Choosing Alternative Fuel

Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Complete Digest, Past Events

EnterpriseSeattle and the Washington Clean Technology Alliance:

Choosing an Alternative Fuel — Frequently Un-Asked Questions and the Answers You Need to Know.  

• See the KING5 story and video.
• Powerpoint Presentation
• Watch the event:  Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 (36 minutes total)

Choosing an Alternative Fuel can be a tricky business with sometimes surprising consequences.  Remember when Ethanol seemed to be the best answer?  Alternative Fuel choice has so many independent variables, how can you choose wisely?

Whether you are in policy-making and review, or vehicle fleet operations, there is no “one-fuel-fits-all” answer. Since much of the information available today does not address important consequences and implications resulting from fuel choice, what are the questions you need to ask so that you, your representatives, or fleet managers can choose wisely?  And, do you know alternative fuel’s best-kept secret in America?

We automatically think of aspects such as cost, environmental advantages, and energy security, but how do we add up the synergies of infrastructure expense, payload, range, supply chain, fill (or re-charge) time and many other factors?

If you want to get the right (fuel choice) answer, you have to be asking the right (use-case) questions.  Come join us for a “Lunch and Learn” co-sponsored by W.C.T.A. and enterpriseSeattle to consider the options that are here today and explore how we can bridge our way to the fuels of the future.  At the end of this session, you’ll have a better understanding of how to qualify (or disqualify) various fuels that are vying to become the answer for our nation (or your fleet’s) fueling needs.

About the Speaker:   Jeff Stewart (MBA, University of Oregon) is President of Blue Star Gas; a family owned and operated 74-year-old enterprise, which has 13 offices throughout Northern California, Oregon, and now, Washington.  Jeff is also past chairman of the National Propane Benchmarking Council and has a broad and deep understanding of alternative fuel options.  His even-handed approach to fuel choice questions will make this event a valuable tool for your understanding of alternative fuel use and choice.

Test Drives:  The consistent comment heard is, “performance with AutoGas is equal to, or slightly better than, gasoline.” Come see for yourself.  Several AutoGas vehicles are available for test-drives and a look under the hood from 10:00 a.m. to 11:50 and again after lunch from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. in the McKinstry garage.

• Where:  McKinstry Innovation Center, 210 Hudson St, Seattle, Level 3
• When:  November 30, noon-1:30 p.m.
• Cost:  $10 for WCTA and enterpriseSeattle members | $15 for non-members | $30 day of the event.
• Register here.
• More information.  Map.

KING5 Story and video link.

Economic Trends in Energy, Water, and Infrastructure

Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Complete Digest, Past Events

Washington Clean Technology Alliance Breakfast, Economic Trends in Energy, Water, and Infrastructure:  Simon Gottelier (Portfolio Manager, Impax Asset Management, London) and Jason Busch (Pacific Energy Ocean Trust, Portland).

• Simon Gottelier has worked at Impax since 2004, co-managing the Environmental Leaders and Water Strategies and has worked on the Impax World Global Green Fund portfolio since its inception in 2008.  Simon joined Pax from Veolia (formerly Vivendi) Environment, where he was a financial analyst.  His responsibilities included the analysis and modeling of potential investments and financing issues on the part of the Group’s water businesses.  Simon began his career in Investment Banking in 1998 at NM Rothschild and subsequently moved to Deutsche Bank where he provided strategic, M&A and financing advice to European and US clients across a broad range of industrial sub-sectors.  He has an honors degree in Modern Languages from the University of Bristol.  See Simon’s presentation here:  Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Slides
• Jason Busch is Executive Director, Oregon Wave Energy Trust and a Director of the Pacific Ocean Energy Trust.  The Oregon Wave Energy Trust is a nonprofit public-private partnership funded by the Oregon Innovation Council in 2007. Its mission is to serve as a connector for all stakeholders involved in wave energy project development – from research and development to early stage community engagement and final deployment and energy generation – positioning Oregon as the North America leader in this nascent industry and delivering its full economic and environmental potential for the state. OWET’s goal is to have ocean wave energy producing 2 megawatts of power – enough to power about 800 homes – by 2010 and 500 megawatts of power by 2025.  See Jason’s presentation here.
• Where: Arbor Group/UBS Financial, 925 Fourth Avenue, 18th Floor Conference Room, Seattle
• When: November 11, 7:30-9:00 a.m.

Utilities as Customers: Opportunities, Tactics, and Insights

Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Complete Digest, Past Events

 This WCTA program focused on the role of utilities in the energy entrepreneurial process. How can entrepreneurs access and work with utilities as customers, partners, or investors?

• Ethan Boardman is the Director of Business Development IDMS for Alstom Grid. He has been involved in the development and delivery of real-time network management systems for transmission and distribution utilities for the past 25 years at ESCA, Cegelec, and Alstom (formerly AREVA). He received his BSEE and MSEE from the University of Washington. Mr. Boardman is an active member of IEC TC57 WG14 focusing upon extensions to the Common Information Model (CIM) for distribution modeling purposes.  View Mr. Boardman’s comments:  Part 1 (10:00) | Part 2 (10:00) | Part 3 (3:01)
• John Clark is a senior executive with over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience establishing, financing, leading, and operating companies. He currently advises and serves on the board of several early stage companies in the telecommunications and software industries. At GridPoint, a smart grid company, he served as EVP, Operations with responsibility for driving operational excellence, from supporting the initial sales process to delivering professional services and support throughout the customer life cycle. He was CEO of V2Green, a leading electric vehicle management company acquired by GridPoint. Previously, Mr. Clark was based in London as the SVP/Managing Director, Europe for TeleCommunication Systems, a provider of infrastructure and services to the wireless telecommunications industry worldwide. He has also served as VP, Operations & Deployment for Xypoint (acquired by TSYS in 2001) and Founder & President of Toll Free Cellular. Mr. Clark holds a degree in computer science and business administration magna cum laude from Western Washington University. View Mr. Clark’s comments: Part 1 (4:21) | Part 2 (10:00)
• Patrick Leslie is the Emerging Technologies Program Manager for Puget Sound Energy and is responsible for evaluating the feasibility, risks and benefits, and market potential for numerous technologies including electric vehicles, solar, energy storage, and fuel cells. Mr. Leslie has worked at PSE for nearly three years, previously performing financial analysis on power plant acquisitions. Before moving to Seattle, Patrick sold and installed solar and wind power systems in the Bahamas. He received his MBA from the UW and his BA in Spanish and Biology from Dartmouth.  View Mr. Leslie’s comments.
• Discussion video:  Part 1 (10:00) | Part 2 (10:00) | Part 3 (3:42)

Thanks to:  Daniela Axinte moderated the panel and Peter Cancelmo of Garvey Schubert Barer organized the event.

Ken Berlin: Transitioning to a Clean Energy Economy

Posted by Michelle | No Comments | Categories: Complete Digest, Past Events

Ken Berlin is General Counsel of the Coalition for Green Capital (a DC non-profit that exists to advocate for tax and finance policies that support investment in energy efficiency and clean energy).  He is the past head of the Environmental and Climate Change Practices of the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom law firm.  He is a Special Policy Advisor to Daniel Esty, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.

As part of the WCTA monthly forum series, Mr. Berlin addressed a WCTA breakfast on July 14, 2011.

This presentation can be seen in a special video format that combines the video with the slide presentation.  Click here.

Mr. Berlin highlighted the problems at the state and federal levels in funding clean technology.  He offered four basic steps that will be required to create a clean energy economy:

• Step 1 – Reduce Electric Power Sector Emissions:  Close the Coal Plants
• Step 2 – Replace Coal Plants
• Step 3 – Increase Energy Efficiency
• Step 4 – Increase Deployment of Clean Energy -making alternative energy suitable for marketplace competition, by cutting costs

Mr. Berlin suggested that many coal plants will be replaced with natural gas plants that could reduce CO2 emissions by 15%.  The third step is to increase energy efficiency by overcoming financial barriers at the state and federal levels.  McKinsey speculates that doing so could reduce emissions by 25-30%.  The fourth step is to increase clean-energy power generation, which will require low-cost long-term financing.

Mr. Berlin advocates the notion of the ‘Green Bank.’  Essentially, the Green Bank provides capital needed for clean energy projects.  Mr. Berlin suggests a hybrid for-profit or a not-for- profit low-risk institution designed to safely leverage public dollars into massive private cleantech investments.  Green Bank legislation was recently passed in Connecticut.

Will the same idea work in Washington State?

Thanks to WCTA Members Chris Ajemian, JD, MA, (Principal, Chris Ajemian Consulting) and Patrick Drum, CFA, CFP (Financial Advisor | Senior Portfolio Manager, The Arbor Group/UBS Financial Services) for organizing this meeting.

View the presentation slides here.