The University Club, where Larry and I are members, hosts a “Distinguished Speaker” series of presentation where all comers are welcome, up to the 200 capacity of their beautiful dining room.  This event last week was superb, and I took careful notes which I share with you here.

From top to bottom, the presenters were:

Moderator Stephen Mayfield Director San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology
Panel Lisa Bicker CEO, Clean Tech San Diego
Lee Stein CEO, Prize Capital
Irene Stillings CEO, CA Center for Sustainable Energy

Here is pretty much what they said about the Clean Tech industry in San Diego, from my notes (taken on my iphone).

Clean technology means a way to be more energy efficient.   Regarding GDP vs energy consumption, the US consumes 25% of the world’s petroleum. The Chinese have been buying energy reserves so there is increasing demand on limited energy resources.  We have to be inventive to retain our standard of living.  Energy is the only commodity with an unsatiable demand  for it.

Lisa Bicker heads Clean Tech San Diego, a market connectivity organization.  Her comments:  San Diego has one significant intangible asset with tangible results, which is the great collaboration between and among agents of innovation and this is different from other areas.  Playing nicely with others helps us succeed.  Many local mayors have a commitment to transforming our community in green ways.

There are 672 clean tech companies in SD.  Half are creators, half are enablers.

Lee Stein:  Environmental Entrepreneurs need to be a business voice for the environment.  Regarding energy resources, today we are using the resources of 2.5 planets, which is not sustainable – 45 mill barrel/day shortfall.  AB 32, under attack now, will create 352,000 jobs by 2020 but a ballot measure out there sponsored by one company seeks to damage the good that AB 32 does, do not put it on the ballot, do not be fooled.

China’s green leap forward. They looked at California.  With their “Negawatt,” they seek to arbitrage energy and it’s just good business.  China is going toward solar and wind.  There will be a slow start and will import less energy from us and we could import energy from them in the future.  Innovatively, 57 degrees below the ground can be mined for energy for instance and it is happening.

Irene Stillings:  The California Center for Sustainable Energy helps consumers to make wise energy decisions.  The need is insatiable the supply is not.  The Chinese invest more in this area than US investors.  China is now leading in solar power.  California leads the country and provides the cues to Washington.  Excellent renewable portfolio standard.  For example, in California, Title 24 is a series of stringent building codes equal to basic LEAD standards.   There is no national energy policy yet.  We could have cap in trade limits and carbon tax.  Also incentives for offshore drilling and other things.

Residential and businesses want it. Going green does green your bottom line.  Currently we are seeing job growth in solar and algae.  We need energy efficient audits.  We need more quality auditors and installers.  Irene has increased staff by 25%, and her organization will train energy auditors.

Comments generated from questions of the audience:  In San Diego, too many resources are going into gaming the system rather than improving the opportunity to bring innovation.  We need to be more proactive in legislative before stuff becomes law and SF is good at this, we could improve.

What about water technology?  San Diego is home to over 100 water technology companies that are often stalled, like gray water.  More needed, but water is not as sexy as energy.  The need is much worse.

China is producing ten times the energy engineers as the U.S.. What are these organizations doing to generate the needed people?  Academically, Science in the US was not popular but very recently STUDENTS have figured it out and are flocking to the lab.  Policy has lagged behind to support student applications.

Students have environmental ethic and are making it part of their own choices.  Look at usfirst.org.

There is no silver bullet to the energy issues, but there should be silver buckshot!