In the past week, I have seen mainstream media stories explaining that the Obama White House plans to use the President’s “political capital” to deliver on the climate change bill, health care reform, and the Sotomayor confirmation.

As I noted in a previous post, one of the reasons that these initiatives require him to expend any capital at all in a majority Dem Congressional session is the breakneck speed with which he claims to want it all done. Add the arm-twisting he has already had to perform to get the stimulus bill through, and more recently to get what fragile buy-in he has for his auto bailout, and there must be a lot of sore shoulders in the Capitol. (more…)

Worldwide demand for energy will increase by 44 percent in the next 20 years, with developing economies – particularly those in China, India, Brazil, and Russia – accounting for nearly 75 percent of the demand growth, according to a forecast from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The agency predicts that oil will supply about 32 percent of the world’s energy needs by 2030 – down from about 36 percent today – and that wind and solar power will account for 11 percent of global energy supplies.

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…to build? NO! To permit!

This report from SoCal on Newshour last night (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/jan-june09/grid_06-09.html) is worth a look.

I deal with public opposition to transmission upgrades and build outs a lot in my professional life, and this piece focuses on how the difficulties in siting lines are now posing problems to deployment of renewables located remotely.

Do yourself a favor by visiting NPR.org and downloading the first hour of the last Science Friday. A really intelligent discussion of the future of nuclear energy in the US ranged from the waste storage issue to microreactor technology to financing.

Even the geekiest of Green Nerds probably needs some time away from green tech talk a few minutes a day, especially with all the slop that is bombarding us these days at checkout counters, in brand campaigns and on the nightly news. So, I know the last thing you want to do is head out for that morning run, pop in the ear buds and have a clean tech podcast as your accompaniment; but, the conversation here – which included an MIT Prof and former DOE Under Secretary (Moniz), a NRDC egghead (Cochran) and a scientist – is worth your time.

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Please join The New Leaders Council, with hosts Phil Angelides, Chairman of the Apollo Alliance and Fiona Ma, California State Assemblywoman, in honoring four San Franciscans influencing progressive energy policy from the public and private sector this coming Monday at 6:30 PM at 111 Minna St in San Francisco.

CleanTechies is proud to support the New Leaders Council as it promotes these local energy leaders that are making a difference in their communities: (more…)

Metrolight Ltd., a leading provider of electronic ballast solutions for energy efficient lighting, announced today [June 4, 2009] that it has raised $3 million and appointed Zvi Segal as a Chief Executive Officer.

Zvi Segal, a veteran of Orbotech Group, Applied Materials and Teledata Communication, will lead Metrolight’s growth phase driven by what Metrolight says is strong demand for its energy saving products and services from commercial, industrial and municipal customers across Europe and the US. Metrolight’s High Intensity Discharge (HID) eBallast reduces up to 60% of energy consumed and doubles the life of a lamp. (more…)

There’s been a lot out there in the ether about how Waxman-Markey (and climate change legislation in general) has been a windfall for lobbyists, fighting both to keep the government’s hands off of utilities and others’ CO2 emissions on the status quo side and scrambling for the subsidies and other dollars on the green tech side.

The Washington Post (WaPo) opened just such a story this week with an anecdote about Rep Gene Green’s (D-TX) amendment changing the word “sources” to the words “emission points.” WaPo notes “that tiny bit of editing might one day give petroleum refiners valuable rights to emit carbon dioxide when it otherwise might not have been allowed. (more…)

If you’re looking for Clean Tech events, check out the CleanTechies Calendar with hundreds of events and conferences all around the world – from renewable energy to green building to electric vehicles. If you’re looking for something to do this evening – and you happen to be close to Mountain View – I suggest, you attend “Starting a Cleantech Business” – an event organized by  the MIT Club and the HBS Association of Northern California. Even if you’re not interested in starting your own business, you might still want to hear the panelists speak: Matt Goldman, Co-founder and President Sustainable Spaces,  Alex Kinnier, Partner at Khosla Ventures, Deborah Magid, Director, Software Strategy, IBM Venture Capital Group, and Scott Newcomb, CEO Virgance. They will highlight pathways into new clean tech careers, explain how to start new clean tech businesses and explore the trends and best practices in transitioning to green business operations.

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Policy wonks and green energy gurus finally have a number to put to their obsession: the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) is now H.R. 2454, and as reported on ClimateWire at the NYT last week, the committee mark-up now gets to make its way through the full House and Senate. Oh, did I forget to mention that they want that done by July 4?

What is the hurry? The question applies here for reasons expanded upon below, but generally, where do Obama and the Dems think the fire is? Obama wants GM to be in and out of their BK in 60-90 days. Obama wants Sotomayor confirmed in time to sit with the court as they pick next term’s caseload. And, as you’ll recall, Obama wanted ACES through committee by Memorial Day.

Not only am I convinced that it is no coincidence that the climate change bill has been tied to two of our most patriotic holidays – after all, like higher taxes, saving energy is patriotic, right Veep? – but, I have to wonder what Obama thinks he gains from pushing this bill through at breakneck speed. (more…)

The internecine battles in the green community are growing in number: there’s pro-renewable versus open space; the anti-hydro crowd; and the nukes or no nukes debate. Add the fight over clean coal, which the Boston Globe editorial staff weighed in on yesterday.

We know from his comments earlier this year that Al Gore essentially sees clean coal as a shell game, and he is being borne out at least in part by the larding of Waxman-Markey with billions to placate coal state legislators.

But, the Globe editorial touches on an interesting geopolitical/economics quandary. The US and Europe may be pushing toward carbon reduction reforms; but, it is the largest and fastest growing emitters in Asia that pose the greatest threat to the planet and are projected to negate even the most ambitious Western reduction estimates.

So, clean carbon technology might be the liar’s lie that Gore claims it is for US energy production, but what about the possibility of developing technology to export? Do we have an obligation to invest in clean coal research for the greater good even if its not in our future?

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