For a long time ‘clean’ and ‘green’ marked the forward trend in the energy industry. Then came the quest for ‘smart’ energy. And now ‘innovation’ is the buzzword.

It’s easy to see why. As Americans, we believe our ability to innovate sets us apart in today’s international market. Sure China can manufacture (more…)

A new website called SaveUSAWindJobs launched by the American Wind Energy Association aims at involving Americans with wind power and put pressure on government to extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC), wind power’s key federal tax incentive. (more…)

Suntech, the world’s largest producer of silicon solar modules, is looking to expand its manufacturing operations in Asia according to the Bangkok Post. Thailand is one of the key targets for Suntech, though expansion may largely depend on the Thai government’s clarification of its solar energy policy. (more…)

The Washington Post’s assertions today about the Department of Energy’s loan programs today are both incomplete and inaccurate.

Here are the facts:  over the past two years, the Department of Energy’s Loan Program has supported a robust, diverse portfolio of more than 40 projects that are investing in pioneering companies (more…)

The financial pressures and business sustainability risks felt heavily during the economic downturn forced many companies across all industries to take drastic reduction measures to simply survive. These actions placed many supply chains in less than stable shape, as ‘bullwhip’ effects rippled up the (more…)

I don’t have money burning a hole in my pocket that I can’t wait to get into the stock market, but I do think a well-timed investment in the EV space makes sense. To that end, I’m always looking for publicly traded companies that are about to enter the EV space in a (more…)

Rebuild the U.S. manufacturing sector through green technology? If you’re a pessimist, you may immediately respond, “Yeah, tell that to the Chinese”… and use this month’s news of Evergreen Solar moving its factory from Massachusetts to China as evidence. Yes, China’s got a healthy lead on the renewable energy manufacturing front, but all’s not glum on (more…)

Big solar news from Illinois last week. The Wanxiang America Corporation held a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new $12.5 million, 40,000 sq ft solar module plant in the town of Rockford. It’s yet another example of how product follows policy and how manufacturing follows markets. It is yet another example of how strong solar programs beget new jobs. And of how the (more…)

Last Friday, Secretary Locke kicked off a Clean Energy Economy Forum on clean energy manufacturing at the White House.

Last Friday, I joined Obama administration colleagues and business leaders from across the country to participate in a forum on clean energy innovation at the White House. I told the group that the development of clean energy and energy (more…)

The relationship between Toyota and Tesla Motors will soon bear fruit. The two companies will be bringing RAV4 EV back from the scrap heap upon which it was tossed in 2003 after only a short time on the market. Tesla Motors will provide the powertrain for the all-electric small SUV.

Toyota made a small ($50 million) (more…)