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Green Light Distrikt
Green Light Distrikt is about entrepreneurship focused on the cleantech sector. Edited by Chris Williams with frequent guest posts from friends, experts and industry insiders from clusters across the globe. Our goal is to provide a place where cleantech entrepreneurs in various clusters across the globe can learn from one another. Green Light Distrikt is creating the "Hitchikers Guide to Clentech" to provide a resource for cleantech entrepreneurs. Read more
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Tag Archives: wind
January 19th, 2011
In the Energy Wars, We All (Can) Win
TOPICS: BOSTON, CleanTech Kingpins
There’s been a lot of freaking out lately about China and energy – although Europe is still far ahead of us here in North America. We can spend time freaking out or we can address the elephant in the room, how do we get OUR ducks in a row. We’ve made some serious progress in both technology development and deployment in the last 5 years, but there’s still a long way to go.
On September 30th, Green Light Distrikt held our 3rd Cleantech Kingpins speaker series. We asked a series of speakers with various backgrounds – private industry, non-profit, research, government, and media – to address the question: “Where are we and how do we increase US investment in cleantech?”
Steve Minnihan, a cleantech research associate at Lux Research had some very interesting information and conclusions based on his research on the solar, smart grid, and transportation space. (See Steve’s full 12 minute presentation and slides at the bottom of the post)
Tagged china, energy, lux research, smart grid, solar, steve minnihan, wind
2 Comments
July 1st, 2010
The 1603 lb Gorilla in the Room: Termination of Cash Grant Program Could Spell Disaster for Renewable Energy Finance
TOPICS: BOSTON, Government Policy, Renewable Energy
Project finance is the key to clean energy growth and many in the industry are worried about the ramifications on financing if the Recovery Act section 1603 cash grants AKA the “cash-in-lieu of tax credit” grants expire at the end of 2010, as they are set to do. The success of 1603 has been undeniable as it allowed a streamlined way for these capital-intensive projects to get financed during the global recession, accounting for up to 30% of the capital expenditure of a project. Continue Reading >
Tagged 1603, cash-in-lie of tax credit, chuck schumer, ITC, REFF, renewable energy finance forum, wind
May 27th, 2010
AC/DC Rocks the Bottom Billion – Musings on Electricifying Africa
TOPICS: BOSTON, Entrepreneurship, Renewable Energy
I was working with Anza Technologies in the remote village Matala, Tanzania last month. We deployed “appropriate technologies” to help rural farmers carry water more efficiently. I noticed that each of these “dollar-a-day” farmers had a cell phone but no electricity in their homes. How they charge their phone batteries may be the beginnings of an energy infrastructure unlike any we have seen.
The rural Matala region had largely leapfrogged land-based telecommunications infrastructure—pretty standard in the third world, but the cell phones hit some of the villages before electricity had, which raised some questions for me. I wondered how they charged them.
I found out that they charged up at one or two houses in a given village with electricity, or they’d give them to a friend to bring into town. In fact, it seemed they treat electricity like they do water—walk to a source, fill up, bring it home.
The farmers earn close to $1/day, so hooking into the grid is cost-prohibitive—nearly 4 years income. Getting a gas generator is an option that would cost nearly 1 year’s income. Alternatives like solar and wind? 1-2 years income. It is clear there is no solution other than scavenging for what electricity they can to power the few, small electronics they need. There is very little incentive to make these types of investments even if they could save the cash. Their investments take other forms.
Driving through the valleys of Kilimanjaro I noticed acres of crops where some corn was about 3-4’ higher than the rest. I asked our guide, Ibrahim, why. He said that the first rains came early this year, so farmers had to bet on whether to plant their seed or not. “If it’s a false start to the season, their seed is ruined. But if they wait too long, they miss an extra harvest.” So the farmers hedge by planting a portion of their crops during the early rain and saving most of their seed for later. When you’re making a dollar a day, crops are the only currency you have the volume to risk. Crops are their primary investment.
Accordingly, most farmers typically invest any spare cash into low-risk, low-return items like tools for work—things that bring an element of security and predictability to their business in the fields. They will not take a leap of faith in a technology which may only marginally improve yield, break, or be too expensive to maintain (take it from Paul Pollack if you don’t believe me). They need real, immediate cashflows from what they invest in—or small investments with short payback periods that hold inherently low risk.
I asked a bit more about alternative ways to get affordable power to the region. I learned about a company called Egg Energy. They were setting up portable battery charging stations in remote villages of Tanzania where consumers can access electricity at a price they can budget. I didn’t encounter any of the stations, but the idea made a lot of sense to me. It got me thinking about the evolution of the country’s “grid”.
With this “distributed power redemption” model (I dub thee), there is promise that the need for DC power electronics (mainly battery charging & lighting) will pull-through alternatives in remote locations where grid-connected AC is cost prohibitive. It could take the form of distributed DC charging stations. The model could be a good stepping stone to rural electrictrification by alternatives. It may even introduce further standardization in global DC infrastructure, as increasing DC power supply & demand cut-out the AC/DC inverter-middle-man (imagine a standard DC wall plug that’s not a jerry-rigged cigarette lighter?!). It will be interesting to see how elements from this embryonic business model will affect the 1st world’s AC/DC power infrastructure in the coming years.
Tagged distributed power, Geothermal, hydroelectric, kilimanjaro, matala, moshi, photovoltaics, remote power, rural electrification, solar, tanzania, wind
May 15th, 2010
How do you get a Green Job out of College?
TOPICS: BOSTON, Renewable Energy
There is a lot of news about 37 Million Green Jobs by 3030 and that Competition for Renewable Energy Jobs is Getting Intense. With all this news you’d think getting a green job is easy and they’re everywhere. In the past 6 months, I’ve started to hear the same question A LOT. “How Do I get a Green Job out of College” When I go to conferences, meetups, tweetups as well as emails through my blog I get the same question, “How do I do what you did and get a green job out of college?”
I always wanted to help and noticed I kept giving the same advice so I decided to create another website The Green Collar Job Guide for College Students and also started a Facebook community called “Green Collar Job Guide” to help connect with college students and help them.
I decided to start another website because my blog, The Green Light Distrikt, is focused more on connecting professionals who are already in the industry and not people looking to enter the industry. The goal with the new site will be to post the information about starting a career so it can be a resource for all students.
A couple of my friends have response to this new site asking “Aren’t you afraid you’re giving students information so they’ll compete with you for your own job?” To that I respond very simply
- I want 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY. Period. To do this, we’ll need a lot more young, passionate, people selling, engineering, installing, and inventing these technologies
- The industry is growing so quickly, there is room for everyone
Here is the introduction video where I describe the story behind the green collar job guide and how I’m trying to help students.
Right now, the goal is to help college students answer the question in three ways.
- How to Get a Green Job Blog- Every week I’ll post some free advice, resources or tip for college students looking to get a green job. If you need anything, just ask, I’m here to help. My only request is that you ask publicly so when I answer everyone can benefit.
- “The Guide” – The Green Collar Job Guide itself. I noticed that I always was giving students the same advice. So, I took that advice and put it into 7 steps with all the advice and resources I’ve picked up hundreds of hours of personal time and years in the industry that will allow any student to take their passion, focus it, and find their place in the industry. I’ve packaged that with over $500 in discounts on industry certified renewabel energy training for students that want to supplement their degrees.
- The Super Intern Search – The Super Intern Search search allows college students to apply for internships at awesome green companies. Companies comes to us to find awesome interns, and we find them.The problem with the traditional internship search is that 1) its take too much time to sort through 100s of resumes 2) resume and cover letters are not good indicators of someones ability to produce 3) most green companies really need interns but are growing very quickly and don’t have the time to sort through resume or hand hold interns.
Our first company is a Cambridge based start up called Wattzy. See the below video if you’d like to apply for a summer internship in Boston.
If you’d like to apply: Here is the important information
Company: Wattzy. A Boston based company that is creating an online platform where households will compete to save energy
Position: Summer intern. $1k Stipend over 10 weeks
- Create online content about energy efficiency with short article and blog posts
- Manage online community, facebook, twitter, face to face events.
Qualifications
- PASSIONATE about energy efficiency
- Go-getters, producers, will take the bull by the horns type of people.
- Amazing writing skills
- A plus is HTML/CSS, Blogging, Social Media skills and experience
Application Process
- Create a 30 second video with you name, college, and why you’re awesome and will be a super intern
- ‘Like’ The Green Collar Job Guide on Facebook so that we can follow up with you
- With you video attached post the following to your Facebook status: “@Greencollarjobguide this is my video application for the Wattzy Super Intern Search” This will be how you submit your application, we will not accept applications in any other form.
- The last day for submissions is on Monday May 31st, and we will only be accepting the first 100 applications
- We will follow up with best applications on May 31.
Why Are we using Facebook and Video instead of resumes?
- Resume are too susceptible to good writing skills that cover up actual passion and ability to get things done, video is not.
- With the video, you still have to prove your qualifications
- Growing companies really value interns but don’t have to time so sort through stacks of resumes
- Everyone is already on Facebook
- Video is harder to make, so naturally only those who are the most passionate will apply.
I look forward to seeing all the applications. As always, I’m always looking for feedback and input and if you have any questions please ask them.
This is my attempt to help college student start their career in the green industry. What else can we do? Perhaps a mentor-ship program? Very interested to hearing any and all feedback.
Chris Williams
Tagged college internships, Geothermal, green collar, green collar job, green internships, green jobs, solar, sustainable internship, wind
May 7th, 2010
Finally! A Renewable Energy Lawsuit
TOPICS: BOSTON, Government Policy, Renewable Energy
So there’s this lawsuit that just popped up where a Canadian energy company is suing the Massachusetts governments over a law that requires utilities to purchase their renewable energy from Massachusetts based firms.
Basically, I’m curious to see what holds water. I talked to some energy lawyers recently who think the interstate-commerce part of the suit may hold water, but the SREC (that a Solar Renewable Energy Credit) related charges are mostly hot air.
The inter-state issue is very… interesting. I personally find the interstate clause kind of murky, as it’s nice to give states the ability to bolster their own economies, though I suppose there’s a reason for the interstate commerce laws that goes deeper than just this one issue. And if Cape Wind (the main reason behind the suit, I think) looses out on the added benefit of this particular law, it could put a dent in the ‘financability’ of the project. Then again, this is the first offshore project in the states, I have a feeling the investors know they’re taking a risk to begin with.
As for the SREC issue, many states are currently acting out the same system without problems. There is no exclusion happening, it’s more a ‘if you want to operate in our state, you have to follow our rules.’ You could almost view it as a tax. Trans-Canada might get away with a lower SREC supply component than their competitors as a settlement out of the suit, but I doubt it’ll go too far beyond that.
The final thing here is, the SREC market, while lucrative for solar developers, is a small potato for Trans-Canada compared to the 2.4 billion dollar field of sticks in the ocean that Jim Gordon has planned. The Cape Wind project itself is larger than the entire solar market is expected to be in MA in 6 years.
Anyways, let’s see where this lawsuit goes. Strangely, you don’t see too many in our field. Must be because it’s always been small potatoes. I guess that means we’re growing!
January 12th, 2010
Clean Tech Tuesday Boston: Boston + China Wind Deal, Alt. Energy to Double, Clean Tech VC Upswing
TOPICS: Uncategorized
This is the third Clean Tech Tuesday, though the first one was on a Friday. At first, I didn’t think I would be able to post about Boston based clean tech news every week, but things have not slowed down and there has been ample news stories every week that I want to highlight and share with you. I’m interested in hearing your stores as well, please share via twitter on #cleantechtuesday.
Also, please vote for your Top 3 favorite Boston clean tech companies. The top 10 vote receivers from the list of the top 26 of Boston clean tech companies will be profiled each month on The Green Light Distrikt in 2010 starting in February.
Here are my 4 favorite stories from the past week in no particular order:
1. Morgan Stanley Chooses EnerNOC’s Monitoring-Based Commissioning Application to Drive Persistent Energy Savings
Industry sector: Energy efficiency, Energy service
January 7, 2010
EnerNOC is seeing success in diversifying from their original and core product, demand response energy solutions, to other solutions namely the Monitoring-Based Commissioning Services (MBCx) cited here. Good news for EnerNOC who last quarter started to break even but has been a publicly traded company for a little over a year. There growth is certainly creating some jobs in their downtown Boston headquarters, just in case you’re looking you can EnerNOC job openings here
Tagged american superconductor, Clean Tech Investment, Energy Efficiency, EnerNOC, Renewable Energy, wind
December 18th, 2009
7 Values Driving my Job Search in Clean Technology
TOPICS: BOSTON
What is my next step? A couple months ago I wrote about 7 things I learned from losing my dream job. Don’t worry, I wasn’t that sad. I’ve decided to share with you my journey to find a new opportunity.
What am I doing now? I’m exploring, meeting people, talking, sharing ideas, waiting for something to grab me. I’m not in a rush, it will happen, it’s like the Wild West out there. If you’d like to connect, I’d love to hear from you.
I’ve done some work with Urgent VC on a new venture call Subsea that will harness hydro power without the devastating effect of dams. I’ve also been installing solar thermal systems in Maine. It’s really fun work, I’m getting a tons of hands on experience, learning how to do site evaluations and steps and considerations when designing a system and how to install the systems. I got both of these gigs just through my direct network.
My goal is to become as knowledgeable as possible about the sales, financing, design, installation and development of wind, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, geothermal and energy efficiency projects. My current years of experience has provided me a strong foundation from which I will continue to build upon.
I believe that it will be a combination of these technologies that is the solution to our energy problems and that the real innovation will come from the business models that deliver these services more so then the technology themselves. Its all about business processes, is McDonalds a worldwide corporation because of their burgers? No! It’s because of business processes are scalable.
I’ve been exploring a couple opportunities in renewable energy companies from project development, to sales, to energy auditing. As I explore the renewable energy industry here are values that drive my search:
- Impact VS Money: I always value decisions based on impact that I can make versus money to make. There’s a subtle difference. Sometimes these go hand on hand sometimes they don’t.
- Being on the Front Lines: By this I mean impacting the business. Could I work for IBM? Probably, but could I see how my action impact their bottom line or cash flow? Maybe with a microscope.
- I want to build something: I am a builder. This is similar to being on the front lines. I need to create or help create something from nothing.
- I need a challenge: I need a challenge so I can learn and constantly improve. I find that I do best when I’m slightly over my head. That way I can rise to the challenge and ask for help when needed.
- Generalist: My skill set is getting the large and most important information from many pieces, seeing the opportunity and how they fit together, and executing the solution. Thus, I need a position where I can do many things and not get in depth on a single subject. Small companies and start ups are perfect for this.
- Clean Technology space: I need to work in clean technology. It is my passion. I live it.
- Vision: I need a company that has a lofty vision but its focused that will inspire me and be a rally cry for our customers, investors, and employees. As Guy Kawasaki says, you need to make a mantra. Here’s a good example “We are going to cover every home in this country with solar panels”
So what? How can this help you?
If you’re in a similar situation and looking for an opportunity in clean technology keep in mind that there is going to be plenty of space for everyone and that this is just the beginning.
- Do your homework. Check out my Clean Tech Guide if you’re really a newbie
- Realize that the two most important traits are passion and ability to learn. The reality is that in a such a new industry barely anyone has a really good idea of whats going on.
- Ask for help. The best thing about the clean technology industry is that its about collaboration. We’re all in it together and trying to save the world. If you’re curious where you should start, just ask.
- Clarify what you’re looking for. Its okay if what you are looking for is what to look for.
Tagged Geothermal Heat Pump, job search, Solar PV, Solar Thermal, urgent vc, wind
