Clean Tech Nation

June 4, 2012
In this follow-up to their 2007 book, The Clean Tech Revolution, clean energy experts Pernick and Wilder are clearly glass half-full kind of guys, and readers inclined to optimism about the future will find much encouraging material. However, Pernick and Wilder offer precious little to convert pessimists, whether about the merits of the numerous proposals to use energy more cleanly and efficiently, or the ability of the federal government to get meaningful things done. Mixing anecdotes, facts, and charts with trenchant analysis, the authors point out, for example, how energy independence for the U.S., both as a national security issue and an economic one, should be supported, even by skeptics. Many fascinating innovations are underway, including the development of smart electrical grids, which by providing consumers detailed analytics about their electrical consumption, enable households to save 1.5%–3.5% per month (a modest number until the impact of applying such technology nationwide is projected at total savings of $5 billion per year). As fascinating as this survey of the current state of play is, the authors don’t quite end up justifying the book’s subtitle; to the contrary, they cite a Thomas Friedmanesque flat world to suggest that clean technology breakthroughs will “bloom in a thousand places,” rather than depending on one dominant superpower. Agent: Riverside Creative Management.

June 15, 2012
Two consultants associated with Clean Edge, a clean-tech advisory firm, review potential areas for investment in clean energy and technology. Pernick and Wilder (co-authors: Clean Tech Revolution, 2007, etc.) believe that America is at a crossroads, bedeviled by a still-slow economy but poised to become a clean-technology powerhouse. "[C]lean tech," they write, "has become the most critical industry of the 21st century--an essential component to global economic success for all developed countries, and increasingly for developing nations as well." They review the latest developments--substantial price decreases in solar voltaic cells, wind power, electric vehicles and more--but consider the most significant development to be on the capital front with the growing involvement of venture capitalists. State and federal mandates have encouraged this development--e.g., federally mandated use of energy-efficient light bulbs and state regulations requiring utilities to incorporate alternate energies in the power mix. Pernick and Wilder also welcome a broadening of the debate from a narrow focus on global warming to a wider concern with environmental issues such as clean air and clean water. One of their most original contributions is their discussion of the synergistic relationship between urbanization and the creation of centers of innovation, spotlighting "15 U.S. clean-tech cities." In 2008, half of the world's population was living in cities, a development fueled by China's rapid urbanization. This has encouraged the development of hubs in which there is a "concentration of intellectual and financial capital, business acumen, and university and research-lab R&D." The authors compare these clean-tech clusters to the earlier development of Detroit's automobile industry, Hollywood's film industry and Silicon Valley's computer and software industry. An informative, optimistic look at how a partnership between private capital and government can unleash America's innovative capabilities.

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July 1, 2012
In the twenty-first century, the countries that are first to market with clean energy are going to have a clear economic advantage. Such countries as China, Germany, and Japan are going to be the leaders to watch and emulate. In the U.S., the lack of a clear national energy policy is not holding back states like California, Oregon, and Massachusetts, where leaders have established strong clean-energy initiatives on their own. Pernick and Clint Wilder are leaders in the clean-tech research and economic-development industry, and this report is strong on solid, easy-to-digest data and doesn't promote a political agenda. The tangible advances in wind, solar, and geothermal energy and in green buildings, smart grids, and clean transportation outlined here are enough to convince anyone that any economic power that fails to take the lead in this area risks falling behind. The action plans, goals, developments, and contacts cited make this an excellent resource for state and local planning commissions and a model for developing a national clean-energy policy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)