Ten Clean Technology Companies in and near San Diego

Following are ten of my favorite Southern California-based clean technology companies. I will blog on each of these individually in the future.

• http://www.nextjoule.com/


• http://www.ridegrid.com/


• http://www.altenertec.com/


• http://www.pacwind.net/ (in LA)


• http://www.butlersunsolutions.com/


• http://www.qelectric.com/


• http://evillagesolar.com/


• http://www.debenhamenergy.com/


• http://pristineplanet.com/


• http://www.solarsummit.com/


• http://www.envisionsolar.com/


• http://www.cleantechenergy.com/


• http://www.openenergycorp.com/

Heat

I listened to a podcast interview with environmentalist book author George Monbiot today. He's written a book called "Heat, How to Stop the Planet from Burning". One premise is that every person should be issued carbon allowances (alot like Kyoto protocol cap and trade, but for people instead of business (Monbriot mysteriosly didn't mention Kyoto)) that can be spent, alongside currency, to buy gas, electricity, etc. The law of supply and demand will drive the cost of excess credits sky high, and force people to reduce their carbon footprint .

Monbiot also strongly argued that, (1) businesses should be forced to purchase all of their carbon allowances, instead of receiving their yearly allotment gratis, and (2) the allotment should be less than the business's current carbon footprint.

I like Monbriot's personal carbon allowances idea, but can you imagine that anyone besides me will vote for a politician proposing such a bill?

I disagree with Monbiot's business allotment proposal. Gifting businesses a yearly allotment of carbon allowances, where the size of the allotment slowly decreases to zero over the next ten to twenty years seems to me more feasible from a business point of view.

ZEVs

What's up with electric vehicles? Electric scooters, carts, and cars emit zero greenhouse gases, and the electricity can be generated using renewable sources. There are 3 vendors in the San Diego area. There are scooter retail outlets in Pacific Beach and Oceanside. And an electric cart dealership in Palm Springs. I couldn't find a dealership for electric cars. Maybe i should open one.

I just read about the Twike. It retails for $28K. Its sold out for 2007. http://www.twike.us/

Moral Opportunity

Al Gore often says that the climate crisis, "is a moral problem", but he doesn't say why. I looked into it. Turns out that people living in 3rd world countries, who create nearly zero green house gasses, will be the first to suffer from climate change. And those of us in developed nations, who create all the greenhouse gases, will be the last to suffer.

Luckily the ultra wealthy are also moral advocates and are funneling $US Billions into helping third world countries to combat disease, starvation, and unsanitary water. I believe that these same ultra wealthy, and the rest of us, will soon see the moral problem, and work together toward a solution.

Autoclub talking out of both sides of its tailpipe

I heard a Michael A. Rivlin podcast recently that described the AAA autoclub as anti-environment. The AAA has a big lobby on capitol hill, working on behalf of big oil and the auto industry. Why is AAA pushing a political agenda?

Interestingly, this month's AAA WESTWAYS magazine has two green articles. One is on green cars, and one is on car seats made from 100% recycled materials. I'm going to be optimistic, and conclude that Rivlin was mistaken, or AAA is getting green, and will in the future lobby in favor of the planet.