The cost of photovoltaic solar energy systems is not nearly as expensive as some energy analysts have projected, according to a new study from Queen’s University in Ontario.

In fact, Queen’s researcher Joshua Pearce predicts that solar photovoltaic systems are approaching the (more…)

It’s December again (how did that happen!?) and our annual time for reflection here at Kachan & Co. So as we close out 2011, let’s look towards what the new year may have in store for cleantech.

There are eggshells across the sector for 2012. Global economic uncertainty in particular is leaving (more…)

Geoff Cutmore, Squawk Box anchor for CNBC and host of Energy Opportunities highlights the thoughts of some of the key voices in energy innovation.

With a growing global population, growth in energy use is inevitable. Experts are grappling for the best way to manage resources, often adopting new (more…)

Water is one of the most exciting sectors at the moment in terms of cleantech innovation. The industry has a huge variety of investment opportunities but at Carbon International we focus on identifying the areas that we believe are the most exciting within broad industries such as this, and uncover the companies (more…)

At events such as the recent EV Roadmap 4 conference in Portland, panelists quibble about when plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) will be ready for mass adoption, and how best to roll out the charging infrastructure. But to understand why the PEV movement is here to stay, it only takes two words: energy security. (more…)

I just received this terse question from a reader: “What’s the ROI (return on investment) on solar thermal?”

I responded, hoping to prompt more discussion: “That’s an interesting but impossible question to answer. What is the nature of your interest in the (more…)

The Solyndra debacle is no surprise to this cleantech venture capitalist. The inherent conflict between trying to get money out of the U.S. Treasury as quickly as possible to stimulate the economy and, at the same time, have government agencies that are ill-suited at making business decisions do just that was nothing other than a recipe for disaster. (more…)

As we all learned in kindergarten, every snowflake is unique.  Now, studies have shown that is not entirely true (see here if you are marginally interested in the science of snowflakes), but close enough.

Uniqueness may be good for snowflakes, but lousy for financial transactions. At least part of the problem (more…)

For those of you who, like me, watch very little commercial news television, here’s a sample of reporting to consumers on the energy industry. This happens to concern Solyndra – a debacle that’s thrown a cold swimming pool of water on the already floundering US renewable energy industry. (more…)

Big bucks, big names, and big benefits are not the way to engage your Generation Y workforce in your corporate culture, brand or social responsibility. Gen Y has a real hunger for making a meaningful impact in the community as part of your organization. Don’t starve them of this opportunity, (more…)