EcoLocalizer

Like this post? Subscribe to our RSS feed and stay up to date.

Last week, UCLA Anderson hosted the California Clean Innovation conference to facilitate the new ideas that will drive the future of clean technology. I must admit to being a bit intimidated by the topics to be discussed - I’m far from technically inclined - but the event was well done and I learned a ton.

First, what we’re all interested in…the moolah. I’ve been hearing a lot about the investment going into clean tech these days. The first keynote speaker, Ira Ehrenpreis of Technology Partners in Palo Alto also explained why this is so.

• Sector Diversity: it’s not just about water and energy anymore. From green building to agriculture, clean tech is expanding
• Public Interest: green is mainstream, so there is a lot of demand from consumers
• Political Arena: federal and state legislation is pushing change (though not enough, I say!)
• Globalization: the EU and Brazil are key players
• Corporations: eco-consious companies are making big investments
• Exits: IPOs for cleantech companies are appealing

Another interesting session revolved around one of the best renewable energy sources out there: solar. Panelists worked to answer my biggest question about solar - when will it take off?

Fortunately, the answer wasn’t too complicated. Solar is growing at about 30-35% per year. Not bad. But to truly reach the kind of growth that we need, the price will have to come down to about 10-15 cents per kilowatt hour. New advances in technology, like thin film, may make that possible. However, improvements in storage capabilities are also needed - in other words, we need better batteries to hold energy for times when the sun isn’t shining. Still, the panel estimated a boom in growth in about 5-7 years. Seems like a long time off, but panelists were clear on one point: we can do it. We electrified the US once, we can do it again.

Eco-entreprenuers also got a lot of attention during the day via the Fast Pitch competition. Six companies had five minutes each - with time allotments strictly enforced - the present their concept and field questions from a panel of venture capitalists. Concepts ranged from a couple of algae derived energy companies to gasification processes designed to convert waste to energy.

Between the speakers, panelists, entreprenuers, and organizers, a lot of brain power was in attendance at this conference…something that’s sure to benefit us all in the long run.

Image credit: Lowerlighter at Flickr under a Creative Commons License