This document discusses sustainable business and green technology. It highlights how stronger political will is needed to meet environmental goals through collaboration between governments, businesses, and NGOs. It also discusses how cement production is moving towards more sustainable practices by using industrial waste as fuel and replacing clinker, reducing emissions. Incubators are bringing different sectors together to drive clean technology innovation through partnerships and community building.
1. Sustainable Business
Green Technology
Monday November 12 2012 www.ft.com/reports | twitter.com/ftreports
Stronger Inside »
Cement works
One company’s
political will
waste can
become another’s
raw material
Page 2
is needed to Reduce, reuse,
recycle
The best things
meet goals
will come in
smaller packages
Page 2
China focus
Beijing mounts
push for more
Governments, businesses and NGOs have to energy from
collaborate if they are to reverse the world’s renewables
Page 2
environmental problems, says Sarah Murray Storm damage: New Jersey after hurricane Sandy, which some hope will revive the topic of climate change in the US Reuters
Joint initiatives
A
s US citizens and agencies dence of shifts in the world’s weather until Sandy propelled it back on to to invest in clean technology. and types of companies that are likely
embark on rebuilding dam- patterns emerges, this will drive the agenda. Much of the funding is being chan- to make the biggest commercial bring benefits
aged infrastructure in the investment in green technologies – Despite the lack of political will, not nelled into clean energy – products impact in the next five to 10 years. Companies link
wake of hurricane Sandy’s those that not only help prevent all is gloom when it comes to green and services designed to reduce In this year’s report, while the
devastation, debates will no climate change by reducing green- technology. National governments energy consumption and increase the number of solar companies on the list forces to educate
doubt emerge on how best to protect
against future storms. But while
house gas emissions but that also
minimise the effects of climate warm-
are finding ways to foster the develop-
ment of the sector and, in the US
proportion of renewable fuels in the
power supply. Nimble start-up compa-
is down 40 per cent since 2009, energy
efficiency has 22 companies on the
each other
upgrading power, transport and other ing and extreme weather events. many local, regional and city adminis- nies are driving many of the innova- list, up from 15 in 2010. Page 3
systems is part of the answer, the On the global policy front, however, trations are doing the same. Mean- tions. Examples range from US-based The report’s authors say companies
clean up may also prompt policy mak- consensus is weak. This year’s Rio+20 while, the private sector continues Aquion Energy, which has developed are increasingly seeking answers to
ers to consider the role of green tech- summit must have come as a disap- advanced battery systems based on immediate, specific problems rather Energy
nology in building climate resilience. pointment to those in the clean tech ambient-temperature sodium-ion tech- than investing in longer-term develop-
The extent to which climate change sector. At the summit – so named nology, to Nualight, an Irish producer ments with less certain goals. “This Carbon capture is
is to blame for Sandy is unclear. A because it was held 20 years after the Nimble start-up of energy-efficient display lights for leads to a lower tolerance for technol- an opportunity ripe
convergence of meteorological factors first 1992 Rio Earth Summit – few new companies are driving grocery stores that use LEDs (light ogy risk and/or a lower tolerance for
for exploitation but
could have created such a storm, even national commitments were made and emitting diodes). the big bet,” writes Cleantech Group’s
without climate warming. But rising previous targets were watered down. many of the innovations in Both are among those on the 2012 Richard Youngman in the report. incentives are few
sea levels will increase the impact of
storms, particularly in coastal areas.
In the world’s largest economy, few
US politicians have been willing to
the clean tech sector Global Cleantech 100 Companies, a
list put together by the Cleantech
Nevertheless, investment in clean
energy continues, rising to a record Page 4
Many hope that as stronger evi- broach the topic of climate change Group that takes stock of companies Continued on Page 3
2. 2 ★ FINANCIAL TIMES MONDAY NOVEMBER 12 2012
Sustainable Business Green Technology
Matching up Put heads
companies is a together for
move to a world clean thinking
without waste
Outside the US, cross-sec-
Incubators tor partnerships are emerg-
ing to establish clean tech
Sarah Murray finds incubators. In February, the
sectors joining forces Carbon Trust, a govern-
ment-backed advisory
to drive innovation group, and General Electric
announced the setting up of
a $5m business incubator
After plugging a device fund designed to help Euro-
called the modlet into elec- pean companies develop
trical outlets, people in low-carbon in technologies.
homes and offices can cut “We’re beginning to see
wasted energy by managing for the first time incubators
Cement One company’s refuse is another’s appliances not in use
remotely via the web.
not just being created by
private companies that
raw material, writes Sarah Murray ThinkEco, which developed
the modlet, did so from
compete with the incuba-
tors from government but
within the walls of the NYC actually joining up the
W
Acre, one of a growing two,” says Mr Reilly.
ith extremely high tem- cement made with less clinker number of incubators dedi- For start-ups, incubators
peratures required to reduces the fuel needed to power the cated to the development of offer a range of services,
heat the limestone, kilns. Meanwhile, cement that has a clean tech businesses. from physical space and
cement is a product with lower proportion of clinker has gener- For the start-ups in the support services, to access
a heavy carbon foot- ated fewer emissions related to the portfolio of NYC Acre (the to professional services,
print. However, as companies start to chemical decomposition of limestone. New York City Accelerator expertise and introductions
use more industrial waste and renew- A range of materials can be used to for a Clean and Renewable to funders: “And maybe
able energy in cement production, replace clinker. These include active Economy) a strong focus is most importantly, commu-
some believe the sector could become minerals derived from industrial waste the development of technol- nity,” says Mr Kotch.
a leader in “industrial symbiosis” – such as slag from steel mills and fly ogies that address energy However, that community
(where one company’s refuse becomes ash, a byproduct of power plant coal use in the urban environ- can also be a virtual one,
another’s raw material), accelerating combustion – as well as naturally ment. “We want to help argues Mr Esty. His state is
progress towards a zero-waste world. active materials such as volcanic ash. drive innovation at scale launching an advanced
Manufacturing clinker – which tra- The potential for cement production and New York with its 1m energy innovation hub
ditionally makes up about 90 per cent to use industrial waste is substantial. Heavy footprint: through the fuel substitution. materials in cement could influence buildings is a huge mar- located at the University of
of cement – is the most energy-inten- For example, slag can be used both to converting Philippe Fonta, director of the location selection when deciding ket,” says Micah Kotch, Connecticut, initially focus-
sive part of the product. This is partly power the kilns and as a replacement limestone to WBCSD’s Cement Sustainability Initi- where to build a cement plant. operations director. ing on the development of
because changing limestone to clinker for clinker. And as well as powering clinker needs ative, cites the example of discarded “We still have to supply a market,” However, while clean tech fuel cells.
needs temperatures of up to 1,500C, their kilns with renewable energy, temperatures of tyres, which in some places are left in says Mr Quintal. “But when choosing incubators aim to use mar- Although the hub is
which means burning large amounts cement plants can turn anything from up to 1,500C dumps where they collect water and between locations, one of the factors ket forces to drive a cleaner located at the university,
of fuel. An important step in reducing waste wood and sewage sludge to old become breeding grounds for malaria- to consider is the availability of and economy, developing solu- “the spokes will connect
cement’s carbon footprint will be to tyres and plastics into fuel. carrying mosquitoes. “If these used access to other industry clusters and tions that address issues companies across the state
increase the energy efficiency of “Our process allows us to use waste tyres are no longer abandoned but take advantage of those and whatever such as carbon emissions, and outside the university,”
cement plants and find alternative as fuel and integrate that into the eliminated by a cement plant, you those clusters produce.” water consumption and says Mr Esty.
fuels to power furnaces. product without any risk to health,” also have societal benefits,” he says. Of course, with a legacy of existing waste is different from fos- Incubators can also pro-
However, a second substantial says Raul Quintal, director of opera- The technology behind this kind of cement plants, it will take time before tering information technol- vide introductions to poten-
source of emissions comes from the tions planning and performance, at matchmaking, or coprocessing, is rela- the industry can become fully inte- ogy or biotech innovations tial customers. For exam-
chemical conversion process itself, Cemex, one of the world’s largest tively well established. The bigger grated with the waste management in that it requires input ple, through its links with
during which calcium carbonate is cement producers. challenge, however, lies in creating sector. And some materials are not from a wide range of sec- Con Edison, NY Acre was
extracted from the limestone, generat- For those in the waste management the kinds of infrastructure and indus- suitable for processing by the cement tors and organisations. able to facilitate a partner-
ing large amounts of carbon dioxide. sector, cement kilns – with their high try collaborations that facilitate the industry, including nuclear waste, “People have understood ship between the electricity
“From a chemical standpoint, the temperatures – provide a safe way of trading of waste between waste pro- infectious medical waste, batteries the technology involved in
process generates CO2 in addition to destroying unwanted and often haz- ducers and cement producers. and untreated mixed municipal waste. building cleaner solutions is
the burning of fuel,” explains Howard ardous materials, helping solve public “[Coprocessing] is a pretty elegant Moreover, for the cement sector to a lot more complicated
Klee, former director of and adviser to health and safety challenges. piece of industrial ecology,” say Raj become a key partner in the manage- because it relies on combi- ‘Private sector
the Cement Sustainability Initiative In 1999, when the Belgian govern- Sapru, director of advisory services at ment of waste, governments need to nations of hardware, prod- partners are game
at the World Business Council for ment needed to dispose of thousands Business for Social Responsibility, a formulate the right incentives. uct design and product
Sustainable Development (WBCSD). of tonnes of meal and fat from poten- US-based business association and “To hit fast forward, there needs to development,” says Colm changers if you
Increased plant and fuel efficiency
cannot address these emissions,
tially contaminated animal products,
it requisitioned cement plants, which
advisory group. “But since it involves
steel making and cement making, it
be more collaboration between busi-
ness, government and civil society,”
Reilly, government and
public sector expert at PA
can get in to their
which means cement makers also could guarantee the complete destruc- means a market has to exist.” says Mr Sapru. “Cement is an ancient Consulting. supply chain’
have to find alternatives to clinker. tion of the contaminants in the kiln, As new facilities are planned, the technology – it’s not about the tech- As a result, when it
This has a dual benefit. First, while also reducing their emissions inherent efficiency in using waste nology. It’s about the political will.” comes to launching clean
tech incubators, govern-
ments, academia and the utility and ThinkEco to
private sector are increas- deploy modlets across New
ingly forming partnerships. York to help manage the
“The incubation of new electrical load demanded in
The best things will come in smaller packages
ideas needs to be supported the summer by the city’s
by a diversity of struc- 6.2m window-mounted air
tures,” says Daniel Esty, conditioners.
commissioner of the depart- Meanwhile, for cash-
ment of energy and envi- strapped governments look-
ronmental protection for ing to maximise the impact
The SmartTwist, in line volumes needed to reduce You Sow, a non-profit carded the plastic tray com- the state of Connecticut, of money spent on fostering
Recycling with Johnson’s efforts to prices, says Ms Semrau. organisation that encour- monly used for whole chick- which has launched a ven- clean energy, investing in
make its packaging more Procter & Gamble is also ages shareholders to put ens, in favour of film which ture capital fund called incubator facilities offers a
Reducing, improving sustainable, contains 64 per trying to reduce plastic pressure on US corporates hermetically seals the birds Connecticut Innovations. cheaper alternative to fund-
and reusing material cent less plastic than a sin- packaging. Together with to take responsibility for in a “modified atmosphere”. NYC Acre is a good exam- ing subsidies for renewable
gle 26oz trigger bottle, and the UK’s Waste & packaging waste. This prolongs the product’s ple of this cross-sector power and allows policy
provides benefits for the individual filled car- Resources Action Pro- In 1994, an EU directive shelf life from eight days to approach. The incubator is makers to make more
producer and buyer, tridges weigh up to 80 per
cent less than their non-
gramme (Wrap), it has
developed software that
required member states to
develop regulations on pre-
10 and reduces packaging
weight by 70 per cent.
run by NYU-Poly, funded
primarily by the New York
informed decisions.
“If you allow govern-
says Jane Bird concentrated equivalent. models plastic bottles to vention, reuse and recy- Mr Swannell says it pre- State Energy Research and ments to pick the winners,
SC Johnson also met con- work out where the stresses cling of packaging waste. serves food better, giving Development Authority and you have selection based
sumer scepticism when it are. Mr MacKerron points out customers longer to use it, designed not only to sup- not on prospects for eco-
Next spring, US shoppers tried to launch concen- Peter White, P&G’s global that this cut waste going to and reduces waste in the port start-ups but also to nomic success in the mar-
will be able to buy a three- trated refill pouches for sustainability director says: final disposal by 43 per food chain. There has also help commercialise univer- ketplace but too often based
in-one cleaning fluid dis- products such as Pledge, “It has enabled us to cent, to 17m tonnes, in the been significant progress sity research. on political calculations,”
penser with a trigger noz- Shout and Windex. The remove 14 per cent of plas- decade to 2008. with coffee granule refills, “And we work very says Mr Esty.
zle. It has a twist mecha- pouches were designed to tic from detergent and In the UK, the grocery such as those for Kraft closely with [private sector] Because investing in
nism that switches between pour well but people did not beauty product bottles such Johnson’s SmartTwist bottle industry is on target to Foods’ Kenco, he says. partners like Con Edison, clean tech incubators
the three concentrates, believe they would. as Olay, Lenor and Aerial.” reduce the weight of pack- Home Retail Group has National Grid, Verizon, means governments are fol-
while the refillable handle Even though concentrates P&G also plans to trans- aging and increase its recy- introduced a reusable bag IBM, Cisco and others,” lowing market capital,
contains water to dilute are lighter to transport, fer 25 per cent of its 2010 weight by 20 per cent and cling to produce a 10 per that protects large items says Mr Kotch. “They serve rather than trying to shape
them as they are used. convincing people they are volume of petrochemical plastic by 50 per cent. cent cut in carbon usage in such as sofas and fitted on our advisory board, as the market, it lowers the
Customers can choose more convenient is a chal- materials to renewables by Toy manufacturer Has- the three years to December kitchens during transport mentors, as sounding risk of selecting a technol-
their three cleansers from lenge, says Ms Semrau. “We 2010. It has started using bro, which makes My Little 2012. and can be removed on boards, as inspiration. ogy that may ultimately
cartridges for glass, changed to small plastic bio polyethylene from sugar Pony, has replaced 34,000 Among innovations that delivery. Such items are They’re also game changers prove not to be commer-
kitchen, bathroom, furni- bottles, which people felt cane for products such as miles of wire ties in its have helped meet the target often protected with a lot of if you’re a start-up and are cially viable.
ture and carpet. would pour more easily.” Pantene. packaging with paper rat- is a gas permeable packag- cardboard, plastic film and able to get in to their sup- “The principle that gov-
“In trials, the initial prob- The other problem is Instead of emitting car- tan or bamboo mix ties. ing film from Evap that tape, says Mr Swannell. ply chain.” ernment money should fol-
lem was overcoming price. People resent the fact bon dioxide, this material However, the US is far extends the life of Jersey Customers sometimes Similarly, LA Cleantech low private capital leader-
suspicion that it might be that refills are not much locks it in. Greenhouse gas behind Europe on sustaina- Royal potatoes from four cause or discover damage Incubator, a Los Angeles- ship is a better starting
difficult to use or fail to cheaper than new emissions are reduced by ble packaging, says Nina days to eight. This reduces when removing packaging. based non-profit organisa- point,” argues Mr Esty. “If
work,” says Kelly M. Sem- dispensers. SC Johnson more than 170 per cent and Goodrich, director of the waste throughout the sup- The reusable bags enable tion that receives funding you use limited government
rau, chief sustainability wants supermarkets to 70 per cent less fossil fuel is Sustainable Packaging Coa- ply chain by 50 per cent, drivers to check goods are from the CRA/LA, a local money to leverage private
officer of Wisconsin-based insist that all cleaning prod- consumed. lition, a Virginia-based says Richard Swannell, in good condition. authority and the Los Ange- capital and piggyback on
SC Johnson, which makes ucts should be concen- P&G is using bamboo, industry working group. Wrap’s director of design “This saves 1,800 tons of les department of water and decisions being made in the
the SmartTwist. “But by trates, as they have with bulrush and sugar cane Her view is shared by and waste prevention. packaging a year and gives power, works with the marketplace, you have a
the end, people didn’t want laundry products. fibres for Gillette Fusion Conrad MacKerron, senior Moy Park, the meat and a better customer experi- region’s research centres much better strategy for
to give them back.” This would create the ProGlide, cutting packaging programme director of As poultry producer, has dis- ence,” says Mr Swannell. and universities. success.”
Beijing mounts push for increased energy from renewables
energy consumer can seem sources and also contrib- That line of argument is acts as a constraint on wind China the biggest builder of “China needs stuff that bon emissions by 2020 com-
China focus like a Mecca of clean energy utes to lowering carbon part of the reason and solar installations in power lines anywhere in scales,” says David Michael, pared with 2005 levels,
development, with a level of emissions. Novozymes has had such many places where it can- the world. managing director at con- clean coal technologies are
Developing more state support and commer- According to the white success in China. This year, not absorb the intermittent Fossil fuel sources will sultancy BCG in Beijing. in the spotlight.
power sources is a cial enthusiasm for new paper, the vision for 2015 Chinese chemical company power supplied by solar or continue to be part of “Anything related to natu- Coal plants and steel
technologies that is almost includes 400 square kilome- Shengguan Group began wind farms. The problem is China’s energy plan and the ral gas, LNG supply, and mills are investing in car-
strategic goal, unparalleled. The world’s tres of solar heat surface commercial production of so widespread that last year government is lending its shale gas is set to grow.” bon capture technologies
reports Leslie Hook biggest consumer of coal,
thanks to the policies of the
collection and 100 gigawatts
of installed wind power.
ethanol made from agricul-
tural waste using enzymes
energy authorities slowed
down the pace of wind
support to other types of
fossil fuel energy, such as
China announced a gener-
ous tariff for shale gas in
and processes that can
reduce emissions of sulphur
past decade, is now the Developing new and renew- provided by Novozymes. installations, to give the shale gas and coal to gas November, creating a big and nitrous oxide.
When Danish enzyme world’s biggest producer of able energy is a “key strate- That product, known as cel- grid more time to upgrade technologies. economic incentive for com- “Making coal cleaner mit-
maker Novozymes was solar panels, wind turbines, gic measure” and an lulosic ethanol, gets special its systems. panies to invest in explora- igates the conflict between
looking for partners to help and electric batteries. “urgent need in the protec- mention in the white paper, China is building ultra tion for the unconventional China’s high-carbon energy
it make chemicals out of By 2015, Beijing aims for tion of the environment”, with other biofuels such as high-voltage electricity resource. Shale gas, sector and the goals of
corn cobs, it came to China. 30 per cent of China’s gener- the white paper says. biodiesel. lines to carry electricity ‘China’s energy extracted by fracturing rock green growth,” says an
And when German solar- ating capacity to come from “China’s energy develop- China’s electricity grid is from coal-rich regions, such development must deep underground and cap- executive at Shenhua,
panel maker Q-Cells was non-fossil fuel sources, a ment must follow a path set to be a key front for as Inner Mongolia and Xin- turing the natural gas that China’s biggest coal pro-
trying to sell a subsidiary government white paper featuring high-tech content, investment in clean energy jiang, toward the areas of follow a path of escapes, has revolutionised ducer. Its coal consumption
that had developed a
record-breaking technology
published last month says.
Clean energy is prized in
low consumption
resources, less environmen-
of technologies, as China’s
grid companies spend bil-
high energy demand on the
eastern seaboard, so saving
high-tech content‘ the energy landscape in the
US and China hopes to do
is set to grow but it will
draw a smaller percentage
for thin film solar panels, it China because it helps the tal pollution, satisfactory lions of dollars on develop- on energy for transport. White paper the same. of its power from coal, leav-
found a buyer in China. country reduce its depend- economic returns, as well ing a “smart grid”. At Those conduits stretching As the country works to ing room for clean energy
The world’s largest ence on imported energy as security,” it adds. present the electricity grid across the country make make a 40 per cent in car- technologies to grow.
3. FINANCIAL TIMES MONDAY NOVEMBER 12 2012 ★ 3
Sustainable Business Green Technology
Sharing skills enhances
The plant processes plastic packag-
ing and turns it into materials that
Coca-Cola can use to make drink bot-
tles. The turnround time from collec-
tion to a new bottle appearing on the
likelihood of success
shelves is as little as six weeks.
The partnership has created a
template for Coca-Cola in other coun-
tries, with similar projects lined up
for other markets, including France.
Other recent collaborative projects
can be found in the US, where Heinz
teamed up with Coca-Cola, Ford, Nike
and Procter & Gamble to speed the
Collaboration Joint initiatives bring benefits, says Mark Wembridge development and use of plant-based
plastics. All use the plastic PET poly-
ethylene terephthalate in products
U
such as plastic bottles, clothing, shoes
niversities and non-profit led when two or more companies SSE’s rationale was simple: the col- and automotive fabric and carpet.
organisations have long decide to throw in their lot together laboration achieved the desired result Through the creation of the Plant
expounded the benefits of on a green technology project. faster than if it had gone ahead alone. PET Technology Collaborative, the
collaboration in green tech- However, these issues can and have “The power of collaboration lies in five pooled their technologies and
nology to achieve a com- been overcome, as SSE, the British bringing together companies who are resources to increase the amount of
mon goal but the spread of intercorpo- energy company, proved with a car- real specialists in their respective plant-based plastics used in consuma-
rate projects has been less wide- bon capture project at its Ferrybridge fields to form a creative force that is ble bottles.
spread. power station in West Yorkshire. greater than the sum of its parts, The group said: “PTC members are
Kris Gopalakrishnan, executive co- Initiated late last year, the project allowing them to achieve technologi- committed to researching and devel-
chairman of Infosys, the Indian infor- was set up to capture 100 tonnes of cal enhancements that may not other- oping commercial solutions for PET
mation technology consultancy, says: carbon dioxide per day from the wise have been possible,” said SSE. PET project: Continuum Recycling’s plant turns out bottle grade plastic plastic made entirely from plants and
“Companies can educate each other, emissions of a five megawatt coal- “We’ve also found a good cultural will aim to drive the development of
supply funding, help boost a supply fired power plant. fit between organisations is crucial to common methodologies and standards
chain and push the project towards its The green technology – often touted the success of any collaboration.” one of the first of its kind in the UK – tion in green technology have not for the use of plant-based plastic.”
goals. as a way of cleaning up after “dirty” As well as corporate partners, the has proved to be a litmus test for not been restricted to power companies. The role of government as an
“Through co-operation and the fossil fuel power plants by preventing project benefited from £6m of public only the green technology, but also This year, Eco Plastics, the Lincoln- initiator of such corporate tie-ups
sharing of skills, innovation and CO2 from being released into the air – funding and had the co-operation of corporate collaborations. shire-based recycling group, created a should not be overlooked,
resources from the private sector captures the gas and pipes it to the Northern Way, the body set up to The project has provided valuable joint venture with Coca-Cola to Mr Gopalakrishnan points out that
across various industries, the develop- storage deep beneath ground or sea. bridge the productivity gap between information for industry regulators, increase the pace of development in the state plays an important role
ment of green technology will grow The Ferrybridge project was a the north and south of England, as such as the Environment Agency, and the UK’s recycling infrastructure. throughout each stage of the develop-
faster. Any new project could then collaboration between SSE, Doosan well as the Technology Strategy SSE is considering broadening its col- In May, they opened the £15m Con- ment of green technology. He says:
become a new revenue stream.” Power Systems, which builds, main- Board, the UK innovations agency. laborations into a larger scale opera- tinuum Recycling plant, which has “Government should work as a cata-
But concerns over privacy, intellec- tains and extends the life of power Although bringing so many part- tion at its gas-fired power station at more than doubled the amount of bot- lyst by helping to fund new technol-
tual property and the compromise of plants; and Vattenfall, the Swedish ners together could have strained the Peterhead in Aberdeenshire. tle grade recycled plastic that was ogy, then by spreading best practices,
commercial viability must all be tack- energy company. scheme, the carbon capture project – The benefits of corporate collabora- previously created in the UK. then by acting as a regulator.”
Stronger political
will is needed
Continued from Page 1 A number of administra-
$280bn in 2011, more than tions – including the UK
five times the $53bn total and Germany – are debat-
achieved in 2004, according ing cutbacks in subsidies
to Bloomberg New Energy for renewable energy. On
Finance. the other hand, new joint
Nor is innovation in this venture and technology
sector limited to small com- transfer opportunities exist
panies and start-ups. Clean in China, which provides
tech’s heavyweights include strong government support
the world’s largest corpora- for a range of energy effi-
tions, many of which are ciency and renewable
making substantial invest- energy technologies.
ments in developing tech- Some policy makers are
nologies that address every- changing the way they
thing from energy use to spend government dollars.
water conservation. Rather than trying to shape
One route to doing so is the market, they are invest-
to establish internal ing in clean energy incuba-
research and development tors or establishing venture-
centres. Yet companies are capital funds to support
also becoming flexible in entrepreneurs with ideas.
the way they promote inno- The focus of clean tech-
vation. This includes using nology extends beyond
web-based crowd sourcing energy. With the world’s
or open innovation to iden- water supplies increasingly
tify clean tech entrepre- under pressure, finding
neurs. While crowd sourc- methods of recycling and
ing allows companies look- conserving supplies has
ing for clean tech answers risen up the agenda for pub-
lic and private sectors.
And with waste manage-
ment a problem for all
Investment in organisations, many are
clean energy looking for ways of turning
waste into a resource or
continues, rising reducing packaging.
to a record In the cement industry,
the potential for cement
$280bn in 2011 furnaces to become inciner-
ators for waste from steel
plants and other facilities is
to conduct searches among prompting discussions of
innovators across the co-location of these plants –
world, globalisation of clean helping cement makers cut
tech extends beyond open carbon emissions and con-
innovation. tribute to waste manage-
For a start, as emerging ment.
economies expand, they will Plenty of ideas and work-
provide new markets for able models are emerging.
clean tech products. Mean- Yet the question on the lips
while, green technology of all those who believe
innovation is also shifting developing the clean tech
to these markets as they sector is essential to the
become aware that rising planet’s future prosperity is
wealth leads to increased how to bring about wide-
resource consumption and spread use of green ideas
the potential for greater and technologies.
environmental degradation. The trouble is that, with
Many believe Latin Amer- some exceptions, many
ica may become a leader in business models remain in
finding ways to deliver the pilot stage or are lim-
economic growth while ited to certain companies or
protecting natural industries.
resources and establishing Without increased collab-
sustainable renewable oration between public, pri-
energy supplies, as Brazil vate and non-profit sectors,
has by developing sugar and willingness for compa-
cane ethanol as a biofuel. nies to work together on
In mature markets, while environmental issues, many
governments continue to fear that green technology
invest in clean technology, will fail to reach the scale
some are changing tack to needed to halt or reverse
reflect budget constraints the environmental prob-
or shifts in the market. lems it is designed to solve.
Contributors »
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