The frequent references to San Diego as a global leader in cleantech are usually illustrated by regional activities in solar, wind, water, smart grid, biofuels and energy efficiency.  A perusal of the CleanTECH San Diego company database also reveals a mini-Mo Town of 38 ventures in the Transport Technology category.  Achates Power is in the pole position.

Since 2004 Achates Power has been working to develop a fundamentally better internal combustion engine. Today the company announced its latest results, which include a 20 percent fuel efficiency gain when compared to one of the world’s best medium-duty clean diesel engines.  Also announced was an overall calibration that meets the stringent U.S. EPA 2010 emissions standards.  Bruce Bigelow of Xconomy describes their recent achievements in his article, “Achates Power Cites “Huge” Improvement in Diesel Fuel Savings, Emissions”. 

Achates Power has raised over $50 million to rev-up their efforts to build the internal combustion engine equivalent of Doctor Dolittle’s pushmi-pullyu.  The opportunity is worthy of their effort.  They note that in the U.S. under 5% of all vehicles consume over 26% of all road transportation fuel.  Therefore, a more fuel efficient solution will provide a huge payoff for fleet operators and anyone with lungs.

Take a video virtual tour of Achates Power and its San Diego-based headquarters, which houses more than 50 engineers and scientists.

Since 1987, the CONNECT Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards have been San Diego’s “Oscars” for local technology innovation.  The 2011 finalists in the Clean Technology category include Genomatica for Process for High-Volume Chemicals from Renewable Feedstocks, Noble Environmental Technologies Corporation for ECOR and Wildcat Discovery Technologies for 5V Cathode (CM1) and Electrolyte (EM1).  Winners will be announced on Friday, December 9th before an audience of more than 800 of San Diego’s top executives, entrepreneurs, VCs and academics.  Click here to register for the MIP exhibition and awards luncheon. 

San Diego’s 18th Annual TechAmerica High Tech Awards finalists in the Clean Technology category include EcoATM, Hadronex, Juice Technologies and Sapphire Energy.  Click here to register for the October 28th event. 

The regional cleantech cluster in San Diego continues to receive national recognition.  On Wednesday the Global Cleantech Cluster Association announced the semifinalists for the 2011 Later Stage Award competition.  This best-of-the-best recognition includes four San Diego cleantech companies, Genomatica, PowerGenix, Achates Power and EcoATM.  In another forum Sapphire Energy was honored as a “Game Changer of the Year 2011” in Clean Technology by Grow-California for their impact on California’s green industry.

Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is the living legend in the venture capital universe.  Their 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.  Their lead in the launch of San Diego-based V Vehicle Company is just one piece of their huge commitment to invest in clean tech and transportation.  Kleiner Perkins is joined in their investment by the VC arm of Google and part-time San Diegan T. Boone Pickens.  Manufacturing of the yet-to-be-unveiled automobile will take place in Louisiana.  If all the Federal and state loans fall in place, the total investment will exceed $500 million.  Former Oracle executive, Frank Varasano of San Diego, is the company’s CEO.  Wrapped in product secrecy, V Vehicle’s website has a video and information about their plans to hire 1400 workers.

Carlsbad-based Aptera has a waiting list of over 4,000 early adapters who have written deposit checks for the yet-to-be-offered three-wheeled, super aero-dynamic electric vehicle.  Looking like a cross between an albino lobster and George Jetson’s commuter car, the Aptera comes with a built-in fan club that is drawn to the car’s futuristic appearance, three-digit MPG comparisons and cocktail-party-conversation features such as solar assisted climate control.  Originally funded last year for $24 million from Google, Idealab and individual investors, Aptera seeks Federal loans to accelerate their production capability.  Their quest for funds was stymied because the Aptera 2e’s design is one wheel short of the standard four.  Local Congressman Brian Bilbray is grinding through the legislative process to include “fully enclosed vehicles that are capable of carrying two adults and get at least 75 mpg.”

The recent input of over $12 million will rev-up San Diego’s Achates Power in their efforts to build the internal combustion engine equivalent of Doctor Dolittle’s pushmi-pullyu.  Their 4.2L automotive engine design is a high-efficiency two-stroke power plant which features two opposing pistons in each cylinder.  The Achates Power value proposition is an “unparalleled combination of fuel efficiency and power density at lower cost” which translates into MPG figures that smoke your father’s Oldsmobile.

We already know that one of gold medalists in the 2010 Winter Olympics will be from Poway.  ISE Corporation is a world leading supplier of hybrid-electric drive systems and components for sustainable, heavy-duty transportation applications.  In Vancouver last week, BC Transit unveiled the first BC Transit hybrid fuel cell bus which is the first of a fleet of 20 zero-emission buses that will run during and after the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Whistler.  Each bus uses ISE Corporations’ hybrid fuel cell drive system.  In a city known for games of a different sort, Las Vegas gamblers find mass transit to be a sure bet to move from casino to casino.  A complete fleet of StreetCar RTV trambuses will service the ACE Downtown Connector route.  Each of the articulated super buses will be powered by ISE Corporation hybrid-electric drive systems.

The newest addition to the CleanTECH San Diego company database was added this week when Vista-based Flux Power was spun off by LVH Power.  Leading the charge for Flux Power will be Chris Anthony who is also the chief of composite operations for Aptera.  In a few weeks, the company will launch a portfolio of products for managing, monitoring and charging lithium batteries.  Electric vehicles like the Aptera 2e must have their lithium batteries properly managed to extend their usable life.  With communication each cell can be monitored to assure level charge and discharge between cells which can help the cell last many times longer than its unmanaged counterpart.