July Cleantech Roundup: EV Batteries in the Spotlight

A quieter month ended with a bang as debate raged over how best to fund the evolution to the cleantech economy.

Technology

While large automakers have historically pushed fuel cell vehicles as the future of automobile transportation, they are increasingly investing in research and development of battery technology for electric and hybrid electric vehicles. EV batteries are in back in the spotlight. The “Big Three” automakers turned to Evergreen Climate Innovations portfolio company SiNode Systems for electric vehicle battery technology.

Our very own Dr. Ben Gaddy and his co-authors Dr. Varun Sivaram and Dr. Francis O’Sullivan published a paper on why we need new ways to grow cleantech, besides just Venture Capital funding. You can find their whole paper here at MITei and Ben’s discussion of their article in the Financial Times here on our blog and on Greentech Media.
Greentech Media is getting acquired by Verisk Analytics, a provider of data for insurers and banks. The acquisition signals that renewable energy is going mainstream, as the sector evolves from a niche segment to one increasingly served by financial institutions, insurers, and other business services.

Technology firms are looking to use renewable energy to cover their large power demands. While state-level renewable portfolio standards (RPS policies) were once the primary driver of new renewable development, corporate renewable energy procurement is replacing RPS policies as the biggest driver.
The U.S. EPA took the first step to regulate airplane emissions. The move is similar to actions EPA has taken to regulate automobile and power plant emissions, and sends a signal that there will be a market for products which improve the efficiency of aircraft.
The wind industry accounted for 41% of new generating capacity in 2015, beating out natural gas and solar energy. One sign the industry is coming in to its own: active and influential wind advocacy groups.