electric tour’ is that you can drive the car for yourself!  You will be able to drive the (more…)

In Revenge of the Electric Car, director Chris Paine (Who Killed the Electric Car?) takes his film crew behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, and the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors to chronicle the story of the global resurgence of electric cars.  A special screening of the documentary will be held November 11th at 6:00pm at the Landmark, Ken Cinema, 4061 Adams Avenue, San Diego.

Joel Pointon, Electric Transportation Manager of San Diego Gas & Electric, David Almeida, Coordinator for the Caifornia PEV Rebate Program (CCSE), and Greg Newhouse, Chairperson of the local Clean Cities Coalition for San Diego, will appear in person to introduce the film and for Q&A after the 6:00pm show.

Cast: Tim Robbins, Bob Lutz, Carlos Ghosn, Elon Musk, Greg “Gadget” Abbott, Danny DeVito, Jon Favreau, Anthony Kiedis, Stephen Colbert, Talulah Riley.   Run time 90 minutes

Click for a hot trailer of Revenge of the Electric Car

Link to Landmark Ken Cinema

Carl Nettleton, Lee Stein, Elizabeth Dreicer McPhail, Bryce Rhodes

The E2 San Diego Chapter held an EcoSalon on Thursday, October 20, titled, “Energy Security and the Impact on the Economy.”  The event was held at Chapter Co-Director Lee Stein’s home and featured three panelists: Leendert “Len” Hering Sr. RADM, USN (ret.); Stephen Mayfield, UC San Diego Professor of Biology and Director of the San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology; and Marney Cox, Chief Economist for the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). E2 San Diego Chapter Co-Director Carl Nettleton moderated the session. 

San Diego is a hub for both the military and alternative fuels development and the panelists discussed the national and local imperatives driving the military’s emphasis on reducing or eliminating fossil fuel use.  According to Chapter Co-Director Elizabeth Dreicer McPhail, the event met the goal of bringing together a small but quality group of business and community leaders to provide visibility for E2 while researching locally important issues and appealing to potential new members.

In August E2 published a 23 page report, Advanced Biofuel Market Report 2011.  Click here for your copy.

Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) is a national community of business leaders who promote sound environmental policy that builds economic prosperity.  E2 has seven chapters: Northern California, New England, New York, Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, Los Angeles, and San Diego.

National Plug-In Day, on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011, is a nationwide observance drawing global attention to the environmental, economic and other benefits of plug-in electric vehicles through simultaneous events staged in at least twenty major cities.  In San Diego you can celebrateNational Plug-In Day at CCSE‘s “Tailgate without Tailpipes” party.  Picnic lunch will be provided for all.  Join CCSE and ECOtality to get the latest information on the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) funding and the latest news on the EV Project’s charging stations in the region.  Following lunch there will be presentations with an open discussion and time for questions.

Come to the workshop and learn more about:

• Expected timing for the release of $15 million in FY 2011-2012 CVRP funding and how this affects rebate applicants currently on the CVRP Wait List
• Status update from ECOtality’s San Diego Area Manager on EV Project charger installations in the region  (more…)

The surge in the installation of infrastructure for electric vehicles continues to grow in San Diego.  Charging stations are being installed in a variety of locations including those where multiple units are required.  To facilitate the process San Diego Gas & Electric is having monthly Multi-unit Vehicle Charging Workshops.  The next one is Tuesday August 23rd.  Here is their invitation:

Join us on August 23rd, from 9:30 AM to 11 AM (refreshments/registration at 9:15 AM) for this program at our brand new Energy Innovation Center (EIC) at 4760 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.  This will be one of the first public programs to be held at EIC (prior to the official opening), so it gives you the opportunity to learn about the topic and you’ll also get a preview of our brand new EIC.

UCLA’s Luskin Center will be our special guests at this month’s workshop.  As always we invite residents, HOAs, property managers and contractors to share their experiences during the 2nd half of our program devoted to Q&A. We will also discuss the recently approved SB 209 in this session, signed by Governor Brown in July that relates to Multi-unit Dwellings.

Here is the link to the actual bill language:

Click here to link to SDG&E’s Electric Transportation website.

On Thursday, August 11th, award-winning author and filmmaker Josh Tickell will join leading biofuels producers and retailers at “Biodiesel and Flex Fuel for Fleets – Just the Facts” – an interactive workshop for regional businesses to address common misconceptions about domestic biofuels.  During the workshop, hosted by Propel Fuels, New Leaf Biodiesel, CleanTECH San Diego, the San Diego Regional Clean Fuel Coalition, the California Center for Sustainable Energy, and Pearson Fuels, Tickell and other speakers will discuss the performance benefits, cost advantages, incentives and availability of renewable fuels in Southern California with fleet managers, fuel distributors and other decision makers.   

WHO:            

Josh Tickell, Award-Winning Filmmaker of FUEL and FREEDOM
Jake Millan, Fleet Sales Manager, Propel Fuels
Brendan Reed, Environmental Resource Manager, City of Chula Vista
Lisa McGhee, San Diego Airport Parking

WHAT:          

A free, interactive workshop for fleet managers, fuel distributors and other decision makers interested in learning about the performance benefits, cost advantages, incentives and availability of renewable fuels in Southern California.

WHEN:               

Thursday, August 11th, 2011,
Media Availability: 3:00 p.m.
Workshop: 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Pearson Fuels
4067 El Cajon Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92105

TO REGISTER:     www.energycenter.org/flexfuel

Last week CleanTECH San Diego hosted the first San Diego Wind Energy Symposium.  The keynote speaker was Michael Picker, Senior Advisor to the Governor for Renewable Energy Facilities.  Picker’s comments included a progress report on California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).  The target is for 33% of electricity sold in the California to come from renewable energy by 2020.  Renewable energy projects require long lead times to grind through the process of permitting, land acquisition, environmental impact studies and financing.  Many projects fall by the wayside.  Picker’s analysis of the project pipeline data from state government agencies including the CPUC suggests that the “queue currently holds more than double the generation capacity needed to achieve a 33% RPS”.  The consensus is for 33% to be likely achieved a few years prior to the 2020 deadline.  In his signing letter to the State Senate for SB2 Governor Brown stated, “I think 40%, at reasonable cost, is well within our grasp in the near future”.  Picker’s presentation supported that projection as realistic.

Government regulations like Califonia’s RPS are effective in the sense that they produced a measurable response.  However, there is a bigger challenge than attaining a 33% RPS.  Efficiently coordinating this new mix of energy production into the grid will in the long run determine the economic feasibility of reaching a RPS far beyond 33%. 

Video of the entire Symposium is available at:

Keynote and Panel 1       

Panel 2

The San Diego Wind Energy Symposium was made possible by the sponsorship of CleanTECH San Diego members Invenergy, Iberdrola Renewables and Enel Green Power.

The following resources provide some background into the challenges and opportunities of wind energy.   Click on each to connect.

California Wind Map and Resource Potential
U.S. Wind Resource Map
How Wind Power Works
Wind Power Glossary

Last Thursday over 200 electric vehicle pioneers, early adapters and the technologically curious came together for CleanTECH San Diego’s Electric Vehicle Showcase.  (see my post of June 4th)  Here are the visuals.

The electric Tesla Roadster

Filing up with Electrons

The electric Nissan Leaf

Danny Sullivan, Holly Smithson, Byron Washom

1985 Indy 500 Winner - Danny Sullivan

CleanTECH San Diego's Electric Vehicle Showcase

The Panel

 

 

The 41 companies in the San Diego region which are involved in wind energy represent every aspect of the industry from project design and finance, manufacturing, energy production and distribution. 

The 25 wind turbines which make up the 50 MW Kumeyaay Wind project on the Campo Reservation are an impressive display of renewable energy from I-8 in Alpine.  The tribe’s second wind farm, Kumeyaay Wind II, is a 160-megawatt project to be built in partnership with San Diego Gas & Electric and Invenergy.  Major players such as Iberdrola Renewables and Enel Green Power are involved in projects representing billions of dollars of wind energy capacity.  Viridity Energy deals in solutions which address the coordination of energy demand and supply including energy storage.  Upwind Solutions recently established their presence in San Diego with the purchase of Knight & Carver’s turbine blade business. 

On June 14th CleanTECH San Diego will host the San Diego Wind Energy Symposium.  Michael Picker, Senior Advisor to the Governor for Renewable Energy Facilities will be the keynote speaker.   There will be two panel presentations; Renewable Energy Policy – State and Local Perspective followed by Specific Wind Power Considerations.

Click here for complete details.

San Diego Wind Energy Symposium

June 14th 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

SCRIPPS SEASIDE FORUM
at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
8610 Kennel Way | La Jolla, CA 92037

Click here to register today.

The following resources provide some background into the challenges and opportunities of wind energy,   Click on each to connect.

California Wind Map and Resource Potential
U.S. Wind Resource Map
How Wind Power Works
Wind Power Glossary

On Thursday June 9th CleanTECH San Diego’s Electric Vehicle Showcase will be the latest event focused on San Diego’s position at the front line of the largest transportation electrification project in history.  What’s so special about San Diego?

San Diego has a culture of technology early adapters.  San Diego has been one of the top markets for hybrid EVs like the Toyota Prius.  California ranks first in Prii sales and second only to Vermont in Prii Per Capita.  (Yes, the plural is Prii).  Hybrid EV owners are predisposed to consider plug-in EVs.

San Diego is one of 16 cities selected under a DOE grant headed by ECOtality to implement the largest-ever rollout of electric vehicle infrastructure.  Federal grants plus matching funds will total $230 million.

Because the ultimate utility of EVs is tied to the establishment of a charging infrastructure, Nissan, Chevy, Ford and others have focused on a limited number of metropolitan regions including San Diego.

San Diego is the #1 solar city in the #1 solar state.  40 percent of Leaf owners have solar panels according to the California Center for Sustainable Energy (Source North County Times). 

San Diego’s terrain and climate is less taxing on EV batteries than much of the U.S.

Successful integration of EVs to the grid is a task of great complexity.  For the past two years, San Diego Gas & Electric’s advancements in smart grid infrastructure has earned them recognition as the most intelligent utility in America by IDC Energy Insights and Intelligent Utility magazine. 

General Electric has partnered with the City of San Diego, San Diego Gas & Electric, the University of California San Diego and CleanTECH San Diego in Smart City San Diego, a public-private collaboration that aims to improve the region’s energy independence, empower consumers to adopt electric vehicles, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and drive economic growth.

To boost use of electric vehicles, the General Services Administration is installing charging stations for government vehicles in San Diego and four other cities.

The University of California, San Diego has been at the center of several major initiatives which are contributing to the region’s growth as a clean energy center.  The EVs which will be used by students, faculty and staff will form a living laboratory of human behavior and technology.

Qualcomm and ECOtality have entered into an agreement to implement cellular connectivity into charging stations. The solution will allow ECOtality to use a commercial cellular network to manage its Blink brand charging station operations, transfer usage data, download firmware updates and publish availability to electric vehicle drivers in real time.

CleanTECH San Diego is an important nexus for regional clean technologies of all types.  You can click through to their website to learn about their crucial mission.  While you are there you can register for the CleanTECH San Diego Electric Vehicle Showcase.  Indy 500 legend and electric vehicle convert Danny Sullivan will be the keynote speaker.  UC San Diego’s Byron Washom will lead a panel including the CEO of Flux Power, Chris Anthony and General Electric’s Michelle Lesh.  Held on the LEED Silver certified Port Pavilion on the Broadway Pier, the Showcase will include a variety of demonstrations of EV technologies and cars. 

Show up on Thursday with a fistful of business cards to network harborside and kick the tires of the EVs that are in the poll position in the race for energy efficient transportation.  Register here today. 

CleanTECH San Diego’s Electric Vehicle Showcase

Date: Thursday June 9, 2011    4 PM to 7 PM

Port Pavillion on Broadway Pier
1000 North Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92101

Click here to view Danny Sullivan’s classic moment in Indy 500 history.

Since 1987, the CONNECT Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards have been San Diego’s “Oscars” for local technology innovation.  This year semifinalists were selected from a record 105 entries in eight categories.  In the Clean Technology category the semifinalists are Airstream Innovations for Airstream Greenhouse; EDSA Micro Corporation for EDSA Micro’s Paladin SmartGrid and Viridity Energy’s VPower; Juice Technologies LLC for Plug Smart Go!; Malama Composites for AinaCore Building Panel; Multispark, LLC for PowerSTAR Performance Spark Plug; Numinus for SpectraDrive Multi-Channel LED Controller with Serial Interface; and Seacoast Science for Forston Mini GC. 

To be considered for the 2010 MIP Awards, the product must (more…)

The CleanTECH San Diego Showcase presents Solar Power – The Path to Profitability on Monday, June 14th at the La Jolla Marriott.  Keynote speaker, Daniel Gross is one of the founding Partners of Hudson Clean Energy, a private equity fund with over $1 billion in assets under management focusing on renewable energy and clean technology.  Following Mr. Gross’ remarks will be a panel discussion featuring Dr. Burkhard von Spreckelsen, CEO of Valliant Solar Systems, Scott Sporrer, general manager of Siliken Renewable Energy and Joe Budano, CEO of Energy Innovations.

CleanTECH San Diego’s database of cleantech companies include 47 solar innovators and 129 solar facilitators. 

The networking hour before the CleanTECH San Diego Showcase is a unique opportunity to get face to face with the captains of industry, futurists, venture capitalists and propeller heads who play in the clean tech space.  All you need to do is register and show up with a fistful of business cards.  Click here to make your reservation.

Getting up to speed in cleantech is like learning a new language.  Lesson one for algae begins at the website for the San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology (SD-CAB).  I found the Q&A to be particularly useful. 

Algae lesson number two is the Algal Biofuels Symposium 2010 “The Science to Support Algal Biofuel Commercialization” to be held this Friday April 23rd at the Salk Institute in La Jolla.  This all day event features a dozen of the top experts in the field of what many believe will be the leading alternative fuel for transportation, algae biofuel.  Just $25 covers the event including lunch and a hosted reception.  Click here for details. 

You will want to become a SD-CAB Associate Member.  Click here to join for $100.

For five more useful algae resources see Algae spoken here which was posted below on October 21, 2009

By GUEST AUTHOR Lee Barken, IT practice leader at Haskell & White, LLP

Peter Fusaro knows environmental finance markets.  As Chairman of Global Change Associates, Fusaro is an energetic and tenacious green markets cheerleader with over 34 years of government policy and industry experience.  When he took the stage at his 9th annual Wall Street Green Trading Summit last week in New York City, audience members perked up and paid attention. 

From carbon markets to green energy loans and Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs, more than 225 professionals gathered at this conference to learn about a variety of innovative financing mechanisms.  “This conference has always been the practitioners’ conference,” said Fusaro.  “This is about people doing things: innovative things, risky things, pushing the envelope and moving forward.”

 Restarting the Green Engine

 If the path to economic development is paved with green technology, some suggest that the car is in neutral.  Unfortunately, for the past few months, the political machine of Washington has been consumed by partisan wrangling over medical insurance.  Now, with the healthcare debate behind us, there seemed to be a renewed sense of optimism among conference participants.

 “The lack of interest in carbon is appalling, (more…)

Last December I participated in a two day Discover Imperial County tour organized by the San Diego Regional Economic Development Council.  It was a first-hand opportunity to experience the remarkable energy and agriculture wealth of the Imperial Valley.  (See my posts of December 6th and 8th below).  The EDC has scheduled a one-day version of the trip for April 9th.  The $195 fee includes meals and transportation.  This is a must-do for everyone who is interested in the vast base of cleantech opportunities which exist in the Cali Baja Mega-Region. 

The Imperial Valley is an energy cornucopia.  I doubt if there is any comparable space in the world that can harvest energy from solar, geothermal, water, wind, algae, biomass and piped-in natural gas. 

To register contact Emily, Events Manager, at 619-615-2969 or en@sandiegobusiness.org

OR click here to register online.

On Wednesday the second CleanTECH San Diego Showcase event: WIND POWER – Leading the Renewables Revival was held at the Marriott in La Jolla.  After the active networking session the 240 attendees heard Jim McDermott, Managing Partner of US Renewables Group, give the opening presentation followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Jim Walker, Vice Chairman, Board of enXco, Ian Gardner, CEO of Helix Wind, James Sahagian, VP for commercial development with Sempra Generation and Steven DeWolf, principal of Wind Tex Energy LP.

McDermott noted that wind power represents about 75% of (more…)

By GUEST AUTHOR Lee Barken, IT practice leader at Haskell & White, LLP

With southern California in the midst of thunderstorms and tornado warnings, attendees at the 6th Annual Clean-tech Investor Summit listened intently to conference chair Ira Ehrenpreis remind the audience that “we choose Palm Springs as the conference location for the past 6 years because of the wonderful weather here.” 

Despite the cancellation of 3 speakers due to weather related travel problems, the January 19-21 summit convened over 400 industry professionals to reflect on 2009, opine on 2010 and network with piers.

Networking, as it turns out, was a major attraction for attendees.  As one Private Equity managing partner said to me: “I’m here to meet up with colleagues and see old friends.”  Another popular theme, as shared by one clean tech company exec I met: “We’re here to look for funding.”

Flipping through the conference attendee list (provided to all participants) reveals an eclectic mix with concentrations in two communities: Capital Providers (Venture Capital, Private Equity) and (more…)

The CleanTECH San Diego Showcase presents WIND POWER: Leading the Renewables Renaissance Wednesday, February 10_^th at the La Jolla Marriott.  Keynote speaker, Jim McDermott, Managing Partner of US Renewables Group, will discuss the wind market and strategies for buyers, sellers and new market entrants.  US Renewables Group is one of the largest investment firms focused exclusively on the renewable energy industry with $750 million of capital commitments.  Following Mr. McDermott’s remarks will be a panel discussion featuring regional wind developers and technology companies including Dr. Jim Walker Vice Chairman of enXco and the CEO of Helix Wind, Ian Gardner.

In addition to enXco and Helix Wind, there are 22 other wind power companies listed in CleanTECH San Diego’s database of cleantech companies include Cannon Power, Knight & Carver and Padoma Windpower. 

The networking hour before the CleanTECH San Diego Showcase is a unique opportunity to get face to face with the captains of industry, futurists, venture capitalists and propeller heads who play in the clean tech space.  Click here to make your reservation.

If San Diego County were a simple geometric shape it would be a square with sides of 65 miles.  Within those four sides the resources, both natural and man-made, the intellectual heft and techno-talent are incredible.  The effectiveness of what’s in the box is magnified by what lies beyond the perimeter.  In our case it is Imperial County and Mexico.  The economic development description of this outside-the-box-thinking is the Cali Baja Bi-National Mega-Region. 

This past week I participated in a two day Discover Imperial County tour organized by the San Diego Regional Economic Development Council.  For most of us, we rarely have any contact with the sources of our food and energy.  Food comes from an aisle at Vons and electricity from a wall plug.  Just two hours from the center of our box is a different world where every resident has an up-close view of innovative technologies which make our food and energy available and affordable. 

The Imperial Valley is an energy cornucopia.  I doubt if there is any comparable space in the world that can harvest energy from solar, geothermal, water, wind, algae, biomass and piped-in natural gas.  Their ability to add new electrical production is only tempered by the timing of construction of new transmission lines.

The first stop on our tour was at the east edge of San Diego County at the Kumeyaay wind farm on the Campo Indian Reservation.  Three square miles of tribal land adjacent to Interstate 8 are home to 25 giant Gamesa wind turbines rated at 2 megawatts each.  The winds which cross the Tecate Divide provide electricity sufficient to serve more than 12,000 homes while saving 110,000 tons of green house gas emissions annually. 

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

By the numbers:  Towers 70 meters (230 feet).  Blades 41.5 meters (136 feet).  The area swept by the blades of each tower = 1 1/3 acres.   Total swept area for the 25 towers = 33 1/3 acres.  (Swept area refers to the area in square feet of the rotor. It is also called the ‘capture area’.  pi x Radius² = Area Swept by the Blades).

The inaugural CleanTECH San Diego Showcase presents Smart Grid, Transforming the Energy Industry this Thursday November 12th at the La Jolla Marriott. Keynote speaker, Ellen Pao, is a partner with Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the preeminent player in the venture capital universe.  Kleiner Perkins’ successes include Amazon.com, Compaq, Electronic Arts, Genentech, Google, Intuit, Lotus Development, Netscape, Segway, Sun Microsystems and scores of other ventures over a 37 year history.  A year ago the firm’s $500 million Green Growth Fund committed $75 million to smart grid start-up Silver Spring Networks.  Following Ms. Pao’s remarks will be a panel discussion by the CEO’s of three venture-funded clean tech companies, Aptera, Applied Solar and PCN Technology.  Each of these San Diego-based companies is (more…)

The future of algae as a source of alternative energy is being played out in research labs and corporate boardrooms in dozens of San Diego locations.  On one special night earlier this month, San Diego invited the rest of the algae universe to come together at a location where test tubes are rarely scene.  The flight deck of the USS Midway provided a memorable venue for algae aficionados from all points of the compass to socialize before the onset of the 3^_rd Annual Algae Biomass Summit the following day.  Science, finance and politics were in attendance.  Hosted by CleanTECH San Diego, the event drew over 300.  The full-moon evening was one of the most crystal clear in memory.  Prior to the cocktail hour a press conference was held.  CleanTECH San Diego’s CEO Lisa Bicker introduced Mayor Jerry Sanders, an ardent supporter of clean technology in San Diego.  Councilman Ron Roberts and a host of algae rock stars added their support.

Technology hubs like the San Diego’s clean tech cluster exist symbiotically with their legal communities.  An example of that interdependency was the full-day event last Wednesday sponsored by Foley & Lardner LLP.  The strong attendance at Foley’s Emerging Technologies Conference: Navigating a New World is evidence of the appetite for informed insights.  The panels on Alternative Energy and Accessing Government Funding were of greatest interest to me.  The Funding presentation was enhanced by the specific guidance of Tyler Orion and June Chocheles.  The Federal Technology Funding Guide was one recommendation.  Also recommended were the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) website and the Department of Defense SBIR website.  All government agencies offer periodic notification (more…)