Field Report: Conference in Manhattan
I just returned from the Rodman and Renshaw Investment Conference in New York City. I got to chat with former General Wesley Clark, a strong advocate of clean tech.
These military guys are pretty smart. They see first-hand the incredible toll that protection of oil supplies takes on the US military. Not only is economic security compromised by the debt generated by intensive military operations in the Middle East, but there’s also the incredible energy intensity of running a war.
The military wants ways to reduce energy consumption during combat operations because of the cost and danger of getting fuel to the battle field. Depending on how it is calculated, fuel can cost between $10 and $25 per gallon when delivered into combat. Lives are lost in the delivery process, along with the opportunity costs of troops focused on ferrying fuel instead of fighting.
The national debt is the single biggest threat to national security, according to Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Tax payers will be paying around $600 billion in interest on the national debt by 2012, the Chairman told students and local leaders in Detroit.
Some of the clean tech management with whom I visited at the conference were from these companies:
Ecotality (ECTY): The leader in smart electric charger installations (filling stations) for the new wave of electric vehicles.
China Wind Systems (CWS): Creating lower cost wind turbine components in China
International Fuel Technology (IFUE): Rolling out a fuel additive for diesel-powered trains that reduces energy consumption 3%.
China Green Material Technologies (CAGM): Producing corn starch based cups, utensils and even food packaging that work better than plastic, while cheaper and compostable.
China Intelligent Lighting (CIL): Manufacturing and distributing energy efficient LED lighting products primarily in China.
Dais Analytic (DLYT): Creating proprietary heat exchange and water filtration products through the use of it’s patented membrane.
