Energy bill contains $s for technology acceleration!

After years (yes, years) of writing letters to not only Oregon's delegation but also to the presidential candidates (Obama, McCain, Clinton, others) - about the need to "mind the gap": what's in between research and dirt-work, the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has $2 billion for technology acceleration (page 62 of the proposed bill): "$2,000,000,000 shall be for expenses necessary for energy efficiency and renewable energy research, development, demonstration and deployment activities, to accelerate the development of technologies..."

Perhaps Oregon's delegation will ensure NXergy gains a portion of that for accelerating technologies that the energy industry can use to meet RPS and Cap & Trade requirements, let alone the coming electric-vehicle "energy shifting" that will be occurring.

WorldBank report discusses the need for technology acceleration

The report "Accelerating Clean Energy Technology Research, Development, and Deployment Lessons from Non-energy Sectors" clearly makes a case for clean-tech acceleration as the means to break through the system bottlenecks that have plagued this nation for over 35 years.

Figure 5 (The “Valley of Death” between Public- and Private-Sector Development) and Figure 6 (The “Mountain of Death” of Technology Costs) provide an excellent glimpse into the systemic challenge:

Venture capitalists funding hits $2.6 billion

Venture capitalists spent 46% more on cleantech in the first three quarters than during all last year. Solar energy companies got the most money, accounting for $664.6 million.

And most of the U.S. venture money -- $1.7 billion -- went to U.S. companies, followed by companies in the Netherlands, Brazil and China. Within the United States, California companies raised the most, with $725.2 million in 68 deals, while Massachusetts companies followed, with $292.6 million in 11 deals.

Saudis invest in green-tech

Even the Saudi Government is investing in green-technology.

New report defines huge growth opportunities

The report "Transforming Innovation into Market Growth" provides a compelling look at the state of the clean-tech industry... in spite of the recession.

Misinformation does us no good!

In today's Parade Magazine, there is an article about "What will fuel our next cars?" Great question. Unfortunately, it is laden with misinformation - that others will use (as "facts") - for all kinds of reasons.

To wit: Hydrogen "should cost about $1.10" a gallon. Of course it should. But it doesn't. Gasoline should also cost 20 cents, but it doesn't. The cost to produce "an equivalent gallon" of hydrogen is about $10. There is no way (with current technology) to get it down to about a buck. What is missing is an understanding of how pure hydrogen needs to be in order to work in fuel cells. Something like "five 9s", or 99.999% pure. Making it is only part of the cost, transporting & storing it not only adds costs, but also degrades the 99.999% to something less... just in the act of transporting and storing it.

Anyway - pardon the rant, but once again, the need to print something takes a back seat to science.