Jun 17 2008
You Say Solar, I Say...Solar
As solar technology continues to race ahead and companies continue to throw R&D dollars behind the next big thing, here's a quick snapshot of a just a few recent headline grabbers...
- Investors: Intel Capital, Cogentrix Energy, PCG Clean Energy and Technology Fund and Solon AG
- Technology: super secret, cheap and easy silicon-based solar cells
- Funding: $50 million
- Timeline: Product ready mid-2009
Brightsource Energy, Inc. / Luz II, Ltd.
- Investors: VantagePoint Venture Partners, Google.org, BP Alternative Energy, Chevron Technology Ventures, StatoilHydro, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, DBL Investors, and Black River
- Technology: large scale solar plants that deliver low-cost solar energy in the form of steam and/or electricity to industrial and utility customers (including PG&E)
- Funding: more than $160 million, of which $115 million came from its most recent round of financing last month
- Timeline: Luz II, Ltd. concept is in the final testing stage. Results expected by end of summer. Full-sized facilities in California's Mojave Desert to be completed by 2011.
- Investors: IBM and Tokyo Ohka Kogyo (TOK)
- Technology: licensing of CIGS (copper, indium, galium and selenide) solar power technology that could be applied to building material
- Funding / Timeline: According to earth2tech's Craig Rubens, IBM hasn't attached any production dates or funding estimates to its new research program.
And, there's plenty more where these came from. Clearly, these announcements not only present different solar technology options and alternatives, they also present a clear trend of high-tech and other companies tripping over themselves to bring about the next big thing in solar.
Posted by: Katie Romans
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This is being rather generous to Lutz.
1. The "Volt", in no small part, will be targeted as a product to people who care about energy and environmental issues. These people don't embrace Lutz' antideluvian concepts of rejecting science. How responsible is it for a GM executive to be rejecting the science?
2. As well, Lutz didn't exactly sound too enthusiastic about the Volt itself.
3. And, GM public communications has 'defended' Lutz in rather absurd ways.
-A Siegel
> view entry -
This article is right on - small businesses have a huge role to play in sustainability. Not only do they add up in aggregate, but many small businesses operate in industries that can have a significant environmental impact depending on the exact practices, like dry cleaners, auto repair shops, etc. Green is also starting to affect the bottom line more and more, customers are increasingly voting with their feet for more sustainable businesses as can be seen from the growth of sites like http://www.ecovian.com. This is also a huge opportunity for small businesses to leapfrog their bigger brothers by being more agile in adopting these measures.
-Emily
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Great entry, Katie. Love the level of detail you managed to get in there! Probably won't be able to compete with coal and oil any time the next decade, but definitely a great technology to look into! Keep it up :)
-Rune (Norway)
> view entry
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