Masdar Carbon, one of the five business units of Masdar, the Abu Dhabi national clean energy conglomerate, announced yesterday in Abu Dhabi that it is moving ahead with a carbon capture and sequestration facility that will capture nearly 1 million tons of CO2 annually at the Emirates Steel complex at Mussafah.

The CO2 feed stream from the Emirates Steel plant will be compressed, dehydrated and then pumped through 50km of pipeline and injected in an onshore field, operated by Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations.

Part of the collaboration between Masdar and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, the carbon capture facility is part of a program to explore joint projects between the two firms to reduce the carbon footprint of the emirate. The UAE has the second-highest per capita carbon emissions in the world, mostly because of it’s energy-intensive industrial base and extreme climatic conditions.

“Climate change is not a mirage,” Masdar Carbon Director Bader Al Lamki told me at the World Future Energy Conference in Abu Dhabi as we sat down to talk on Thursday.

“The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has recognized CCS as a means to reduce carbon emissions,” and “the International Energy Agency clearly states that CCS is part of the answer for climate change mitigation.”

“The close collaboration between Masdar Carbon and ADNOC will ensure steady progress and the project will take us another step closer to implementing measures for the reduction of carbon emissions and contributing to Abu Dhabi’s clean energy initiatives,” said Al Lamki said.

Bader Al Lamki explained that successful carbon capture projects are anticipated to have a positive long-term economic impact on Abu Dhabi including economic growth, job creation and the development and export of CCS-related technology know-how.

“It will also decisively affirm our global status as a major developer of carbon abatement projects and technologies,” Al Lamki said.

Mandated by the Abu Dhabi government to drive cleaner fossil fuel energy and energy efficiency at an industrial level, monetizing emission reductions along the way, Masdar Carbon provides technical assistance, project management, carbon finance and emissions trading expertise to asset owners primarily in the oil and gas and power sectors in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

And as was announced earlier in the week by Scotland First Minister Alex Salmond in Abu Dhabi, Masdar will be partnering with Scotland, another small, oil-producing nation gunning to ramp up its renewable energy portfolio, to develop advancements in CCS technology, value chain applications, policy and deployment strategies for clean energy and CCS.

Article by Timothy Hurst, appearing courtesy Earth & Industry.

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All throughout the world, the importance of creating a sustainable future is becoming more widely recognized. With this recognition, the need for green buildings is necessary to create an environmentally sustainable world for future generations. Many new and existing buildings are, therefore, taking the required steps in making their building more energy efficient, increasing utilization of renewable energy sources to make them more sustainable. Here is just a taste of what some buildings around the world are doing to be green.

1) Holy Wisdom Monastery. Madison, Wisconsin’s Holy Wisdom Monastery has made numerous “Greenest Building” lists. It has received the highest rating awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council – the LEED-NC Version 2.2 rating system with 63 out of 69 potential points. What makes the monastery so green? It offers preferred parking for those with fuel-efficient vehicles, accessible green roof, no permanent irrigation system, photovoltaic cells responsible for the generation of 13 percent of all energy needs, 99 percent of all waste from construction and demolition diverted from landfills, building materials regionally produced, bamboo floors, high sustainable windows, and a monitoring system for outdoor air delivery.

2) Manitoba Hydro Place. The Manitoba Hydro Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada was listed as the fourth most environmentally friendly design in Canada in 2009. More than 40 percent of the total light is provided by one natural source, being the sun. A geothermal system provides all the heating and cooling needs for the building. Displacement ventilation provides offices with 100 percent fresh air. To retain excess rainwater and provide optimal insulation, a green roof was added to the building. Furthermore, the building was constructed to harness passive solar and wind energies for cooling, heating, and ventilation during seasonal temperatures.

3) India Tower. The India Tower in Mumbai has a very intriguing design that looks as though a number of boxes were stacked one on top of the other, but symbolizes an increase in environmental awareness throughout the country. It is 74 stories and each block will incorporate a different use, such as office, residential, and retail. The design of the building incorporates solar shading, daylighting, natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting, and a green interior. It is one of the greenest buildings in India and has achieved United States Green Building Council’s LEED Gold rating.

4) Crystal Island. Crystal Island in Moscow, Russia will more 1,500 feet tall with more than 25 million square feet of floor space. It is a self-contained city with eco-friendly management and energy conservation techniques. The island will be able to generate low carbon energy via solar arrays as well as wind turbines located around the building, along with large atriums that will be utilized in the regulation of internal air temperature throughout extreme temperatures that are present during the summer and winter seasons in Russia.

5) The Chicago Center for Green Technology. The Chicago Center for Green Technology is known for its large array of different sustainable features that have assisted the Illinois building in achieving Platinum LEED status. The building uses an estimated 40 percent less total energy that buildings of similar structure. This is achieved through a high quantity of solar panels located on the roof, awnings, and a lot behind the center. Other sustainable features include 28 vertical wells aiding in regulation of temperature, double insulated glass, a smart lighting system, recycled glass tiles, scrap cork flooring, and the utilization of over 40 percent of the building made with recycled materials. The green roof of the center aids in rainwater absorption and increases building insulation.

6) Masdar. No green project as of lately has been as big or ambitious as Masdar. The more than 64 million square foot development project takes environmental design capabilities and runs with it. The walled city offers no waste and zero carbon emissions. There will be public transportation options every 200 meters and personalized rapid transit, which is good because no cars are allowed into Masdar. There will also be a number of wind turbines, plantations, and solar arrays to make Masdar in Abu Dhabi totally self sustaining.

7) BMW Welt. BMW Welt in Munich, Germany is a great example of German engineering ingenuity. German company Solarwatt provided the large photovoltaic cell array on the roof of more than 3,500 solar panels and delivers 824 kWp minimum power capacity. There are also a number of steel panels along the roof that assist with building heating needs through solar gain. Solar energy is also netted via façade working to moderate conditioned air as well as offer natural ventilation. There are also thermally efficient surfaces inside the building to assist in the maintenance of constant thermal comfort and to control swings in the temperature.

8 ) Clinton Presidential Library. The Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas, received LEED Platinum rating in November 2007. Since then, the library has implemented a number of new green features, such as a rooftop garden which will not only reduce rainwater runoff, but also regulate temperatures and absorb carbon emissions, an elevation in recycling capabilities, green cleaning capabilities, a reduction in waste through the utilization of local sourcing, and a program for carbon offsetting for all sources of non-renewable energy. Future plans for the library include on-site wind turbines and/or photovoltaic cells.

9) Green Lighthouse. Copenhagen, Denmark’s Green Lighthouse is the first public carbon neutral building. Located at the University of Copenhagen, it was designed by Christensen & Co., and made into a sundial-shaped building that houses the student services center. It has proved to other counties that carbon neutral buildings can be achieved. In fact, more than 70 percent of all energy reductions were created by the structure of the building itself and not technologies. A number of green designs were implemented to provide a healthy indoor environment, including natural ventilation and day-lighting via skylights and windows, LED lights powered by solar panels, solar shades on windows, geothermal heat pump, and a district heating system.

10) Bank of America Tower. The Bank of America Tower in New York is the only skyscraper to be awarded Platinum LEED status by the United States Green Building Council. Reaching 1,200 feet, this 54 story tower, the second largest in New York and the fourth largest throughout the nation, boasts a co-generation plant on the seventh floor which captures natural heat, reuses rainwater and waste, and has most of its raw materials for construction coming from local source no more than 500 miles away from the tower’s location.

Article by Shawn Lesser, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Atlanta-based Watershed Capital Group – an investment bank assisting sustainable fund and companies raise capital, perform acquisitions, and in other strategic financial decisions. He is also a Co-founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association. He writes for various cleantech publications and is known as the David Letterman of Cleantech for his “Top 10″ series. He can be reached at shawn@watershedcapital.com

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The US Department of Energy (DOE) is beginning to test its cutting edge photovoltaic (PV) panels in Masdar City. Masdar represents Abu Dhabi’s multi-billion dollar investment in new technologies and research for sustainable development. It has a growing portfolio that includes oil recovery, waste treatment and nanoscale electronics.

Masdar’s current responsibility as a testing ground for improved photovoltaics is a continuation of efforts to strengthen the relationship between the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Chief Executive Officer of the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, recently spoke on Masdar’s role:

Acting as a test-bed for the United States to evaluate new technologies affirms Masdar’s global leadership as a hub for collaboration in renewable energy and clean technology development. It is a testament to Masdar’s commitment to work in parallel with global partners to advance the adoption of clean energy worldwide and foster human and scientific development.

Solar energy is moving into the mainstream with a quickness. It’s annual growth rate is over 40%, according to solarnation, making it the fastest growing energy source in the world. Increasing the reliability and efficiency of PV technology is integral to solar industry growth and bodes well for the “advancement of clean energy worldwide.”

The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory has been researching and developing a more effective solar PV coating that eliminates issues of moisture and dry dust adhesion, among other things. Silicone has been the casing of choice since the 1970s because of its easy adhesion, high optical transparency and flexibility, but its vulnerability to moisture has proven to be a great weakness [PV-Permeability]. Once exposed to water, oxygen and dust particles, components begin to degrade and the module starts to lose efficiency. Essentially panels start to break down soon after they are installed. Designing a more durable coating can help prevent this corrosion and will ensure higher energy output and a longer life.

Greater potential returns from solar panels in the future is good news for the value-seeking sun worshippers of the world and means that DIYers can spend less time spreading epoxy mixtures.

Look forward to more collaborative projects to be announced from the United States and the United Arab Emirates after the second Clean Energy Ministerial, which will be held in Abu Dhabi on April 6-7, 2011.

Article by Allison Leahy, appearing courtesy Earth & Industry.

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Masdar’s Personal Rapid Transit is cool and all, but will it be the next greatest thing in e-mobility?

Masdar City, the ambitious project to build a sustainable city on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, has been criticized by some for not moving fast enough or for making too many changes in its development strategy. But planning, designing and building a sustainable city from the ground up is no easy task, just ask Masdar City Director Alan Frost.

“Four years ago, we locked into the PRT, we thought that was the strategy,” Alan Frost told me when we sat down to talk Wednesday at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. “But now if you look at how quickly the regular electric vehicles have moved,” the strategy has changed somewhat, Frost explains.

“When we first started, everything was moving, we had waste to energy, we had desal[ination], we had PV moving, everything in the renewable energy field was moving at the one time, and its very hard to lock stuff down and very expensive, because every second day something is better than what you had the day before. So when do you stop?”

Along with a public metro line and light rail, Masdar’s driverless cars, or Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) vehicles were at the core of Masdar City’s public transportation strategy, but that strategy has changed as the technology has advanced so quickly in electric vehicles. It’s a bit like hitting a moving target. And if you miss, it can be an expensive mistake.

After touring Masdar City, I can personally attest to the fact that cruising around in a driverless electric car that is pre-programmed to take you to the next station at the touch of a button is a remarkable experience, the ooh factor doesn’t necessarily mean they are the solution.

Frost says PRTs will continue to play a role, but so will electric buses and other electric point-to-point vehicles.

“We have three to five years to lock into the solution of phase I and five to ten years to lock into a permanent solution,” Frost says.

And being able to make changes, has allowed Masdar to avoid jumping into the wrong technology, whether in transportation or energy generation. “If you want to put PV panels on the roof, when do you buy them? If you bought them last year, they’re now half the price.”

“What we’ve realized is you have got to lock into the absolute best technology you can do on the day, monitor it, check it, add to it, whatever, and then learn from it and go again. That’s part of the secret of what we’re trying to do,” Frost explains.

“At the end of the day, that’s part of what Masdar is all about.”

Article by Timothy B. Hurst, appearing courtesy Earth & Industry.

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“I want my country to know how advanced you are in pursuing clean renewable energy. I want the world to know that the US is partnering with you because we are betting on Abu Dhabi and the UAE”

— U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

On the second stop of a six-day trip to the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the United Arab Emirates’ capital of Abu Dhabi and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, a research institute working to develop clean energy and commercially viable sustainability solutions.

In her remarks given at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology [see video below], a graduate level research institution in Masdar City focused on clean energy and sustainability, Secretary Clinton showered praise on the United Arab Emirates efforts in renewable energy and sustainability research, as well as education programs like those at the Masdar Institute and Zayed University that are positioning the UAE “to be a center for innovation and entrepreneurship for years to come.”

“What I admire about the steps that the UAE has taken is that it’s not only this Institute – which is very impressive just to be part of and to view – but it’s also working while continuing your role as a leading oil producer, investing in renewable energy sources like wind and solar, and moving toward a knowledge-based economy,” Secretary Clinton said.

The Masdar Institute is located in the emergent cleantech cluster, Masdar City, which aims to be not only a hub for clean energy research and development, but also a zero-waste city powered by renewable energy and featuring sustainable transportation technologies for its 40,000 residents and 50,000 commuters.

Masdar City and the Masdar Institute are part of Masdar (the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company), a multi-faceted company leveraging UAE’s substantial oil wealth to advance the development commercialization and deployment of renewable energy solutions and clean technologies.

“We are betting that this incredible investment represented by Masdar is going to pay off. And when it pays off, it will not only mean a better life for the people in this country and in this region, it will have ripple effects throughout the world,” Clinton said.

A different kind of diplomatic trip

Unlike most of Secretary Clinton’s trips to the region, where her focus is usually on pressing security issues, this trip was designed to showcase other kinds of diplomatic engagement the U.S. is involved with on the international stage. In particular, on every leg of this trip, Secretary Clinton will meet with representatives of civil society and the private sector.

“Typically, when the Secretary is traveling to our part of the world, she is doing a lot of business on these core relationships, on important regional security issues, on conflict resolution,” said a senior State Department official before the trip.

“But we have a lot more going on across the region, and this trip is really an opportunity to showcase that these other dimensions of U.S. engagement in the Middle East and in the Gulf, particularly the emphasis that we’ve placed on building partnerships beyond the government-to-government level, reaching out to civil society,” said the State Department Official.

In her Abu Dhabi stop, Sec. Clinton was clearly on message, calling attention to the strong partnerships between the U.S. and the UAE, particularly in terms of the collaboration between the Masdar Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“The partnership that we have established between the United States and Abu Dhabi around renewable energy and climate change and sustainable development that takes advantage of human capital is one of the most important partnerships for the future that we could be pursuing,” Sec. Clinton said.

“I want my country to know how advanced you are in pursuing clean renewable energy. I want the world to know that the US is partnering with you because we are betting on Abu Dhabi and the UAE,” Secretary Clinton said.

Next week, Abu Dhabi will host the World Future Energy Summit, which is quickly emerging as one of the leading renewable energy conference and exhibitions in the world.

Article by Timothy B. Hurst, appearing courtesy ecopolitology.

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2011 World Future Energy Summit to feature a cutting edge global exchange of ideas during January 19th “Masdar Digital Dialogue” in Abu Dhabi

It’s not that often that I get a chance to co-host a world party. But that is exactly what is happening on January 19, 2011 when LiveOAK Media will be honored to join forces with clean energy firm Masdar to host the Masdar Digital Dialogue, an opportunity to “Debate the issues and engage the world,” at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi on January 19th from 5:30-8pm (GMT +4 hours).

Held alongside the “Exhibitor Party” at the stunning Saadiyat Story Gallery at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi on January 19, the third night of the Summit, this compelling live event will bring WFES delegates, journalists and social media enthusiasts together in one place to discuss and debate the hot stories and key themes emerging from this year’s summit – with a unique opportunity to engage with a truly global audience.

The global event will provide the opportunity for participants to both answer and ask important questions of Masdar executives, summit delegates, conference participants and thought leaders from around the world, whether they are attending in Abu Dhabi, tweeting from Tokyo, streaming in Sydney or lurking in London.

So I invite you to join the discussion on January 19 from 5:30-8pm (GMT +4 hours)/1:30-4pm GMT/8:30-11am ET as Masdar executives and thought leaders steer global participants through an engaging discussion about clean energy, sustainable technologies, future cities and more. There will also be an opportunity for participants to become moderators themselves by submitting questions to be asked of special guests, moderators and the larger global audience.

There will be multiple ways to join the Masdar Digital Dialogue on January 19th. For the richest experience, keep up with the entire global discussion by following the real-time dialogue at Masdar’s website or right here at Earth & Industry. Alternatively, you can follow the #TweetMasdar hashtag on Twitter or your favorite Twitter client and keep a special eye out for the questions being asked by the “Masdar Moderator” coming from the Masdar twitter feed.

Of course we would love if everyone could engage the entire two-hour discussion (Moderated discussion and questions will commence at 6:00pm local time, GMT+4/2:00pm GMT/9am ET/6am PT), but we also understand that people have work, school and sleep to attend to so we will make it as easy as possible for anyone to pick up with the discussion at any point, unencumbered by the nagging feeling that they missed the beginning and therefore have no idea what’s going on.

This unique global Digital Dialogue is being held during the World Future Energy Summit, which has quickly emerged as one of the most important events of its kind for political leaders, investors, scientists, policy makers and researchers engaged in energy and environment.

Follow @Masdar on Twitter to keep up with event updates or notices in advance of the January 19 Digital Dialogue and to follow those questions as they happen. If you do decide to join the discussion, which we hope you do, don’t forget to use the #TweetMasdar when tweeting your answers, thoughts and questions during the discussion, otherwise we will have no way to track your valuable contributions and share them with the rest of the world.

What: Masdar Digital Dialogue: Debate the issues. Engage the world.
When: 19th January 2011 at 5:30-8:00pm (GMT +4 hours)
Where: The Saadiyat Story Gallery, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi.
Where else: Desktops, laptops and smartphones around the world.
How: Follow @Masdar on Twitter and use the #TweetMasdar hashtag.
How else: Get the richest real-time experience and follow the debate here.

Article by Timothy B. Hurst, appearing courtesy Earth & Industry.

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Dubai’s debt woes could have an impact on a key experiment in the renewable energy sector.

In late November, Dubai indicated that its state-controlled investment firm Dubai World needed to restructure $26 billion in debt, sending a shock through global markets.

Dubai is part of the United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven city-states ruled by hereditary clans. It is largely bankrolled by neighboring Abu Dhabi, which uses Dubai as the UAE business center.

Of interest to CleanTechies in this is the potential impact on Abu Dhabi’s Masdar, the world’s first green city project, which is backed by Abu Dhabi. Masdar was envisioned as a prototype no-carbon city, and renewable energy companies and investors have been lobbying to gain a foothold in its planning.

The initial speculation is that in the intertwined and private world of UAE finances, the Masdar project may suffer as investors back off. But some speculate that Abu Dhabi is so heavily emotionally invested in the project that they will back it, seeing it as a future source of technological innovation that will reap intellectual property benefits when the oil wells run dry.

Guessing what will happen next in the murky world of this Middle Eastern city-state is impossible. But speculators look at the problems in Dubai, a nation build largely on real estate speculation (imploding), tourism (expats are fleeing, leaving behind their debts) and finance (see the small matter of restructuring that $26 billion) and worry that this is the next domino.

Unless Masdar is deemed too big to fail in the eyes of the oil players of the region.  And wouldn’t that be irony piled on irony.

[photo credit: The Library of Congress]

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It sits in the middle of a harsh, barren desert, sweltering in searing heat. It has no clean water, its sea is polluted and there is no topsoil, just a covering of sand. It is also the biggest per capita consumer of fuel, massively reliant on cars, power-hungry desalination and air-conditioning. And with all this, can the United Arab Emirate state of Abu Dhabi really succeed in building a new “green city” in the Middle East?

If you can believe visionary people like architect Gerard Evenden (his words above), from the British architectural firm Foster & Partners, yes it can. Billions of dollars are riding on the assumption

Masdar City is the project Evenden is referring to. Masdar City is a $22 billion USD project being financed by the  Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company and is largely designed and planned by Foster & Partners.

So how is this so-called totally green city going to work in one of the hottest and driest regions on earth? According to Evenden, this futuristic project of 6 million square meters will eventually house around 50,000 people and will be completely environmentally sustainable – in every possible way.

As he noted in a recent Financial Times article The Greening of Arabia, by Edwin Heathcote :

“if you can make it work here, you can make it work anywhere.”

In one of Green Prophet’s previous articles on Masdar City it was noted that: “the project will be one in which commercial and residential entities will blend with each other to create a totally harmonious and ‘zero carbon’ environment, where all lighting and air conditioning systems will be powered by a 40 to 60 megawatt solar power plant, a 20 megawatt wind farm, and geo-thermal and hydrogen based power.”

The construction itself will be such as to shelter the inhabitants from the blistering Arabian sun and will include specially constructed walls, screens and meshes to allow breezes to enter and keep sunlight out as much as possible.

All this sounds absolutely wonderful and almost too good to be true. But as we pointed out earlier, Masdar City could either be a practical community innovation or expensive showcase.

The project has one big drawback – the construction itself.  Any true environmentalist knows that a significant construction project, such as the many that have been going on in various locations of the UAE, can in themselves be very damaging to an environment that is very fragile, to say the least.

Anyone visiting these locations must sometimes wonder at what expense to the environment these projects will cause, including island projects like Abu Dhabi’s planned $27 billion USD Saadiyat Island commercial, residential and leisure time project currently under construction, and mooted to become Abu Dhabi’s cultural center.

But once completed, Masdar City will hopefully prove to be as green and sustainable as its planners and developers say it will;  and will not be just a “showcase” project as Saadiyat Island looks to be by many.

What do you think? Voice your opinion below in our comments.

Article by Maurice Picow appearing courtesy of Green Prophet

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These are the days for clean tech observers and professionals. Our most innovative companies are finally bringing game-changing technologies to market and into competitive parity on cost. The political will that has been lacking for decades seems to be gaining critical mass. Even corporate America seems to be on board with making a profitable shift to a green economy.

Still, it’s not all rosy in the green tech picture. Getting climate change legislation through the house was a bloodsport and, as previously noted on the CleanTechies Blog, the Senate looks increasingly unlikely to put anything substantial on the President’s desk this year. And that is just the new policy. Around the country, existing policies designed to enable clean energy adoption are floundering, and even with all of the aforementioned momentum, in a down economy policy makers cannot afford too many false starts.

The problems are rearing their head in every arena, even the most well-established and widely-accepted policy areas like the Renewable Portfolio Standard and other green power option programs. Last week, Austin Energy, the Texas utility announced that it still had more than 97% (that is not a typo) of its green power option capacity unsold. They attributed the slow sales to rising prices and the down economy, but the wrinkle is in what happens next. Since the green power option is a regulator-approved program, Austin Energy is entitled to receive full compensation for the green power they had to go out and secure on the forward market, even if premium sales under the program do not cover that cost. That means that every ratepayer is on the hook for the cost.

This is just one example of the unintended consequences that can occur when we are so anxious to adopt green programs that we make policy on the fly. The same sort of problems have been reported by CleanTechies and other leading green media channels in recent weeks with public charging stations for plug-in EVs. On their face, the stations are good for everyone involved: the utilities like the demand, consumers like the convenience,  and manufacturers like that the stations enable even the less passionate consumer to seriously consider a plug-in, and cities like the proactive “green” positioning. But, no one wants to pay for the power. And, who owns the equipment? How will the system integrate with existing utility infrastructure?

This is not dissimilar from the hurdles facing large-scale integration of renewable power in the US. We have innovation and investment lined up around the block for mega-scale wind and solar, so why isn’t the clean power coming online? Transmission capacity is insufficient and we can’t get new lines built.

The US isn’t alone in confronting the transmission hurdle. A Reuters story reprinted in the Boston Globe last week discussed Greece’s problems with bringing renewables online. The problem in Greece? According to government officials quoted in the story, its policy:

“Greece is notorious for its long licensing procedure…estimated at three to four years on average. The government has just passed a zoning law for renewables as well as approved new incentives for individuals to install solar panels on rooftops and sell the electricity, doing away with a licensing process that used to cost thousands of euros. Within the next two months, it plans to submit a law to shorten procedures for wind farms and small hydroelectric plants.”

No telling where that process will go, or what the new policy will really mean for investment and adoption, but until then the country will continue to rely on power from dust and smoke spewing power plants run off of the lignite that is strip-mined from the Greek countryside.

An industry that has always been hamstrung by pie-in-the-sky aspirations is now being crippled by a failure to deliver on the nitty-gritty (which is not to say that pie-in-the-sky is not still pulling too much of the attention and investment).

Here’s hoping that some of clean tech’s brightest minds and greatest innovators of the next generation will put aside the quest for the next killer app and take up the challenge on the public policy side. If the climate change fight is as grave a challenge as advertised then it is not too strained a comparison to say that what clean tech needs now are the kind of understated heroes that emerged in the civil rights fights of the 50’s and 60’s. We have our MLKs and JFKs, what we need now is a Thurgood Marshall. Is she out there?

[photo credit: Flickr]

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