Power Surge
The Capital Region is emerging as a clean energy technology hub
BY Alastair Bland | DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION BY Kelly Barr
he sun is now California ’ s cheapest power source . This remarkable milestone in the changing energy economy , owed to advances in photovoltaic technology , comes as the curtains fall on the fossil fuel age .
But a complete transition to renewable energy remains many years away . While California ’ s leaders have set progressive goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tapping into clean energy , it will take bright minds in the private sector to reach and realize those targets . More than half a million Californians now work in jobs related to clean energy , and among several hubs of activity , the Capital Region has emerged as a center of action .
Dozens of companies geared toward low-carbon have opened shop in the region in the past 15 years . It ’ s a “ beehive of activity ,” says Thomas Hall , the executive director of CleanStart , a Sacramento networking and educational organization for prospective clean-tech entrepreneurs . Hall feels the proximity of regulatory agencies and their staff to emerging clean-tech companies will facilitate more growth . “ We ’ re wellpositioned , and we have a lot of support from investors ,” he says .
State officials seem to recognize that it will take viable companies with marketable products to realize the clean energy revolution . The California Energy Commission has made $ 24 million in startup cash available to promising young ventures through a funding program , the California Sustainable Energy Entrepreneur Development Initiative , or CalSEED . It provides cash for fledgling companies when private investors might still be hesitant .
“ That ’ s the toughest money to come by — to prove a concept ,” says Gary Simon , who founded CleanStart in 2005 and has been a mentor to entrepreneurs pushing new ideas and products toward the marketplace . In the past 15 years , Simon says he has
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