Hydropower – can there be too much of a good thing? As discussed at the recent CanSIA Solar West Conference, when hydropower is compared to PV power on a value basis, the results are surprising. PV today can be more economical than hydropower. Hydropower is considered to be the most economic way to generate electricity today, and provides almost one-fifth of the world’s electricity. Solar PV, on the other hand, is widely...

2010 PV Industry Cell Production - declining share in growing market For years now, analysts have looked at the solar PV industry with its red-hot growth, and predicted near-term shakeout and consolidation. The continued rapid growth rate within the PV industry is a textbook example of how high industry growth rates can dominate competitive influences. At its breakneck pace, even the largest PV cell manufacturers have struggled to keep...

Cleantech is not a singular industry. There are many industries that have Cleantech opportunities. The maturity of the specific Cleantech target industry, its Phase, can have a powerful influence on Cleantech business success.        While Phase issues do exist in other industries, Phase challenges in Cleantech targets are considerably more pronounced. Target industry Phase should be considered in market selection, business...

Hoover Dam Relies on Four Pillars Government influence is fundamental in Cleantech  Public Policy has multiple direct and enabling influences in virtually all Cleantech sectors.  So What?  Where Cleantech is inextricably bound to Policy, the Information Age saw strong opposition to government subsidies and industry support. TJ Rodgers, CEO of Cypress Semiconductor, for example, provided the following 1993 Congressional...

Cleantech is widely anticipated to be the next big wealth creation opportunity.      Oddly, however, success in Cleantech business investments has been somewhat elusive especially in the venture capital (VC) community. This paradox is true even though Cleantech has had the strong support of a mature VC industry along with motivated equity markets – albeit impacted by the Financial Crisis and global recession.    Cleantech Pillars...