Better Place Plugs Into the Chinese Power Grid
Electric vehicle battery-switching evangelist Better Place is digging deeper into the world’s biggest electric car market to come — China. Read more »
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Green IT Q1: Cleantech Breaking Out — and Bracing for Hard Times
Is the greentech industry headed for a breakout year or is it retrenching for hard times to come? The first three months of 2011 provided evidence that could support both assertions, with a big rise in venture capital investment and a big drop-off in global energy financing. Solar power remained the largest green technology sector in terms of venture capital investment, while in the world of electric vehicles, GM’s Chevy Volt hybrid and Nissan’s all-electric Leaf — the first two mainstream plug-in vehicles — hit the showroom floors in significant numbers. Meanwhile the smart grid sector’s relative dearth of VC investment was more than made up for by the massive round of acquisitions. Companies mentioned in this report include NRG Energy, Microsoft, Silver Spring Networks, Tesla and BrightSource Energy. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
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Green IT’s Q4 Winners: Wind Power, Solar Power, Smart Energy
Greentech marked its best year ever in 2010, and part of that is thanks to the wealth of activity across sectors during the fourth quarter. Global investment in clean energy surged, and while wind power remained the biggest greentech area, solar power saw the fastest growth. The energy efficiency sector appears to have more room for smaller players to make their mark amidst a rapidly maturing market. Meanwhile, China’s stance as a growing greentech giant continued to complicate its relationship with the United States. Companies mentioned in this report include General Electric, Intel, ZigBee, iControl, People Power and EnerNOC. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
10 Green Cars to Watch At the Paris Motor Show
More than 100 world premieres are planned for the Paris Auto Show, which kicks of next weekend, including a strong contingent of hybrid and electric vehicles. Here’s 10 to watch. Read more »
GM, ABB Seek Chevy Volt Battery Afterlife in Grid
The green car battery recycling bandwagon just got a bit more crowded. General Motors and Swiss grid giant ABB announced that the two companies will jointly research ways to reuse old batteries from GM’s Chevy Volt hybrid for storing power on the grid. Read more »
0Views Seeks Out YouTube’s Most Unwatched
For most YouTubers, the almighty viewcount reigns supreme — if your video doesn’t break five figures, it doesn’t matter how good it is. It’s an interesting yet at times exhausting attitude — which is possibly why the 0Views blog is so refreshing an experience. Read more »
UK Ponies Up $67M for Green Car Grants
In the balancing act between reducing the budget deficit and giving automakers enough long-term certainty to gamble on building and launching green vehicles in the UK, the government has stayed firm in trying to cultivate the next generation of cleaner cars. Read more »
UK Group Seeks to Put the Kibosh on Auto Greenwash
Want to win people over to greener cars? Then skip the greenwash and tell them about the benefits straight up. That’s the message in a new set of guidelines for automakers marketing environmental claims to consumers in the UK. Read more »
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Why Google Android’s Electric Vehicle Deal With GM Matters
General Motors moved this week to link its upcoming Chevrolet Volt and in-vehicle communications system, OnStar, with Google navigation tools and smartphones based on the search giant’s Android platform. This marks a key intersection in the trajectories of automakers and Internet giants and could pave the way to much more comprehensive partnerships across previously disconnected industries and systems. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Watchdog to Renault: Stop the Bogus Electric Car Ads
Electric car makers, watch your language — that’s the message of a ruling today from the UK’s independent advertising regulator. The watchdog has moved to ban an ad for Renault’s Fluence Z.E. model based on misleading claims about emissions savings. Read more »
Why Ireland Could Be An Electric Car Powerhouse
This morning the Irish government announced plans to offer electric car buyers grants of 5,000 euros ($6,815), in the country’s latest move to support a goal of having plug-in vehicles make up at least 10 percent of the national fleet by 2020. Read more »
Renault, Nissan Expand Their Electric Vehicle Empire
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has just recruited two more players to its team in the race to dominate the global electric vehicle market. This morning the duo announced plans to collaborate with Italy’s largest electricity producer, Enel, and Spanish utility giant Endesa. Read more »
Daimler-Renault Deal: Birth of an 800-Pound Green Car Gorilla?
French-Japanese allies Renault and Nissan, and German automaker Daimler AG, have a deal in the works to cooperate on development of hybrid and electric vehicle tech, and to share platforms for small cars. How could that shape the green car market? Read more »
Spreadsheet Data Entry — iPad 1, Tablet PC Zip
I worked for many years as a consultant, and spent more frustrating time in Excel spreadsheets on a Tablet PC than I care to remember. With Numbers it looks like Apple has beaten Microsoft at its own game, and on the first try with the iPad. Read more »
Ustream Eyes Asia With Major Funding Round
Ustream has nabbed a major strategic investment by Japan’s Softbank that could be worth $75 million over the next 18 months. With the new funding, Ustream will look to expand in Japan, China, Korea, and India, opening offices and hiring employees to tap dramatic mobile phone […] Read more »
