R.E.preneur

The Cherokee Challenge - An Environmental Business Incubator

Caught this on Tom Darden's (CEO of Cherokee Investment Partners) LinkedIn newsfeed this morning.  Looks like a great opportunity for budding environmental entrepreneurs to get connected to a well-funded, eco-conscious company like Cherokee Investment Partners.  

The Cherokee Challenge

The Cherokee Challenge is an opportunity for a limited number of teams to develop a business plan and receive feedback, and possibly funding from Cherokee and their partners such as Bill McDonough of Cradle to Cradle fame.  

Like I always say, "Time to stop wishing, stop wanting, and start acting."

 

Why Republicans Are Wrong On Energy

I had the distinct pleasure of sitting with a small group of energy companies for a meeting with Republican Senator Jon Kyl from Arizona.  Senator Kyl is a very impressive individual.  A former water attorney from Phoenix who represented Salt River Project, Arizona Public Service, and Tucson Electric Power in various water related issues prior to starting his political career.

So the Senator speaks from a position of expertise when he brought up his concerns about the impending build out of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) power plants that are set to be constructed in the American Southwest over the next five years.  The Senator even wrote a white paper on the subject entitled, "the Solar-Water Nexus" which raises multiple concerns about the utilization of wet cooling technology for solar thermal, especially with regards to electricity that is being exported out of state.  The Senator argues for dry cooling and hybrid cooling technology, which makes CST even more expensive than it already is.  

Now certainly, examining any energy project's water usage is important.  Using reclaimed or effluent water wherever possible is always preferable.  But even more important, is to understand the context of the argument that the Senator makes against wet cooling solar thermal projects.  

Firstly, the Rose Law Group does a great job of addressing the fact that the agriculture industry (whom Senator Kyl also represented prior to heading to DC) uses 75% of Arizona's water supply and is far more water intensive on a per unit of energy basis.  Not to mention, most of the food Arizona produces is exported.  So any siting of a solar thermal plant on former agricultural land, is a net water gain.

In the meeting, I raised an obvious question to the Senator:

R.E.preneur: "Senator Kyl, I understand your concern about the water usage of CST, does that mean that you would be equally concerned about the water usage of Natural Gas plants?"

Senator Kyl: "Well no, not necessarily".  

The Rose Law Group does a great job of going on to say, that all thermal electric power generation technologies use a large amount of water, Coal, Nuclear, Gas, and Solar.  So which should be used to generate power? 

Solar does not pollute the water, the air, or produce waste fuel that must be stored for the next 10,000 years.  

I could rail on this issue for hours, but let's move on to the rest of the Senator's statements during his talk.  

Senator Kyl stated: 

"In the new Congress, energy subsidies will be heavily scrutinized"

R.E.preneur: That's fair as the US addresses its deficit problem, but make sure to equally scrutinize fossil fuel energy subsidies.

Kyl: The Republican-controlled House will STOP the Obama agenda

R.E.preneur: I'm glad we have a balance of power, but if your parties' main goal is to stop progress, I believe that shows what the President refers to as a "poverty of ambition".  How about we find some items of common value and work together to continue improving our country. 

Kyl: Believes a National RES will DISFAVOR Arizona, as well as the Southeast US

R.E.preneur: Everyone makes the argument that a national RES disfavors the Southeast, but Kyl is the first person I've ever heard say that it would disfavor Arizona.  While I agree Arizona does not have the wind resources of New Mexico or Iowa, there are two 100 MW wind farms under construction or contract in Arizona and there is more solar resource than could be used by the entire country.  Arizona even has its own statewide RES, successfully instituted by the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Instead of fighting a national RES because it would disfavor some states, why not find a way to make it work for everyone.  So the Southeast doesn't have wind, they still have solar, and if you make the standard a clean energy or alternative energy standard instead of renewable energy, there is plenty of nuclear power that could be developed for the southeast states.  At least we can all agree on clean air and water.  

Kyl: Supports more energy exploration, including a lift on the moratorium on new drilling in the Gulf and the development of the US oil sands. 

R.E.preneur: I flat out disagree, throw more support behind the development of electrified transportation, mass transit, and improved internal combustion engines (ICE).  There is broad agreement that the World achieved Peak Oil four years ago and we are sliding down the bell curve from here on out.  It will only be more expensive and dirtier to produce additional petroleum resources.  The US is far too dependent on foreign sources of oil and more domestic production is not a long term solution. 

Kyl: Supports subsidies for R&D for cleantech such as electric car batteries, but does not support the government subsidies of EVs at the retail level.  

R.E.preneur: I believe that government support of EV deployment to the mass market is critical to help the industry cross the chasm of technology adoption.  The subsidies should be ratcheted down as EVs compete on par with ICE.

Its the same philosophy that supports the 30% Investment Tax Credits for solar power.  By 2016, when the ITC expires, we expect solar to be able to compete directly with fossil fuels.  

I'm glad the Senator came to speak to this group of energy companies, but I personally felt that his remarks were yet again another example of why the Republican party has it all wrong on energy.

Ontario Govt Shutters 4 Coal Units, More To Come

Great news from Ontario: see below.  This is the type of leadership we need! This can only be accomplished after a few years of offering FIT contracts to renewable generators.  

http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2010/10/moving-ontario-from-dirty-coal-to-a-clean-energy-future.html

McGuinty Government Permanently Shuts Down Four More Coal Units

Ontario families will breathe cleaner air after four additional dirty coal-fired units were permanently shut down, reducing smog-producing coal generating capacity by 40 per cent since 2003.

Today's closing of two of eight units at Nanticoke and two of four units at the Lambton plant are part of Ontario's plan to phase out dirty coal-fired generation by 2014 and replace it with wind, solar and other cleaner energy sources.

A coal-free Ontario will reduce air pollution and healthcare costs and is the single-largest effort to reduce climate change in Canada. Shutting down these four coal units is the equivalent of removing up to 2 million cars from Ontario's roads.

Ontario is well on track to replace dirty coal-fired generation by adding more than 8,000 megawatts of new cleaner energy since 2003 - enough to power cities the size of Ottawa and Toronto.

As part of the Open Ontario Plan, an update to Ontario's Long Term Energy Plan is being developed to ensure a strong, reliable, clean and cost-effective electricity system that eliminates reliance on dirty coal. 

QUICK FACTS 

Coal-fired generation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Ontario.

The volume of coal burned in an average year by these four coal units would fill the Rogers Centre in Toronto 1.4 times.

Ontario Power Generation is required to meet strict government-mandated greenhouse gas emission targets, including ensuring that 2011 emissions are two-thirds less than 2003 levels.

Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies Blog » Massachusetts – using legal tools to grow solar

I took a great courses at FES last spring which has been pivotal in shaping my summer internship experience with Axio Power: Dan Esty’s Environmental Law and Policy course.

via environment.yale.edu

A great post over on the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies blog by Axio Summer Associate Brian McCurdy about the options for how to develop a market for solar projects in your state.

SolarCity makes electric cars an even smarter investment | Grist

“It’s our feeling that if we really want to make a difference, we have to start changing our infrastructure,” says Lyndon Rive, SolarCity’s chief executive. “Combine EV with PV, and we can really lead a clean lifestyle.”

via www.grist.org

I knew SolarCity was a great company that is growing very fast. And I knew that they had convinced smart people to invest in their company, such as Elon Musk and the executives at First Solar (and kudos to both companies for leading the charge of thin film glass on glass solar in residential applications).

But until I read this article, I had no idea just how visionary the Rive brothers, co-founders of SolarCity truly are.

Their vision of combining EVs and PV and growing their business through residential and commercial charging stations that are solar-powered, is a remarkable step forward in the progress of the EV industry.

EVs have historically been discredited for their limited range and fueling ability. But its not hard to see how adding a small fleet of well-placed electric charging stations (which isn't rocket-science unlike that hydrogen highway BS) could really open California up to be the market that launches EVs!

I look forward to the day I can drive my PV-powered EV!

Business Rules of Thumb . com: Peter Drucker Rule of Thumb

Peter Drucker Rule of Thumb

Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.

via businessrulesofthumb.com

My good friend and mentor Jim Jindrick writes this fabulous blog with tons of great quotes for entrepreneurs and high-achievers.

This quote from Peter Drucker is one of my favorites and is closely related to one of my own Business Rules of Thumb: Stop wishing and wanting... Start Acting!

I find that no matter what idea I have or business I want to investigate, the fastest way to make progress, is to start RIGHT NOW.  That's how I started this blog.  That's how I started my career in renewable energy.  

Whatever you want to do, without hard work, you've only got good intentions.

290-MW CSP Project for APS Terminated 290-MW CSP Project for APS Terminated - Renewable Energy World

Phoenix, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]

Arizona utility, APS has received notice from Starwood Energy Group Global LLC that it is terminating the long-term purchase power agreement the two companies signed in May 2009.

Lockheed Martin, the project developer, cited the size and the final risk profile of the engineering, procurement and construction contract, among other factors as the reasons decided not to go forward.

This ends plans for Starwood Solar I, the 290-megawatt (MW) concentrating solar plant (CSP), which was to be located in the Harquahala Valley, 75 miles west of Phoenix.

via www.renewableenergyworld.com

The luster continues to fade from the CSP star. For most of the last decade Concentrating Solar Power (using the Sun's thermal energy to heat a fluid and create steam to drive a conventional power generating turbine) has been the lead horse in the rise of utility-scale solar power.

Those days are now behind us as thin film photovoltaics are proving to be the stronger technology due to the lack of large-scale water usage (in barren deserts), more sustainable land impacts, and a much more achievable downward sloping cost curve.

Utility-scale Photovoltaics are THE answer that will solve every utility's need for more predictable, bankable renewable energy.

First Solar to sell 20MW Ontario PV project to Enbridge; solar company also joins S&P 500 - Photovoltaics International

First Solar and Enbridge have signed a deal for the Canadian energy company to buy a 20MW solar farm that the PV firm has developed and is building near Sarnia, Ontario. The project, which will be the largest PV installation in Canada when it's completed by the end of the year, is being built by First Solar under a fixed-price engineering, procurement, and construction contract and will use more than 370,000 of the company's CdTe thin-film modules.

via www.pv-tech.org

This marks the first utility-scale sized PV project built under the OPA's former RESOP program. Its great to see market leader First Solar being able to capitalize on the former program, something other developers with RESOP contracts (~560 MW worth) have as yet been unable to do.

The new OPA FiT rules are looking questionable at best. The province's local content rules are making the industry question whether any projects will be built with the current rules. In my opinion, if the government is serious about building renewable energy in the province, they need to lower the local content rules to allow more flexibility for developers to source product from the most economically-efficient suppliers.

But that's just my C0.02.

Arizona's Own Espresso Pundit: Brand Awareness

So much of public policy is either right or left.  It's hard to find someone who can make intelligent points that appeal to both sides of the spectrum.  Take a few minutes this weekend and watch this video by Stewart Brand.  Not only is it extremely interesting but it's also likely to change your perspective. 

via www.espressopundit.com

Blogger Greg Patterson points us to a great video via Ted Talks from Stewart Brand. Brand, a pioneer of the environmental movement never stops evaluating the difficult choices our Planet faces going forward.

If you're interested in Arizona politics and assorted other topics, Greg writes a very entertaining blog which is always worth reading.

Ontario Feed-in Tariff Program is Open for business

The Canadian Solar Industry has been waiting almost 2 years for this day. 

Today, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) announced that the much-hailed, often delayed renewable Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program will begin accepting applications on October 1^st,2009. 

The details of the stated rules of the project are still being clarified, but the OPA and the Provincial Government has put significant thought into the design of the program. 

One area that I think all their efforts went astray is in limiting soil classification types available for development in order to "artificially" cap the program size. 

There is no official hard cap on the program size.  Instead of specifically capping the FIT program,  the provincial government has chosen to limit the FITs growth potential by not allowing for development on Class 1 and 2 prime agriculture lands.  Additionally, on Class 3 Ag land, there is a limit of 500 MWs of development.

I can understand the thinking, lets's not ruin all of our prime agriculture with development.  I just think it is outdated and non-applicable for Solar PV.  

The newest technologies for mounting structures for utility-scale solar PV are pole-driven in which no large cement foundations are buried in the ground. 

Instead, a large machine goes along the surface and punches a steel pole straight down about 5 feet.  As these are done in rows, the aluminum or steel racking is mounted to these poles, and the solar modules are placed on this racking.  Then what happens?

The fixed-tilt solar arrays, sit there for 20 years and produce clean, waterless, emission-free solar energy.  And then... ?

If the project is to be disassembled, all of the pieces are taken apart in reverse order and the driven poles are simply pulled out of the ground.  The earth below is in exactly the same condition that it was before the development.  

And even if these new mounting technologies did not exist or were not used, check out this quote from CanSIA (Solar Industries Association): 

The government has limited solar development to barely more than 500 megawatts on class 1, 2 & 3 lands. However, based on earlier government decisions, the solar industry is already working on plans for 2000 megawatts which was to be built on only 0.11% of class 1, 2 and 3 agricultural lands over the next 15 to 20 years.

Even the farmers who protect the land vigilantly agree with CanSIA:

”The government and the farm organizations like the OFA should rethink their objections to solar farms on agricultural land, which will provide a stable income source for farmers over many years to come,” said David Rystenbil, a farmer from Russell, Ontario.

So while I think that the program will still be a success with renewable energy development only on Class 3, 4, 5 and brownfield properties, I believe this was not the most elegant design of a FIT.  

No projects have actually been built to date, so we'll see what really comes of it.  

You can read more about the OPA FIT program at http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/FIT/.

You can read more about the Canadian Solar Industries Association at http://www.cansia.ca/

 

Design an Eco-village with the C.L.E.A.R. Village Foundation

I just applied to be one of 100 co-designers of a comprehensive plan for an eco-village that can be replicated around the world.  When I was done, I could only think of the Staples commercials... That was easy.

Changing the world really can be this easy.  Just keep taking that first step, you'll take more difficult steps later, but you have to take those first, incremental steps before you can create legitimate change in your community. 

So what is the C.L.E.A.R. Foundation? 

C.L.E.A.R. Village Foundation's five-year collaborative design project is working to construct a real-life C.L.E.A.R. Village. By bringing together leading figures from a variety of disciplines, powerful and complete solutions can be developed. The village will offer excellence in social, environmental and economic sustainability to both residents and guests. The village will let businesses test innovative solutions and technologies in a real world situation, showcasing their most innovative work on a world stage.

The world needs people who are ready to design a replicable, scalable eco-village.  Will you answer the call? Go ahead, take the first step.

Treasure Island, San Francisco

25 Things About This R.E.preneur

A few weeks back I gave into the recent fad of completing facebook's "25 Things About You" challenge.

It came out pretty well, so I thought it relevant to repost here, and since its the most up-to-date I'm also using it for my about me... just to be repetitive.  Enjoy.

1. Quick bio: 20-something member of the Cleantech Revolution, devoted husband, forgiven disciple, new resident of the OC. 

2. After graduating, and getting married, I joined a solar power project development start-up called Axio Power in San Juan Capistrano, CA. Everyday we work to accelerate the adoption of utility-scale solar power. www.axiopower.com

3. Life Verse: James 1: 2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be complete and mature, not lacking anything." I look forward to the day when I am complete and mature. 

4. I blog about: One young entrepreneur's adventures in renewable energy, green building, and electric vehicles at www.repreneur.typepad.com (you guys already knew this one)

5. I micro-blog on twitter about the same topics and some God stuff: @kdcherrick. I'm a sporadic but active twitterer.

6. I (try to) workout three days a week at CrossFit South County, a gym that challenges you in all ten areas of physical fitness, using accountability and community to push you further than you thought you could ever go. www.crossfitsouthcounty.com

7. I yearn deep inside to buy an all-electric vehicle, despite the fact that I don't have a garage to plug it into and I know that keeping my 06 Civic for 10 more years would be a far better financial decision. 

8. I've lived in every continental time zone: WA>TX>CT>FL>WA>AZ>CA. 

9. I'm the luckiest man on the face of the planet because my wife said: Yes!. She's a beautiful, intelligent, passionate woman who loves Jesus. What more could I ask for? 

10. I'm an iPhone-a-holic, but feel that using it makes me less of a work-a-holic. 

11. On and off for the last three years, I experience sleepless nights 2x a month as my brain goes into super-process mode and connects the dots of all my information inputs. Out comes big ideas, new passions, and more things to keep me busy. Must fight the snowball effect... can't slow down time. 

12. My brother is my biggest inspiration. Remember, "Through Thick & Thin"? He handles both like a freaking pro and never stops questioning the status quo. Plus he was the first real example of Christ to me. 

13. I take quick photos of fun experiences with my iPhone, which I can quickly upload to twitter or facebook. Now when can I buy a digital SLR like my Nikon D40 that does the same because I love taking serious pictures. But I hate searching for the freaking cord, to upload to my computer, then upload to the web. Nikon...Canon...whoever does it first gets my money. 

14. Mon-Fri I'm working my tail off at Axio Power Inc. in San Juan Capistrano.  Monday nights I'm at bible study with my wife and the gang.  Tuesday nights I usually run random errands and to dos. Wed-Fri nights I chill with my lady and catch up on tv shows online. I try to start the weekend off with a Saturday morning workout. We wrap up the weekend with a visit to the Refinery at Saddleback Church for the 8:30pm Fuse Service with Nebai. Sunday night, I'm usually restless thinking about the next week. Repeat. 

15. I can tell the Lord is moving in my heart lately. When I ask people "how's it going?" I usually end the conversation in prayer with them. That's a new development for me, but it feels like a big blessing from Him that I can be used for the glory of His Kingdom. 

16. I'm a Cleantech dork. I can spend hours reading about the intricacies of a specific cleantech technology, legislation, start-up, blog post, etc. 

17. I also yearn to someday buy a green home, or condo, or pre-fab. Its part of my need to be an early adopter, to move the needle, to make a statement with my pocketbook, to do what's right before others realize its what's smart. 

18. Also largely thanks to my brother, I've become a bit of a personal finance nut. Though I certainly don't have perfect finances, and I love eating out, I know I'm on the right path. With the help of Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, I'm becoming Gazelle Intense. www.totalmoneymakeover.com 

19. By completing the McGuire Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Arizona, I genuinely believe that I got the best bang for my buck that one can get from an undergraduate education. Great people, great start-ups, great mentors, beautiful weather, and I just happened to meet my wife along the way. What a deal!  www.entrepreneurship.eller.arizona.edu 

20. I believe creativity is a muscle that comes on in waves. When it comes, USE IT! Otherwise, you waste precious opportunities and may not be able to act on future ideas as well. 

21. A few short weeks ago, I became an Uncle for the very first time!  My wife and I aren't planning to have kids for quite a few years, so I'm pretty excited for this. 

22. Goals: Pilot's license, buy a small plane, own an auto-racing team, drive a race car, give away $1M in my lifetime, be inspirational, evangelize the cleantech and electric vehicle revolutions. 

23. I love soft t-shirts with unique designs. Sad when the community-managed eco-clothing start-up Nvohk folded in December due to the down economy. 

24. I plan on dabbling in politics at some point. Mostly, due to its ability to drive change. I haven't decided yet what this means. It could be as simple as advising local, state, or federal politicians on my areas of expertise. It could mean running for a position. Give it a decade. 

25. I love my wife's: Mole (pronounced Moleh), stuffed bell peppers, chili, carne asada, salsa, guacamole and sweet personality.