spotlight

In this section you will find monthly features; CE Top 10 lists of global and U.S. clean-tech developments and investments; and CE editorial picks of the best powerpoints, videos, books, blogs and other resources from across the web.

CE Features

July | June | May | April | March

BLM CSP Gold Rush in Jeopardy?

In a potential setback to utility scale solar project developers, the US Bureau of Land Management has suspended any new applications for large-scale solar projects in the Southwest until the completion of an expected 2 year "Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement." During the work on the PEIS, according to a BLM press release, "the BLM will focus attention on the 125 applications already received for rights-of-way for solar energy development" on a 'case by case' basis.

The California Energy Commission website shows close to 6 GW capacity of solar projects have been proposed via press release, started the application process, or are under review by the CEC . While we do not know how many of these projects are on BLM land, the impact of the BLM decision could be considerable. Concentrating solar power (CSP) companies such as Solel, BrightSource Energy, and Ausra have all announced major plans in the Southwest.

The BLM has setup a website dedicated to the PEIS, and the last public meetings are scheduled for July 8, 9, and 10. There is also a web-based comment form.

Report: "Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: How Much at What Cost?"

The McKinsey and Company report "Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: How Much at What Cost?" really drives home the need for comprehensive national action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and an end to fragmented policies. Looking at over 200 abatement strategies, the report paints the clearest and most compelling picture to date of how no one single policy alone can be deemed the solution to the climate crisis. The report demonstrates that we need a rapidly enacted slate of efficiency measures across buildings, electricity generation, transmission and distribution, and transportation; a regulatory environment with a price on carbon that creates enough incentives to actually change consumer behavior; and predictable, long-term incentives for investment in renewables. This 'silver buckshot' approach at the national is the only way to make a major impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and unlock the real long-term economic opportunities inherent in shifting to a clean-energy economy.

Download the report

The Vulcan Project (Click here for video)

The University of Purdue recently released maps showing carbon emissions across the United States. The maps are the result of three years of work and provide an unprecedented level of detail. The Vulcan project offers maps that show emissions data at the level of individual factories, powerplants, roadways and neighborhoods and is quantified at the level of fuel type, economic sub-sector, and county/state identification.

The project is complementary to NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory project which is collecting carbon data via satellites and is expected to provide a similar worldwide carbon map later this year, or early 2009.

Since you can't manage what you can't measure - the Vulcan Project is an excellent contribution to crafting effective carbon policy. The new maps will not only help in providing a baseline for emissions, but could provide a critical 'check' to data reported under any future regulatory system.

For more information visit the Vulcan website where you can actually download portions of the data that went into the map. Also be sure to check out the video.

League of Conservation Voters

2008 Presidential Candidates Environmental Scorecards

As we approach the end of the 2008 presidential primaries and caucuses, renewable energy and conservation are becoming major campaign issues. In recent months, the House has passed extensions for renewable energy tax credits twice, but the Senate has fallen just short of being able to send the bill to the President's desk. Bush has said he would likely veto either of those bills. But with the election this November the public is increasingly looking ahead to see what each party's nominee would do if elected into office. The League of Conservation Voters publishes a 'Scorecard' that clearly compares each candidates record on important environmental issues including carbon cap and trade, investment in renewable energy, and conservation. See their rankings and overviews for Senators Clinton, McCain, and Obama for more information.

Clean Energy Trends 2008

Clean Energy Trends 2008 - Free Report

Amid a challenging economic outlook - plummeting housing prices, rising foreclosure rates, record-high oil prices, sinking consumer confidence, looming recession - 2007 was another banner year for clean energy, with no signs of a slowdown in 2008. Solar, wind, biofuels, geothermal, energy intelligence, hybrid- and all-electric vehicles, advanced batteries, green buildings, and other clean-energy-related technologies and markets provided bright spots in an otherwise sluggish economy.

Download the full report.

CE Picks

The following lists are CE editorial picks that we think provide key insight into the clean-tech space, organized in alphabetical order. We will update and add new lists regularly as we come across new material.


(Click on a category or use the scroll bar below to view all the lists.)


Powerpoints | Books | Blogs | Videos | Competitions

CE Top 10

The CE Top 10 lists track the largest installations and financial transactions that we have come across in our research and want to share with the clean-tech community. We will update and add new lists regularly.


(Click on a category or use the scroll bar below to view all the lists.)


Projects: Global Solar PV Installs | US Wind Installs | US Geothermal Installs | US Ethanol Plants | US Biodiesel Plants
Finance & IPO's: Global Venture Financings - 2007 | US Venture Financings - 2007 | Global IPO's - 2007 | IPO's on US Exchanges - 2007

  • Top 10 Global Solar PV Installs
  • (Source: PVResources.com)


  • 1. Solarpark Beneixama - 20 MW
    Beneisama, Spain (City Solar AG)
  • 2. Planta Solar de Salamanca - 13.8 MW
    Salamanca, Spain (Avanzalia Solar, S.L. Kyocera)
  • 3. Solarpark Lobosillo, Murcia - 12.7 MW
    Lobosillo (Murcia), Spain (Ecostream)
  • 4. Solarpark Gut Erlasee - 12 MW
    Erlasee/Arnstein, Germany (Solon AG)
  • 5. Serpa PV power plant - 11 MW
    Serpa, Portugal (Powerlight Corp.)
  • 6. Solarpark Pocking - 10 MW
    Pocking, Germany (Shell Solar GmbH)
  • 7. Huerta Solar Monte alto - 9.51 MW
    Milagro, Spain (Acciona Solar S.A.)
  • 8. Parque Fotovoltaico Viana - 8.76 MW
    Viana, Spain (Solartia)
  • 9. Solarpark Zeche Gottelborn - 8.4 MW
    Gottelborn, Germany (City Solar AG)
  • 10. Solarpark "Waldpolenz" - 8.05 MW
    Brandis, Germany (juwi GmbH)
  • Top 10 US Wind Installs
  • (Source: AWEA)


  • 1. Horse Hollow, Texas - 736 MW
    FPL Energy
  • 2. Sweetwater, Texas - 505 MW
    Babcock & Brown, Catamount
  • 3. Buffalo Gap, Texas - 353 MW
    AES
  • 4. Maple Ridge, New York - 322 MW
    PPM Energy/Horizon
  • 5. Stateline, Washington/ Oregon - 300 MW
    FPL Energy
  • 6. King Mountain, Texas - 281 MW
    FPL Energy
  • 7. Wild Horse, Washington - 229 MW
    Puget Sound Energy
  • 8. New Mexico Wind Energy Center, New Mexico - 204 MW
    FPL Energy
  • 9. Big Horn, Washington - 200 MW
    PPM Energy
  • 10. Wind Installation
  • Top 10 US Geothermal Installs
  • (Source: geo-energy.org)


  • 1. Socrates - Dry Stream - 113 MW
    Sonoma County, CA (Calpine)
  • 2. Quicksilver - Dry Stream - 113 MW
    Sonoma County, CA (Calpine)
  • 3. Lake View - Dry Stream - 113 MW
    Sonoma County, CA (Calpine)
  • 4. Grant - Dry Stream - 113 MW
    Sonoma County, CA (Calpine)
  • 5. Cobb Creek - Dry Stream - 110 MW
    Sonoma County, CA (Calpine)
  • 6. Eagle Rock - Dry Stream - 110 MW
    Sonoma County, CA (Calpine)
  • 7. NCPA I - 110 MW
    The Geysers, CA (Northern California Power Agency)
  • 8. NCPA II - 110 MW
    The Geysers, CA (Northern California Power Agency)
  • 9. Sulfur Springs - Dry Stream - 109 MW
    Sonoma County, CA (Calpine)
  • 10. Ridgeline - Dry Stream - 106 MW
    Lake County, CA (Calpine)
  • Top 10 US Ethanol Plants
  • (Source: Renewable Fuels Association)


  • 1. Jefferson, Wisconsin - 130 MGY
    (Renew Energy, LLC)
  • 2. Aurora, South Dakota - 120 MGY
    (Verasun)
  • 3. Fairbanks, Iowa - 115 MGY
    (Hawkeye Renewables, LLC)
  • 4. Mason City, Iowa - 110 MGY
    (Golden Grain Energy, LLC)
  • 5. Clymers, Indiana - 110 MGY
    (The Andersons Clymers Ethanol, LLC)
  • 6. Alberta City, Iowa - 110 MGY
    (US BioEnergy)
  • 7. Charles City, Iowa - 110 MGY
    (Verasun)
  • 8. South Bend, Indiana - 102 MGY
    (New Energy Corp.)
  • 9. Iowa Falls, Iowa - 100 MGY
    (Hawkeye Renewables, LLC)
  • 10. Winthrop, Minnesota - 100 MGY
    (Heartland Corn Products)
  • Top 10 US Biodiesel Plants
  • (Source: National Biodiesel Board)


  • 1. Hoquiam, Washington - 100 MGY
    (Imperium Renewables)
  • 2. Galena, Texas - 86 MGY
    (Green Earth Fuels of Houston, LLC)
  • 3. Velva, North Dakota - 85 MGY
    (ADM)
  • 4. Natchez, Mississippi - 80 MGY
    (Delta Biofuels, Inc.)
  • 5. Memphis, Tennesse - 51 MGY
    (Memphis Biofuels, LLC)
  • 6. Elizabeth, New Jersey - 51 MGY
    (Fuel Bio One, LLC)
  • 7. Perdue Hill, Alabama - 41 MGY
    (Independence Renewable Energy Co.)
  • 8. Iowa Falls, Iowa - 37.5 MGY
    (Cargill)
  • 9. Jefferson City, Missouri - 30 MGY
    (ADM)
  • 10. Oakland, California - 20 MGY
    (Blue Sky Biofuels)
  • Top 10 US Venture Financings - 2007
  • (Source: New Energy Finance)


  • 1. HelioVolt Corporation - $100.5M
    Series B (August)
  • 2. GreatPoint Energy - $100M
    Series C (September)
  • 3. Arcadian Networks - $90M
    Series A (April)
  • 4. Solyndra Inc - $79.2M
    Series B (January)
  • 5. SolFocus Inc - $63.6M
    Series B (November)
  • 6. Calera Corporation - $58.5M
    Series A (October)
  • 7. Miasole Inc - $50M
    Further Round/Pre-IPO (September)
  • 8. Solaria Corp - $50M
    Series C (July)
  • 9. Serious Materials - $46M
    Further Round/Pre-IPO (November)
  • 10. Konarka Technologies Inc - $45M
    Further Round/Pre-IPO (October)
  • Top 10 Global Venture Financings - 2007
  • (Source: New Energy Finance)


  • 1. HelioVolt Corporation - $100.5M
    Series B (August)
  • 2. GreatPoint Energy - $100M
    Series C (September)
  • 3. Arcadian Networks - $90M
    Series A (April)
  • 4. Solyndra Inc - $79.2M
    Series B (January)
  • 5. SolFocus Inc - $63.6M
    Series B (November)
    • 6. BIG SUN Energy Technology Inc - $61.3M
    Further Round/Pre-IPO (August)
  • 7. Calera Corporation - $58.5M
    Series A (October)
  • 8. Miasole Inc - $50M
    Further Round/Pre-IPO (September)
  • 9. Solaria Corp - $50M
    Series C (July)
  • 10. Serious Materials - $46M
    Further Round/Pre-IPO (November)
  • Top 10 Global IPO's - 2007
  • (Source: New Energy Finance)


  • 1. Iberdrola Energias Renovables (Iberenova) - $7.2B
    Spain (Wind)
  • 2. Hansen Transmissions International NV - $648M
    Belgium (Wind)
  • 3. Terna Energy - $479M
    Greece (Wind)
  • 4. LDK Solar Co Ltd - $469.8M
    China (Solar)
  • 5. EAGA Partnership - $438.6M
    UK (Efficiency)
  • 6. PV Crystalox Solar AG - $438
    UK (Solar)
  • 7. China Agri-Industries Holdings Ltd - $413M
    Hong Kong (Biofuels)
  • 8. Leaf Clean Energy - $398.5M
    US (Services and Support)
  • 9. Solaria Energia y Medio Ambiente SA - $341.5M
    Spain (Solar)
  • 10. Yingli Green Energy Holding Co Ltd - $319M
    China (Solar)
  • Top 10 IPO's on US Exchanges - 2007
  • (Source: New Energy Finance)


  • 1. LDK Solar Co Ltd - $469.8M
    China (Solar)
  • 2. Yingli Green Energy Holding Co Ltd - $319M
    China (Solar)
  • 3. JingAo, aka JA Solar Holdings Co - $225M
    China (Solar
  • 4. Gushan Environmental Energy Ltd - $172.8M
    China (Solar)
  • 5. Comverge Inc - $124M
    US (Efficiency)
  • 6. EnerNOC Inc - $112
    US (Smart Grid)
  • 7. BioFuel Energy Corp - $108
    Hong Kong (Biofuels)
  • 8. China Sunergy Co Ltd - $107.5M
    China (Solar)
  • 9. Ocean Power Technologies Inc - $100M
    US (Marine)
  • 10. ZBB Energy Corp - $20M
    US (Power Storage)