Big Oil Goes CleanTech Earlier this month, French Oil Major TOTAL announced an agreement to tender for 60% of SunPower (SPWRA), one of the leading solar module manufacturers and distributor/project developers, at a 43% premium to the previous market close. TOT is not new to the non-hydrocarbon energy market, having acquired some thin film …
Batteries – Momentum builds for both electric vehicles and backup storage With the launch of the Nissan LEAF and the Chevy Volt, the newsflow actual performance and market interest in electric vehicles is building. The VOLT was (surprisingly?) well reviewed in the New York Times, and the roster of new vehicle launches is building. …
Renewables and Smart Grid – MIT speaks out Last week, I attended a BofA/Merrill Lynch Cleantech Seminar, featuring presentations by MIT professors on Global Warming, Solar, Wind, Smart Grid, and Storage. While an academic setting might appear to be inappropriate for practical, nearer term, investors, some views were startling: 1) Without judging the conclusions, the …