The Cleantech Show #023 (MP3 - 14MB - 36min)
Interview with Attilio Demicheli, Katrix

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) as we have discussed previously on the show with companies like Grid-X Power has a significant role to play in reducing the emissions profile of the built environment and industry. Predominantly this is a result of bringing waste heat from the typically remote electricity generation process to provide space and water heating or heat for industrial processes at the point of demand.

Many of these applications for CHP have typically been focused at the 1 - 2 MW and upwards development range or at small scales when differential pricing of fuel and electricty prices allow utilising natural gas combustion.

Enter micro-CHP and my guest today on the show Attilio Demicheli, CEO of Katrix, a company with a solution to this CHP barrier. On the show we discuss how micro-CHP promises to be a key enabler for mass market uptake of distributed

(non-centralised), renewable energy solutions in the sub 50 kW power range, otherwise known as micro-generation.

Katrix MicroGen’s core technology is its fluid expanders, which are devices that generate direct rotational power from the expansion of appropriate gases or liqu

ids, in an organic rankine cycle (see graphic below - turbine replaced by Katrix expander). This technology can be utilised in any situation where there is significant low level heat such as biomass combustion or as Katrix believe in solar thermal applications.

Katrix are currently in a capital raising cycle and seeking development partners for the pilot production phase of the technology.

cheers
Nick Bruse

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The Cleantech Show #010 (MP3 - 13MB - 34min)

In a recent announcement, the International Energy Agency (IEA), issued a new report yesterday predicting a supply pinch in the next 3 to 5 years. Tom Konrad, Editor from Alt Energy Stocks comments on the resulting impact this has had on renewable energy stocks in one of his recent blog postings, and it’s my pleasure to have Tom on the show this week.

AltEnergyStocks.com is one of the Internet’s premier websites for investing in the sectors of alternative energy, renewable energy and clean technology.

In this weeks show Tom and I discuss the blossoming Alternative Energy Investment market and explore in detail Tom’s candid advice on developing a portfolio of alternative energy investments. Dependent on whether your a conservative or more aggressive investor there are opportunities in the market and Tom provides some valuable insight into the market drivers and the more interesting areas of investment.

Tom is an independent investment advisor and financial analyst specializing in renewable energy and energy efficiency companies. He has a Ph.D. in mathematics from Purdue University, and is a level II candidate for the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He serves as Treasurer for both the Colorado Renewable Energy Society and Ratepayers United Colorado.

Look forward to you listening in.

cheers
Nick Bruse

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The Cleantech Show #006 (MP3 - 20MB - 56min)

The pressure to establish Emissions Trading programs in order to reduce C02 emissions is mounting in many countries and at a global level worldwide.

In this weeks show we have an in depth discussion about Emissions Trading with Rob Fowler, the Managing Director of Abatement Solutions - Asia Pacific. Rob is an expert on emission’s trading programs and advises clients in Australia, China, Europe and the United States.

On the show we discuss the in’s and out’s of Emissions Trading programs, how they can be set up, the differences between cap and trade and baseline and credit systems, and the progress being made in various schemes worldwide. So be sure to listen in.

Rob’s provided some links that people can follow for more detail on the topics and organisations discussed in the show.

• National Emissions Trading Taskforce (Australian States)
• Prime Minister’s Emissions Trading Task Group (Australia)
• Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme (Australia - New South Wales)
• Australian Greenhouse Office (Australia)
• IISD Linkages - Climate and Atmosphere (Global)
• Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol (Global)
• EU Emissions Trading Scheme (European Union)

Cheers
Nick Bruse

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Without going into detail about the politics around this issue in Australia at the moment, essentially we are waiting to see if John However is willing to put the pressures of climate change ahead of the pressures of political change.

The report follows on from an initiative by the Australian States and Territories to set up a emissions trading scheme by 2010, which essentially lay down the gauntlet to the Australian federal government to do something.  Read more here

The key outcomes of this are whether we will see an acceptable cap set for emissions, and that the resulting price of carbon emissions is somewhere above $20/tonne as the bare minimum. For real change we want prices closer to $40/tonne at which renewables will be able to compete viably with existing power generation. For more commentary on this go to the 7.30 report transcript.

So, grab a cup of bonox or bosco ,  download the report and curl up for a night of reading.

Cheers
Nick

The Cleantech Report, a component of Lux Research’s energy and environment service identifies that:

“Government funding for clean technologies has barely grown faster than inflation for the past two years, but initiatives announced in 2006 indicate a 10% increase for 2007. And corporations like General Electric, BASF, and Toshiba are making R&D investments to maintain rapid revenue growth in sustainable products and services,” said Lux Research President Matthew M. Nordan.

“Unlike previous technology waves in information technology and biotech, however, the U.S. is not leading the world. The Asia/Pacific region takes first place in government funding, corporate R&D spending, and scientific publications while the U.S. only leads in deployment of venture capital and in patents issued.”

You can find more about the report and its contents here

The Cleantech Show #003 (MP3 - 15MB - 42min)

This weeks podcast is an interview with Mitra Ardron. Mitra is principle of Natural Innovations a company which provides consulting services on developing businesses around sustainability, and in particular green technologies.

Mitra has previously worked in commercialising internet technologies and co-founded the international NGO Association for Progressive Communications.

On the show we discuss the commercialisation process in context of cleantech companies, the australian market, and in relation to previous technology booms like that of the dotcom boom.

Mitra is currently working with Zelfo Australia on a clean fabrication technology that is a plastic like product made from hemp, which we talk about on the show.

You can read more of Mitra’s advice, commentary and thoughts on sustainability via his blog at www.mitra.biz/blog

Now, during the show Mitra’s computer started up its fan to try cool itself in that balmy byron bay weather where Mitra lives. The post production couldn’t clean up the interference, so hopefully it won’t distract from Mitra’s insights on cleantech and sustainability.

Cheers

Nick Bruse

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The Cleantech Show #002 (MP3 - 10MB - 30min)

This weeks podcast is an interview with Dr. Tim Finnigan, Founder and CEO of Biopower Systems, a distributed ocean power technology company.

On the show Tim and I discuss the company’s novel approach to harnessing ocean power, including their tidal current power technology bioStream and wave power technology bioWave (shown below)

Tim talks about the development of the company, and about his inspiration in designing the technology.

Tim and his team are in the process of updating their website so we’ll have some links shortly including animations of the technology.

Enjoy the show.

Nick Bruse

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So how do we all feel when it comes to what energy sources we should turn to in the coming years. CSIRO commissioned a study to look at public opinion in detail. The report found that “there is high public demand for information about new energy technologies and declining tolerance for advocacy of a single solution.” Expand the link below for the rest of the article.

Cheers
Nick Bruse

The following is reproduced from the CSIRO website:

The results of one of the most detailed research projects undertaken into public perceptions of new power generation technologies and how they contribute to global warming, were released at the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies in Brisbane today by the Minister for State Development, the Hon John Mickel MP.

26 April 2007

The project found there is high public demand for information about new energy technologies and declining tolerance for advocacy of a single solution.

Conducted by CSIRO for the Centre for Low Emission Technology (cLET), the research also indicated that while 88 - 89 per cent of respondents preferred solar power, after being apprised of some of the problems associated with generating and storing solar, they were willing to consider a range of alternatives.

Public opinion about nuclear power was polarised, with the degree of uncertainty about the technology varying between different regions.

“The results provide significant information for policy makers and energy technologists working on climate change responses.”

There was also a general lack of awareness about what is actually being done to address climate change – including development of low-emission and gas technologies. However, once respondents were included in discussions about subjects such as carbon capture and storage, they were likely to be more positive towards the technology.

cLET Chief Executive, Dr Kelly Thambimuthu (also Chair of the International Energy Agency Greenhouse Gas R&D program), said the project’s aim was to better understand public perceptions of low-emission technologies and to explore any regional differences.

“The research and information provided to focus groups was guided by an advisory panel that included representatives from cLET, CSIRO, government researchers, industry and the environment movement,” Dr Thambimuthu said.

“The results provide significant information for policy makers and energy technologists working on climate change responses.”

The project was conducted in Queensland and New South Wales over the past two years.