Google To Buy And Sell Electricity

From C/Net Google Energy subsidiary considers clean power

Google took a step toward entering the energy business with the creation of a subsidiary called Google Energy and a request with a federal agency to buy and sell electricity on the wholesale market.

Google's Eric Schmidt once said "The opportunity to remake the (power) grid is not unlike the opportunities of the Internet and the PC".

The HAN, "Home Area Network" is the next industry set to explode, and this is the computing device for it

With Google joining the Smart Grid Coalition, and now they are expected to become an electricity broker, you can bet they will play a big role in the HAN Home Area Network.

Energy is the new data and the smart meter is the next PC.




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What Happens When Electric Motors Go Green?

Each year billions of dollars and electricity are wasted from electric motors electricity that can only run at 2 speeds, ON or OFF.

Their inability to adjust power to varying loads, makes them one of the biggest “wasters” of electricity.

Improving motor efficiency is a huge and the easiest to implement untapped “green resource” and represents a multi-billion dollar opportunity.

Power Efficiency has developed a patented and patent-pending technology platform, called E-Save Technology™, which has been demonstrated in independent testing to improve the efficiency of electric motors by up to 35% in appropriate applications.

Electric motors consume over 25% of the electricity in the U.S., and many operate inefficiently.

Power Efficiency is also developing a new product based on E-Save Technology™ for the tens of millions of small motors found in applications such as residential air conditioning, pool pumps and clothes dryers.

The company is working with manufacturers to incorporate this technology directly into new motors and appliances.

Read our complete report on how Electric Motors Go Green

IBM Promotes Data Center Energy Efficiency

Green Tech Blog has a story about IBM promoting data center energy efficiency


"We want to challenge the (electricity) industry to stop thinking about lighting and motors--the traditional stuff--and look at IT as a big user of electricity," said Steve Cole, program manager for energy efficiency at IBM.

It is estimated that data centers alone consume about 2 percent of the world's electricity. And the rate of energy usage--and spending--is going up steadily.

With the rising cost of electricity and growing environmental awareness, IBM and other IT vendors have invested in more energy-efficient computing gear.

There are several technologies, such as virtualization and techniques for lowering energy usage.

Solar Investing Was So 07, Where Does VC Money Go In 08?

Last year it was all about solar companies and their ability to "create" energy.

This year the theme for venture capital money is on companies that "create" energy through efficiency.

Investor's Business Daily has a story highlighting where venture capital money is going in 2008. After solar, the focus moves to Energy Alternatives (sub req'd).

Nearly all of VC cleantech investment dollars went to solar firms in the first nine months of 2007. Why? Venture capitalists are very technically oriented. One of the things they understand is chips. Solar is very related to chips. It's an area they can wrap their hands around

VCs likely will fund more nonsolar cleantech companies as they grow more savvy about green industries

Observers expect more funding for companies that deal with energy-efficient buildings, alternative fuels, green cars, managing power on the electrical grid.

Some venture capitalists are looking for companies that reduce power needs and manage energy demand, not just companies that supply energy.

Imagine the impact when Electric Motors Go Green

CleanTech Developments To Watch In 2008

Nicholas Parker at CleanTech.com has a great piece on Eight Cleantech Developments To Watch For In 2008

His Top 8 Developments:

1. Green as global political platform

If 2007 was the year that environmental concerns emerged from the margins to become a central leg of a politician’s platform, then 2008 will be the year that articulating environmental positions and cleantech initiatives will be table stakes for any world leader.

2. Cleantech drives new business and financing models

More and more companies are now rushing to offer Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)s in solar and other energy sectors. (I see PPAs offering another revenue stream for large buildings/users of power)

3. Price per bushel on par with price per barrel

high prices per bushel will signal that resource scarcity and security are not just energy issues (soybean and corn prices versus a barrel of oil)

4. Increasingly fragile water supply at risk
we fear that after years of warnings, there could very well be a crisis event that draws attention to the fragility of existing fresh water supplies.

5. “CleanChip” clusters grow in Asia, EU and Middle East
the cleantech industry is clustering around a select number of urban hubs in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America.

6. Solar breakthroughs, commercialization of liquid fuels and better batteries
energy storage is the weak link in the emerging sustainable energy paradigm.

7. China graduates from manufacturer to end-market
the Chinese government arguably showing more significant commitments to embracing cleantech as a way to lower carbon emissions than most other industrialized countries

8. Energy efficiency and demand response generate smart grid savings
a smart grid in a somewhat unlikely way: through efficiency and demand response technology companies. (think energy conservation for corporations)

The 200 year old electric motor is already undergoing a CleanTech transformation.

Full CleanTech Report

Congress Approves Auto Fuel Economy Increase And More CleanTech Initiatives

Alternative energy and renewable energy technology represent an enormous disruptive opportunity.

Groundbreaking Energy Bill opens up the door for many CleanTech opportunities.

Congress sent to President Bush a truncated, although no less dramatic, energy bill that will require an increase in the fuel efficiency of cars, SUVs and small trucks by 40 percent to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

Those old-fashioned 100-watt incandescent light bulbs in stores will soon be replaced by 2012, and labels on TVs and computers will tell you how much energy they consume.

The energy bill, which also calls for a huge increase in the use of ethanol as a motor fuel and requires new appliance efficiency standards, was approved by the House 314-100 after clearing the Senate last week, 86-8.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy has projected that the bill will reduce energy use by 7% and carbon dioxide emissions by 9% in 2030.

The bill has incentives for electricity infrastructure, carbon capture, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and energy efficiency.

In a significant shift to spur increased demand for nonfossil fuels, the bill requires refiners to use 36 billion gallons of ethanol by 2022, a six-fold increase over today's ethanol production. And it imposes new energy efficiency standards for refrigerators, dishwashers and other appliances as well as lighting, federal buildings and construction of commercial buildings.

I previously discussed what opportunities await for energy efficiency.