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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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Renewable Energy
February 28th, 2011
Low Tech Rally: What I’m Most Looking Forward to in 2011
TOPICS: BOSTON, Business Insights, Renewable Energy
My wife has a female friend who wore a turtleneck to a party at the Playboy mansion. It was a work event and she was not psyched about going – “I decided to zig where they zag”, she said. The genius of that quote has always stuck with me.
I’m currently working on publishing a print magazine for my business. In the age of social media and digital publishing it’s a curious project to embark on, but I think the death of traditional publishing has been oversold. Rather than dying, I think it’s just changing. It’s not about actually delivering news, it’s more like a big, huge Christmas card / love letter we’re writing to anyone who cares enough to pay attention to us. It’s been a great excuse to connect with the people who are important to me and think about what the company values. Most of all, it has been fun.
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November 11th, 2010
From ‘Green’ Dreamers to a Profitable, Respected Supply House
TOPICS: BOSTON, Entrepreneurship, Interviews, Renewable Energy
Cambridge Alternative Power Company was founded in 1978 at the corner of Concord and Walden by a dentist, a Harvard Business School MBA, and the editor of the Christian Science Monitor. The first employee hired by the three principals was Tim Malarkey, a recent college graduate. The company sold solar panels, wind turbines, and a variety of other alternative energy products. Jimmy Carter was president and the second oil embargo launched this start-up business into the spotlight of the national media. They were the ‘Talk of the Town’ in the May 1980 issue of the New Yorker Magazine, and as sales skyrocketed they all started to believe their own media hype.
None of the principals had a business background, so Cambridge Alternative Power Company operated unprofitably for years, running on cash from investors and a growing top line. Sales peaked in 1985 when a 60% federal tax credit for solar hot water systems made the investment a no-brainer for most homeowners. They were selling truckloads of solar panels through a well-coordinated direct sales channel.
September 27th, 2010
The Ups And Downs of Renewable Energy in Connecticut
BOSTON -
“What’s the latest cleantech news from Connecticut?”
This past week I asked that question to a lot of smart people on my trip to Connecticut. I attended three events in three days: 1) a Solar Connecticut member meeting, 2) a Solar PV certification training, and 3) a Geothermal heat pump certification course. Here’s what I heard:
- Last year a comprehensive energy bill passed the state house and senate, only to be vetoed by Governor Jody Rell because her advisers told her it would cost too much. The bill would have been a huge win for the solar industry, so the group is watching to see who the new Governor is. The group resolved to pass something in the coming year.
September 15th, 2010
Sell! 7 Awesome Renewable Energy Pitches
TOPICS: BOSTON, Entrepreneurship, Renewable Energy
Renewable energy needs sales. Sales, sales, sales, sales, and more sales. Sure, we could use some better technology. But lets have the researchers do their job, and have the rest of us focus on increasing the adoption of our current technologies. As far I see it, the more panels on roofs and turbines in the ground the better and it’s our job to get it done. I want to share with you a couple pitches I’ve found that have been very successful at getting property owners and contractors interested in investing in renewable energy.
August 27th, 2010
From Software to Cleantech: Interview with Paul Berberian CEO of ZettaSun
TOPICS: Entrepreneurship, Interviews, Renewable Energy
This week’s post is an interview with Paul Berberian, a successful investor in Boulder, Colorado. He is the President and CEO of ZetaSun, Inc., a concentrating solar business. How many tech/software people do you meet who are also changing the world with clean tech businesses as well? Well, maybe more than you think. Paul is cross-applying his industry expertise in exciting ways into the Clean Tech space. You can follow Paul’s business ventures and high altitude aviation adventures at his blog: http://www.berberian.com/
Tell us a bit about your business:
*Zettasun, Inc. is building a new kind of solar panel designed for commercial rooftops. We use our unique optical and mechanical designs to build a high-concentrating photovoltaic panel that can track and concentrate the sun over 500 times without external devices.
