<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Cleantech venture investment hits record $2.6 billion in third quarter]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by Delay And Deny http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/ Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:49:26 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/1 Part of the Cult; Not Part of the Action


There's real Green technology.

Then there's "The Cult".

The Cult is:

Apple
Priuses
Al Gore
Hollywood Hasbeens

If you violate the cult things, then they say your "against science".

Unfortunately The Cult doesn't like the one real technology that will power the 21st Century: Hydrogen.

CleanTech doesn't like hydrogen.



]]> Part of the Cult; Not Part of the Action


There's real Green technology.

Then there's "The Cult".

The Cult is:

Apple
Priuses
Al Gore
Hollywood Hasbeens

If you violate the cult things, then they say your "against science".

Unfortunately The Cult doesn't like the one real technology that will power the 21st Century: Hydrogen.

CleanTech doesn't like hydrogen.



]]> Comment #2 by Sam Wells http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/ Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:51:12 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/2 Where the money's going

Thanks for the article, Joseph and Grist.  

My take is that the smart money has departed from computers, housing finances, big oil, and all the other bubbles. Many investors have fled to the relative safety of T-bills, minerals such as gold, and food-grade commodities (but watch ethanol bubble too). So where does the savvy investor look for action? Clean energy certainly is one.  

The numbers mentioned in the article are but a very small part of the market, like almost nothing. Algae? You must be kidding. The "staggering" 620 million for thin-film is tiddley-winks. But it does show some inertia in non-traditional markets outside of windmills and the hocus-pocus pipe dream about clean coal. Why not mention the tide and wave machines as well?

By the way, "smart grids" aren't smart and they're not a source of energy at least as I know. I've always promoted the concept of improving the electrical infrastructure but you're talking some make bucks there, and the states, regional power consortia, and national government does seem to have a clue ... maybe except a few West Coast folks. It's simply called "hooking up power in a manner to distribute it more efficiently and to expand into the electric vehicle sector." Gee, how much simpler.  -sam

Onward through the fog

]]> Where the money's going

Thanks for the article, Joseph and Grist.  

My take is that the smart money has departed from computers, housing finances, big oil, and all the other bubbles. Many investors have fled to the relative safety of T-bills, minerals such as gold, and food-grade commodities (but watch ethanol bubble too). So where does the savvy investor look for action? Clean energy certainly is one.  

The numbers mentioned in the article are but a very small part of the market, like almost nothing. Algae? You must be kidding. The "staggering" 620 million for thin-film is tiddley-winks. But it does show some inertia in non-traditional markets outside of windmills and the hocus-pocus pipe dream about clean coal. Why not mention the tide and wave machines as well?

By the way, "smart grids" aren't smart and they're not a source of energy at least as I know. I've always promoted the concept of improving the electrical infrastructure but you're talking some make bucks there, and the states, regional power consortia, and national government does seem to have a clue ... maybe except a few West Coast folks. It's simply called "hooking up power in a manner to distribute it more efficiently and to expand into the electric vehicle sector." Gee, how much simpler.  -sam

Onward through the fog

]]> Comment #3 by Pangolin http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/ Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:35:07 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/3 It's the Action

When Google, GE and the Silicon Valley VC firms are all in agreement that is precisely where the action is.

It's just not good enough to simply produce an improved solar panel anymore. New systems that people are bringing to the market will track the sun, tell you what the power output of each component is and e-mail you if the panels are dirty or a section is getting shaded. Sometimes they will give you hot water as well as power.

The improved power sources are going to be connected to improve household energy management tools that will track household power use, appliance efficiency and regulate how your heating/cooling system is managed to sync with wind or solar power availability. It's not unthinkable that a unit the size of your current thermostat could plan and regulate your house's heating budget weeks in advance.

This is what the engineers that brought us the dot.com boom are doing and although not all of them are going to hit some of them surely will. These are the smartest guys in the world, they see business failure as just another scientific experiment. They share the data and move on.

Interesting times.

Put the Carbon Back

]]> It's the Action

When Google, GE and the Silicon Valley VC firms are all in agreement that is precisely where the action is.

It's just not good enough to simply produce an improved solar panel anymore. New systems that people are bringing to the market will track the sun, tell you what the power output of each component is and e-mail you if the panels are dirty or a section is getting shaded. Sometimes they will give you hot water as well as power.

The improved power sources are going to be connected to improve household energy management tools that will track household power use, appliance efficiency and regulate how your heating/cooling system is managed to sync with wind or solar power availability. It's not unthinkable that a unit the size of your current thermostat could plan and regulate your house's heating budget weeks in advance.

This is what the engineers that brought us the dot.com boom are doing and although not all of them are going to hit some of them surely will. These are the smartest guys in the world, they see business failure as just another scientific experiment. They share the data and move on.

Interesting times.

Put the Carbon Back

]]> Comment #4 by Bob Wallace http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/ Sun, 05 Oct 2008 03:35:24 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/4 asdf

Smart grids aren't smart.  They allow us to act in smart ways.  

Much better than the limits of a simple on/off system, we get to tweak the gray areas for maximum performance.

]]> asdf

Smart grids aren't smart.  They allow us to act in smart ways.  

Much better than the limits of a simple on/off system, we get to tweak the gray areas for maximum performance.

]]> Comment #5 by Sam Wells http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/ Sun, 05 Oct 2008 04:24:22 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/5 Hey Pangolin - Thermostats?

I agree that a bunch can be done on the supply side and for larger commercial users, such as by using programmable systems and monitors.

But my house - I'm going to rip out that programmable thermostat and go with a Honeywell mercury switch controller. To heck with all that noise.  No telling how many times I've redone it because the flash memory is no good - and I've got an expensive one. I'm going to literally throw it out the window.

Perhaps I'm a unique case. I live in South Texas and have a wife who is going through menopause. So she goes to work and I let the temperature float up to about 83 with the windows and doors open. Then the boss comes home and SHE gets to have it her way, usually cooler A/C or windows open in the winter.

I can't do that with a programmable thermostat. It doesn't know when I have the flu and want it warm, or when the wife is throw off all the covers in the middle of the night. Personally, I think programmable thermostats for residential homes are way over-rated and can sometimes lead to excessive bills, not cheaper.

How do I save money? I caulked everything tight and bought some new units that consume way less energy than the old 1970 stuff that came with the house. To me it's not the energy as much as saving money, plain and simple.  And ... err ... not having a war with the wife!
sam

Onward through the fog


]]> Hey Pangolin - Thermostats?

I agree that a bunch can be done on the supply side and for larger commercial users, such as by using programmable systems and monitors.

But my house - I'm going to rip out that programmable thermostat and go with a Honeywell mercury switch controller. To heck with all that noise.  No telling how many times I've redone it because the flash memory is no good - and I've got an expensive one. I'm going to literally throw it out the window.

Perhaps I'm a unique case. I live in South Texas and have a wife who is going through menopause. So she goes to work and I let the temperature float up to about 83 with the windows and doors open. Then the boss comes home and SHE gets to have it her way, usually cooler A/C or windows open in the winter.

I can't do that with a programmable thermostat. It doesn't know when I have the flu and want it warm, or when the wife is throw off all the covers in the middle of the night. Personally, I think programmable thermostats for residential homes are way over-rated and can sometimes lead to excessive bills, not cheaper.

How do I save money? I caulked everything tight and bought some new units that consume way less energy than the old 1970 stuff that came with the house. To me it's not the energy as much as saving money, plain and simple.  And ... err ... not having a war with the wife!
sam

Onward through the fog


]]> Comment #6 by Bob Wallace http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/ Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:44:55 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bear-markets-and-bull-clean-tech-investments/6 Sounds to me...

As if your thermostat isn't smart enough.

Why can't  you get one that allows you to tweak it via your cell phone/computer/whatever?

That's where we need to go.  Programs for 'normal' with easy ways to change.  Even from a remote location.  

Heading home earlier/later than normal?  Should only be a few button pushes to change the heat up/cool down time for that day.  Or three Thursdays from now....

That's how I see the smart grid working.  

]]> Sounds to me...

As if your thermostat isn't smart enough.

Why can't  you get one that allows you to tweak it via your cell phone/computer/whatever?

That's where we need to go.  Programs for 'normal' with easy ways to change.  Even from a remote location.  

Heading home earlier/later than normal?  Should only be a few button pushes to change the heat up/cool down time for that day.  Or three Thursdays from now....

That's how I see the smart grid working.  

]]>