Every year, billions of dollars are invested into green
infrastructure and clean technologies. These projects are driving
the transition towards lower carbon economies around the world. A
number of conference sessions at GLOBE 2010 will address this
topic, and explore how financial institutions, venture capital
firms, and governments are helping to accelerate this greening of
the economy.
Venture Capital Opportunities and the Masdar Clean Tech
Funds
Join David Bonn of Masdar
Venture Capital out of Abu Dhabi as he outlays the
key sectors where investments will be targeted via their two
Cleantech funds: The Masdar Clean Technology Fund (MCTF - $250m)
and the DB Masdar Clean Tech Fund (DBMCTF - $265m).
The Masdar Clean Tech Funds are diversified venture capital
investment vehicles that will build a portfolio of clean technology
companies through direct and co-investments. The Funds seek to
invest their proceeds to build top tier direct investments
portfolios to include some of the world's most promising and
pioneering clean tech and renewable energy companies.
Find out where priorities lie and how to access this venture
capital funding as David takes you through the dynamics of the
funds and the key technology focuses of each.
New Approaches for Clean Technology Venture
Funding
Clean technology cannot survive on venture funding alone and in
this session speakers will address new trends and innovations in
clean technology funding through venture capital, private equity,
and debt funds. Moderated by Nicholas Parker, Executive Chairman,
Cleantech Group LLC speakers will
include:
Rob Peterman, Senior Manager, Global Clean
Technology, Toronto Stock Exchange & TSX Venture Exchange,
Toronto, ON, Canada
Vicky Sharpe, President & CEO, Sustainable
Development Technology Canada (SDTC), Ottawa, ON, Canada
Wal van Lierop, Co-Founder, President, &
Chief Executive Officer, Chrysalix Energy Venture
Capital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Victor Westerlind, General Partner, RockPort
Capital Partners, Menlo Park, CA, USA
Renewable Power: Key Drivers for Profit
Clean energy companies are becoming more and more prevalent
worldwide as many countries set ambitious targets to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. During this session senior executives
from Day4 Energy, BP Alternative
Energy, Siemens Canada, and other clean energy and utility
companies will discuss the current state of the industry and
identify the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead.
Brave New World: Finance and Investment in a Low Carbon
Economy
This session will address what a capital market would look like
if it were truly focused on driving a low carbon economy. How would
profits be embedded in the market system so that they're both
socially and environmentally responsible? And what are the various
types of financial initiatives that would help shape this low
carbon economy? Speakers hone from the United Nation Environment Programme Finance
Initiative, The Co-operators Group
Ltd., the Royal Bank of Canada, and Citigroup.
Asia-Pacific Partnership: Promoting the Low Carbon
Economy
With the support of the Asia-Pacific
Partnership on Clean Development and Climate - a partnership
consisting of seven countries that collectively account for more
than half of the world's economy, population, and energy use - this
session will allow attendees to find out first-hand how these
countries plan to expand their investment and trade in cleaner
technologies and key environmental goods and services sectors.
Creating Sustainable Value for the 21st Century: a
dialogue with Tomorrow's Company
In this "age of sustainability", it is now not only economics
but also social and environmental forces that are shaping the
products and processes in both emerging and existing markets. This
in turn is inspiring and harnessing leadership and talent that is
capable of high-value innovation. Tony Manwaring, CEO, Tomorrow's Company will lead this
discussion and explore the new agenda for business success.
Competitiveness and Jobs: The Role of Clean Technology
in Near-Term Stimulus and Long-Term Economic
Development
This session will look at the different approaches for economic
development such as "cleantech clusters" and "cleantech for
everyone" and ask the questions: how can we "future-proof " our
economic development portfolio leveraging present strengths and
identifying future opportunities and threats? And how can the
recent crisis be used as an opportunity to re-invent our world and
create new jobs in the process?
Corporate Integration: Clean Technology as a Source of
Innovation
The use of clean technology in a basic capacity will not be
enough to aggressively reduce carbon emissions and create more
successful companies. This session will address such issues and
show how leading companies are using clean technology to innovate
across product lifecycles as well as to develop operations that are
more efficient and sustainable. Speakers come from such companies
as Cleantech Group, Autodesk , Rio Tinto, and more.
How Green Are Plug-in Cars? Moving Emissions
Upstream?
Do plug-in cars simply move emissions from one area to another?
Or are they truly the environmental saviours so many hail them to
be? Join speakers at this session as they look at the latest
research from universities, NGOs, and utility companies to decipher
whether or not plug-in cars are a long-term solution or a mask for
the fundamental problem.
Converting Gas Guzzlers to Fuel Sippers: Plug-in
Aftermarket Conversions
The rate at which plug-in hybrids and electric cars are entering
the market is not fast enough to meet the current global carbon
reduction targets for the transport sector. So what is the answer?
Some industry leaders believe the answer lies in converting
existing combustion engine vehicles to run on electricity. During
this session speakers will explore the technology and market
challenges of converting gas guzzlers into electricity-fueled
cars.
To find out more about these sessions, to register for GLOBE
2010, or to see the full speaker list click here.
And be sure to connect with us on Twitter: @GLOBE_Series and join discussions
about the business of the environment with other GLOBE 2010
participants in our newly formed GLOBE LinkedIn group.