Comments on: Where the money is in cleantech: oil and gas

By: Martin O'Malley

Martin O'Malley — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:31:25 +0000

A little known technology now exists which has the potential to change all of the liquid or gaseous fuel production game rules. CELLULOIL has been generated as an efficiently produced chemically reduced version of any cellulose without consideration given to sugar content, fermentation, or biochemical reduction. This has been proven with batchwise chemical reactors but can also be accomplished through a continuous “on-line” production process as well. Enhancing of the energy density and purification is accomplished using petroleum, natural gas, and hydrogen. Several competing reaction mechanisms have been proposed using either strict thermodynamic/kinetic catalysis or conversely electrochemical reduction similar to recent advances made with “Brown’s Gas.” The resultant product not only represents a renewable carbon-neutral energy source but can be likewise employed for the production of durable goods such as plastics and organic chemicals currently generated from petroleum feedstock. Turning one gallon of petroleum into two using carbon-neutral CELLULOIL means the resultant carbon footprint of usable fuel is cut in half. The chemicals needed to affect the reaction are renewable being derived from water, electricity, and naturally occurring plant matter organic substances.

By: Kirk Coburn

Kirk Coburn — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 02:58:09 +0000

The good news is that software today has a chance to move much faster. There are two trends that we are seeing. First, GenY/Millenials are starting to replace the Baby Boomers as decision makers. The industry calls this the “Great Generational Crew Change in Energy or Silver Tsunami in Power.” And GenY demands consumerification of IT. Second, enterprise platforms and powerful systems can be built quickly and at a low cost. It’s happening.

By: Ucilia Wang

Ucilia Wang — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 02:29:13 +0000

Thanks for the thought, quiviran. Wal van Lierop and I discussed the point you made, that big corporations will foremost want to protect their existing markets. The example Wal gave was a pharma that bought a drug formula only to shelve it so that the drug will never come to market and compete with the one the pharma is making good money from. That’s why setting the right policy to force changes is so important.

By: Ucilia Wang

Ucilia Wang — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 01:46:57 +0000

Thanks, Kirk. It is sobering to think that a new tech will likely take that long to reach the market in the energy industry. That would’ve been a good reality check for many investors seven years ago.

By: quiviran

quiviran — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:17:19 +0000

This is not a good news story. The probable end result of Big Energy money controlling alternative energy development will be similar to the fate of large format NiMH battery patents held by Chevron (after they gained control of the patents they never licensed any company to use the technology, even Panasonic, which had already built a factory and produced a substantial number of large format NiMH battery packs). Big Energy will crush any potential competitive technology that might impact their extractive, centralized business model. Rooftop solar panels charging electric cars could pretty much end household gasoline consumption. Big Energy knows how to make money with their current model. It’s doubtful they’ll be willing to risk much that changes the situation. They’re smart guys that are going to protect their rice bowls, no matter the cost to the future, the environment or the planet.

I’d look into the Tax Code for their real motives. I think you’ll find the American taxpayer is subsidizing the oil companies to obstruct future progress in alternative energy.

By: Walter Schindler

Walter Schindler — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 14:10:20 +0000

excellent article on the recent Annual Cleantech Group Meeting in San Francisco….thank you…..Walter Schindler

By: Kirk Coburn

Kirk Coburn — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 02:52:18 +0000

We launched SURGE Accelerator a few years ago under the hypothesis that in order to change the industry, we must be inclusive and embrace both clean and traditional. A massive, century-long, global investment legacy in traditional energy infrastructure creates enormous opportunities for nimble new companies to make it cheaper, cleaner, and faster to deliver traditional energy sources. But we also understand that the evolution of clean energy production and delivery—driven by technical, regulatory, and consumer trends—creates completely new avenues for ambitious startups to grow. We’ve funded about a dozen cleantech and cleanweb companies, and we’ve looked at hundreds more. Since May 2012, SURGE’s first class of 11 companies have raised over $10M in funding and landed over a dozen enterprise customers. It currently takes 16 years for a technology to reach market acceptance in the energy industry. We believe SURGE can dramatically cut reduce this timeline. Please join us. Maybe the transition can be accelerated even faster.

By: Nick Hay

Nick Hay — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:28:54 +0000

Thanks, interesting piece.

Following Durban climate change conference in 2011 countries agreed to to develop a legal protocol in December 2015 to assess the risk of excessive investment in fossil fuel assets (and borrowing off the back of them) if we’re to stay below the agreed 2 degrees global warming scenario.

So, between now and 2015, financial analysts, regulators and fossil fuel companies will be getting a wake-up call that the vast majority of fossil fuel assets are already ‘stranded’ – or unburnable – in which case, it makes even more sense for dirty to make friends with cleantech alternatives. @naughtster

By: Kazuya Mishima

Kazuya Mishima — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:24:49 +0000

Cleantech investment is not dead, it just requires new approaches and a recognition that the traditional oil and gas industry may very well be the best patron for cleantech development and deployment. At least for now.

An idea that would have seemed blasphemous five years ago is coming into vogue for the battered cleantech sector: rather than displace the fossil fuel industry, embrace them. Increasingly companies selling energy efficiency and clean power technologies are looking to the oil and gas sectors as potential customers, instead of competitors…http://bit.ly/YHCpQp