NWEA Becomes Element 8

At its annual Cleantech Leadership Forum, Northwest Energy Angels officially became Element 8.

Its new name, image and messaging were chosen to better communicate to investors and entrepreneurs not just what they do, but why they do it -- to create a healthier and more sustainable planet.

Accompanying the new name is a completely re-designed website www.element8angels.com in which Element 8 tries to speak very directly to everyone whose expertise we can leverage, and with whom they can partner, to achieve the mission.

Northwest Energy Angels was founded in 2006, as the very first angel funding group exclusively focused on clean technology and sustainability.  Since that time, its investors and portfolio have grown until it became clear that the name, and its generic acronym NWEA, no longer reflected their full scope. 

Our 43 portfolio companies represent a wide range of products, services, and market sectors and are located all across North America.  Element 8 sees abundant opportunities to create a prosperous and brighter future. They were motivated to craft a name and brand that does not unintentionally limit the perception of its scope. And better yet, the Element 8 name conveys the future they intend to help create, and its aspirations for a sustainable and healthy planet. 

Element 8, the atomic expression for Oxygen, is a wonderful metaphor.  It evokes the aspirations of our work-clean air, clean water, an abundant element essential for life and health. And Oxygen is a change agent, as is the organization, sparking the fuel of monetary investments, as well as guiding and mentoring early-stage companies.

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Washington's Innovation Summit 2010 Clean Tech Open

Richard Gustafson emails to highlight the opportunity at the WA Innovation Summit on April 9 for emerging Cleantech Companies to learn more about the Northwest Clean Tech Open (CTO). CTO will be making a presentation at next Week’s Innovation Summit on what the CTO is about and how to submit promising new clean tech companies into this business competition.

Attached is an overview of the Clean Tech Open and in summary:

• The mission of the Cleantech Open is to Find, Fund and Foster the big ideas that address our most urgent energy, environmental, and economic challenges,
• Clean Tech Open is a growing national program holding regional competitions, and
• Participants in this competition receive a unique blend of Mentoring, MBA level workshops, Opportunities to win a “Start-up in a box” professional services and cash prizes for regional and national winners.

Pierce County Gets One of 13

Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Washington State Department of Commerce announced the recipients of more than $16.5 million in grants and loans from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for energy efficiency, clean technology, transportation and bioenergy programs throughout the state.

The 13 private and public projects were selected based on their energy savings, jobs created or retained and matching funds – and support projects across the state, including:

LeMay Enterprises
Applicant: Dan Schooler – 253-537-8687
Category: Transportation
Project: Natural gas refuse truck deployment
Award: $931,422 ($700,000 loan / $231,422 grant)
(Pierce County) LeMay will purchase new diesel waste collection trucks and convert them to compressed natural gas, and install a compressed natural gas refueling station for their fleet. Funding will help cover the incremental cost of truck conversions and help with part of the refueling station cost. Project will enable LeMay to take first step in their strategy of converting most of their 100-truck fleet to compressed natural gas. Project could save about 1 million gallons of petroleum diesel over the lifetime of 10 trucks, while achieving significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Supports 35 jobs during the conversion phase and retain 18 permanent jobs.

To see a full list of Washington projects receiving funding visit here.

Bluest Skies You've Ever Seen Are in Tacoma

Carlile today welcomed to its Tacoma fleet the first Kenworth Medium-Duty Diesel-Electric Hybrid Tractor to serve any West Coast Port.

Photo courtesy KathyTomandl, Port of Tacoma

The "tractor" is equipped with a fifth wheel to haul trailers for drayage business at the Port of Tacoma. I had the privilege of a short excursion aboard the new Kenworth T370 with Carlile Transportation Systems CEO Harry McDonald as chauffeur. McDonald said they expect a 20+% increase in fuel mileage from the hybrid for local haul applications.

This hybrid is a welcome addition to the commercial center of the port-industrial area. It will demonstrate the viability of hybrid commercial vehicles for this purpose - and we wish both Carlile and Kenworth the best of luck. In addition to having far more immediate applications than the $100,000 Tesla, the port-industrial area has been recommended for non-attainment status for PM-2.5 even though continuing monitoring shows results below federal thresholds. That final designation is expected from EPA Thursday, Dec. 18.

Washington’s Innovation Summit 2009

Washington's Innovation Summit 2009 will bring together more than 400 innovators and thought leaders in sustainability and technology who are driving industry development in sustainable energy, innovative materials & manufacturing, urban sustainability, and healthy ecosystems.

The Summit will focus on how we are developing innovative and sustainable approaches to realize our opportunities and overcome challenges.

You'll discover the companies, researchers and opportunities at the forefront of Washington's emerging economic sectors. Through plenary sessions and targeted industry tracks, you'll connect with the people, trends and ideas that are critical to strategically sustaining the future of your business or organization.

Keynote speakers will include Gifford Pinchot III, co-founder and president emeritus of the Bainbridge Graduate Institute, and Thomas E. Plimpton, vice chairman of PACCAR.

Thursday, April 9, 2009
7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Full Registration (7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.)
This registration includes all summit breakout and general sessions, breakfast, lunch and reception.

$150 Special rate until December 31, 2008
$190 Early-bird rate until March 6, 2009
$230 Regular rate after March 6, 2009
$45 Reception Only (4-6 p.m.)

For more information and to register.

New Alternative Fuel Blend From 1920s

Tacoma, as represented by McChord AFB, made national news with the transcontinental flight of a C-17 Globemaster III from Tacoma via New York to New Jersey.

The flight, on December 17, 2007, marked the 104th anniversary of powered flight. The C-17 became the third airframe to successfully complete test flights on a 50/50 blend of traditional JP-8 jet fuel and synthetic fuel.

The Air Force is the single largest user of aviation fuel in the federal government, using an estimated 3 billion gallons per year. For every $10 increase of a barrel of oil, it costs the Air Force (surrogates for taxpayers) an additional $610 million for fuel. JP-8 is also commonly used on the battlefield by the Army's and Marines' tactical vehicles and generators as well as respective aircraft.

German chemists Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch developed the method for converting carbon-based materials into synthetic fuels at the Kaiser Wilhem Institute during the 1920s. By using a number of chemicals and catalysts, they were able to do in a lab what takes the earth millions of years to do with organic matter. The Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) process costs an estimated $35-$50 less per barrel than its petroleum counterpart. It also has the potential to burn cleaner than JP-8, reducing combustion-related emissions and particulates in the air.

The next step is to have its entire C-17 fleet certified to use the F-T fuel blend, and all USAF aircraft within the next five years. The C-17 uses the Pratt and Whitney F117-100 engine — is expected to fully covert in early 2008. The F117-100 engine is also widely used by the commercial airline industry on aircraft such as the Boeing 757.

Wave and Tidal Power

I attended the Washington State Technology Summit yesterday which is put on by the Washington Technology Center. I have been to several of these summits, last year held on the Microsoft campus and this year at Bellevue's Meydenbauer Center. I would love to see one here at the Tacoma Convention Center but I digress.

Of the many impressions I was left with, I wanted to share one immediately. There is a major wave of alternative energy approaching, and I am nearly being literal. I sat in on the breakout session "Wave of the Future: Energy and Tides" and found the enthusiasm and interest startling. Two years ago, forums on alternative energy were also filled with energy products of the future: wind, solar, biofuel, hydrogen cells and tidal. But they were not always filled with large numbers of people in attendance or stories of economic feasibility. I am generalizing from my personal experiences so feel free to provide your own. At this conference, both sessions on alternative energy were packed to overflowing.

Locally, our former superintendent of Tacoma Power now General Manager of The Snohomish County Public Utility District, Steve Klein, was there. As was Chris Campbell, National Director, Ocean Renewable Energy Group, Jeff Morris of the WTC and Alla Weinstein, director of Finavera Renewables (merged with AquaEnergy) and General Manager of FVR Ocean Energy.

Alla stated that the funding for alternative and wave energy, in particular venture funding, was happening outside the United States. Europe was prominent in her examples, so much so that even though she is from the US, in 2005 Alla became the first President of the European Ocean Energy Association. So why was a business person operating outside of where the funding was? She and her company are here because the Pacific Northwest is where the resources are located. From Northern California to British Columbia there is a huge potential for non-intrusive Megawatt production.

And though the venture funding may be lagging, the governmental investment in alternative energy in the NW and the Puget Sound is huge. I am looking for information supporting a work force need for Energy Systems Engineers and was provided a staggering number of dollars being allocated for future projects. I will refrain from remembering the figure incorrectly and will post the number after confirmation, but I was impressed.

Even with the regulations and permitting process, (that help protect our resources), we are poised to be a world center for alternative energy.

So how about Tacoma?

In 2005 the Tacoma Narrows was part of a $350,000 EPRI project to evaluate tidal power feasibility and technology. Five months ago The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)'s Tidal Energy Permits page listed 38 pending applications for projects in Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, and Washington. FERC has also issued preliminary permit for a tidal project in the Tacoma Narrows of Washington's Puget Sound. In addition, a wave energy project was proposed for Makah Bay in Washington.