Posts Tagged by New York City
Attending “The Clean Energy OnRamp”? Discount Ends Sunday
| July 27, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Business |
If you’re searching for an effective “onramp” to the multi-trillion dollar clean energy industry, I’ll hope you’ll attend “The Clean Energy Onramp” (details here).
I personally guarantee that you’ll leave the event with a comprehensive understanding of the most critical issues that are driving the biggest wins – and most stunning losses – in the renewable energy space.
My illustrious guest and I will offer a great deal of practical information that will help you make solid, well-conceived choices in this arena. Onramp is a vigorous, interactive discussion in which Green Chip Stock’s Jeff Siegel and I will walk you through what we believe to be the most important business trends in alternative energy.
If you’re available on Thursday, October 6th, 2011, please try to join us in New York City for this half-day working lunch – the first of our high-level events.
I wanted to get this to you now, so you can take advantage of our “early-bird discount” (45%), valid until midnight Sunday.
I certainly hope to see you there.
An “Onramp” To The Trillion Dollar Alternative Energy Industry
| June 15, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Business |
If you’re trying to find an effective “onramp” to the multi-trillion dollar alternative energy industry, maybe it’s closer than you think. Look! It’s right there, next to your salad fork.
Seriously, if you’re free on Thursday, October 6th, 2011, I hope you’ll join us in New York City for a half-day working lunch – the first in a series of our high-level events that we call “The Clean Energy OnRamp.” Here’s a vigorous, interactive discussion in which Green Chip Stock’s Jeff Siegel and I will walk you through what we believe to be the most important business trends in clean energy.
You have my guarantee that you’ll leave the session with a comprehensive understanding of the most important issues that will drive the biggest wins – and most stunning losses – in the renewables industry.
Check out the details on “The Clean Energy Onramp” here, and take advantage of our “early-bird discount” (57%), valid until the end of the month.
I very much hope to see you there.
Electric Vehicles Will Hit Hard, Fast and Expectedly. Who Predicted 10 Years Ago that 5 Billion Of Us Would Have Cell Phones?
| June 10, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
I’m always interested in articles that speculate on the “electric vehicle adoption curve,” i.e., the pace at which EVs will be integrated into our transportation mix. Here’s a piece by Steven Cohen, Executive Director, Columbia University’s Earth Institute, that concludes with roughly my own belief: “I suspect that the transition to electric vehicles will happen suddenly and unpredictably; perhaps sooner than we think.”
The author comes at his conclusion by going in a few directions that I don’t feel have too much relevance: the driving habits of lifestyles of those living around New York City (where public transportation is excellent and the cost of car ownership is off the charts) and the impact of Shai Agassi’s Better Place battery swapping model (which, in the US, I think is negligible). Having said that, there are some terrific observations:
The issue is how long will it take to overcome the momentum of sunk costs and old habits. Perhaps the cell phone provides a good model. Ask young people if they ever plan to own a landline phone. Look at the declining price per minute of phone time, and the increased use of phones, text messages and e-mail. These changes have been quite rapid and were not predicted by anyone. While an auto is far more expensive than a phone, and represents a major household investment, people seem open to new thinking about cars.
Exactly. Once this migration begins, and the common American starts talking to his neighbor and understanding how “unscary” electric transportation really is, I predict that it will be a matter of just a decade or so until we’ll find it hard to remember what all the shouting was about.
2GreenEnergy in New York City — Discussing Clean Energy Projects with Private Equity Firms
| April 21, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Business |
I’m headed to New York City today for a series of four meetings—two of which are with heavyweights in bringing equity financing to clean energy projects, and have expressed interest in some of the business plans that I’ve sent them. I’m starting the day at Denham Capital, a global energy and commodities private equity firm, who’s taken major positions in 40 projects over the last 15 years, investing $3.1 billion in the process.
Unfortunately, per my conversations with them, nothing I have is perfect for them (though some of my projects are actually very close). But, even though I don’t have a live deal on the table there, I feel I’m knocking on the door, and since I was in The City, I thought I’d drop by and introduce myself.
Now, it’s on to the Flatiron district for an introduction to the folks at ThinkGreen. I’m really looking forward to this one.
2GreenEnergy — Talking Renewables in New York City
| February 24, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Business |
I’m back east again. The weather isn’t exactly nice, but at least this quadrant of the country isn’t paralyzed by two feet of snow like it was last time I was here.
My appointments on this trip are mainly attempts to refine my approach to raising investment capital for companies in various phases of development in clean energy and electric transportation. In particular, I remain convinced that I can put into place a financial instrument that will provide early-stage capital for a dozen or so promising ideas — all in one package — a kind of mutual fund for those who are looking for upward exposure from this sector, but do not wish to have all their eggs in one basket.
I have a number of high-powered “friends of friends” to see — within walking distance of one another in the “city that never sleeps.”
I’ll let you know how I do.
The Electric Vehicle Adoption Curve in New York City
| May 30, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
In response to my piece about the EV adoption curve in New York City, Josh Levin writes:
Eighty percent of the adults who live in Manhattan do not own motor vehicles, and rely on buses, subway, taxis to get around — plus their own two feet … Manhattan is a rather atypical place. My guess is that only 1-2% of the US population lives in Manhattan or similar center-city areas.
Thanks for writing, Josh. You’re certainly right that Manhattan is atypical re: the issues facing car drivers. Every few years, I’ve been unlucky enough to find myself driving a car in The City that I love — but the driving climate that I royally hate. And yes, with the traffic, the parking prices, the super-aggressive pedestrians and bicyclists, the taxi drivers from hell, ultra-complex signs and rules, rudeness, double and triple parking — they have FAR bigger driving challenges than transitioning from ICEs to EVs.
To me, the EV slam-dunks of the world are places like Bermuda (thus my team’s concentration on bringing EVs there): low speeds, short drives, narrow roads, great incentives, ridiculously high gas prices, and an eco-sensitive and wealthy population. As I joke with my friends, if I fail with EVs there, I’m jumping off a bridge.
2GreenEnergy and SustainableBusiness.com
| January 19, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Business |
An important component of last week’s trip to New York City was a set of meetings with a few key players in clean energy content. As an example, I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Rona Fried, 14-year veteran of one of the most solid Internet “properties” in the industry: SustainableBusiness.com.
Perhaps it’s naivety on my part, but I don’t feel at all antagonistic to the people who, on the surface, appear to be direct competitors of 2GreenEnergy. Each of us have good reason to support one another, insofar as we are all rising together as the world catches onto the growing importance of the industry, and realizes the impact that is being created by the migration to renewables, energy efficiency, sustainable products, and environmentally friendly ways of life.
When we sat down, Rona asked with a wry smile, “Why are you here, Craig?” I felt like I was Kevin Kostner’s character in Field of Dreams, as I replied with words like, “I’m not sure. I just feel I’m supposed to meet you.” Three hours went by in the space of what seemed like 15 minutes. Rona was kind enough to take me to JFK; I almost missed my plane because I didn’t notice the time going by.
We’re working out a host of collaborative relationships that I know will bear rich, ripe fruit. I’ll write more as they develops.
2GreenEnergy Heads East
| January 11, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Business |
As I mentioned, I’m spending the week in New York City and Bermuda this week for a string of meetings that I believe will ultimately bring a great deal of additional value to that which 2GreenEnergy offers its readers and clients.
I landed in Philadelphia last night to spend some time with my parents and brother’s family before these meetings began. Driving around, listening to the radio, talking to people, and re-acquainting myself with the flavor of the area in which I grew up gave me a renewed appreciation for the scope of the task facing proponents of clean energy — it’s not at the top of the list of things that occupy people’s attention here. In fact, very few conversations, advertisements — anything — focus on environmental topics. A traveller’s tip for those wishing a sure winner as a subject of discussion: the terrible danger represented to us all by the recent failed terrorist attack.
