I think we’re all a bit curious about the ultimate disposition of the energy industry – both here in the US and around the globe. In the States, 49% of our electricity comes from coal, and the penetration of renewables is under 2%. Worldwide, about 80% of energy for all purposes comes from burning hydrocarbons. So if that’s where we are, where are we going? (more…)

Invest in a solar, biofuels, or LED lighting company, and nobody will question the company’s cleantech pedigree. Invest in a manufacturer of network switch upgrades for telephone companies, then call it “cleantech” and you’ll see a lot of raised eyebrows. I know, because we did just that.

We are investors in Aztek Networks, a (more…)

As head of a new energy office at the Pentagon, Sharon Burke is charged with finding ways for the U.S. armed forces to cut its dangerous reliance on oil. In an interview with Yale Environment 360, she talks about what new technologies are being tested and why the military considers energy use a key strategic issue in the field. (more…)

We keep hearing that China is going to become a really big deal in world energy markets. But it wasn’t until I read this statement by Jane Henley, CEO of the World Green Building Council, that I grasped the scope of its coming influence:
“China is projected to build the equivalent of 10 New York Cities over the next decade.” (more…)

Energy Information Displays (EIDs) fall into three major categories:

1. Dedicated in-home display (IHD) units

2. Web-based dashboards

3. Mobile phone-based applications

Dedicated in-home display units span a huge range of interactivity and style. The (more…)

Poland has teamed up with Siemens and BMW to create a recyclable subway car for Metro Warszawskie.

The Inspiro design was developed by Siemens in cooperation with the BMW Group DesignworksUSA, which is an independently operating BMW Group subsidiary based in Los Angeles, Singapore (more…)

When will the maturation process take hold for the global Home Energy Management market? The answer to this question and more will be answered in an upcoming report published by Pike Research, “Home Energy Management.” Some initial thoughts are as follows: (more…)

When solar energy companies think about how to reduce the cost of their product, typically a lot of time and money goes toward increasing the efficiency of solar panels and their manufacturing process. Reducing the production cost decreases the final cost the consumer will (more…)

There’s a product coming to your home that promises to lower your electricity and water bills, make your home more energy efficient and help the planet.

But there are questions about its accuracy, doubts about whether you’ll be able to easily understand it or find it of much use, and other questions about whether it will (more…)

Wind turbines stand tall and mesmerize with their motion. Solar cells bask in the sparkling sun. Meanwhile, hidden down in the dark dirty underworld, a compelling technology sits quietly and gets no respect. Once installed it largely goes unseen and, it seems, it’s equally invisible in the world of clean technology press, venture funding and government R&D funding. Yet this technology provides some of the most (more…)