Comments on: New Markets: Too Late For Green Technology? http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology Opinions. Commentary. News. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:23:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Paul Barsch http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-85948 Paul Barsch Tue, 04 May 2010 18:27:22 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/#comment-85948 A terrific photo essay on some "green" transformations in China... http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/25112/?a=f A terrific photo essay on some “green” transformations in China…

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/25112/?a=f

]]> By: UK SEO company based in Manchester http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-43557 UK SEO company based in Manchester Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:18:02 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/#comment-43557 Is it really to late for that. Whatever you say, i think its worth trying for me since i am a beginner in this business. Is it really to late for that. Whatever you say, i think its worth trying for me since i am a beginner in this business.

]]> By: Paul Barsch http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-43529 Paul Barsch Fri, 08 Jan 2010 22:27:24 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/#comment-43529 Marketers take note, more stimulus dollars towards green industries. 1/07/10. Obama announced the awarding of $2.3 billion in tax credits to companies that manufacture wind turbines, solar panels, cutting edge batteries and other green technologies. The money will come from last year's $787 billion stimulus program. Marketers take note, more stimulus dollars towards green industries.
1/07/10. Obama announced the awarding of $2.3 billion in tax credits to companies that manufacture wind turbines, solar panels, cutting edge batteries and other green technologies. The money will come from last year’s $787 billion stimulus program.

]]> By: jasmine http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-43528 jasmine Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:00:32 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/#comment-43528 yes it is true that Chaina have more solar cells than any other country so, they get the benefit easily. yes it is true that Chaina have more solar cells than any other country so, they get the benefit easily.

]]> By: Neil Anuskiewicz http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-43527 Neil Anuskiewicz Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:07:17 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/#comment-43527 Well, the U.S. still has the best University system in the world. Our R&D is the best right now. We have some assets but it is matter of leveraging them. Nation building begins at home! Well, the U.S. still has the best University system in the world. Our R&D is the best right now.
We have some assets but it is matter of leveraging them. Nation building begins at home!

]]> By: Paul Barsch http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-43526 Paul Barsch Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:13:42 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/#comment-43526 Neil, the New Yorker article cites a study from the National Academies in 2005 that warned, "We fear the abruptness with which a lead in science and technology can be lost?and the difficulty of recovering a lead once lost, if indeed it can be regained at all. That was in 2005. Again, from the New Yorker article, the Obama Administration, via the 2008 Stimulus bill "put more than thirty-eight billion dollars into the Department of Energy for renewable-energy projects." $38B isn't chump change, but I wonder--too little, too late? Neil, the New Yorker article cites a study from the National Academies in 2005 that warned, “We fear the abruptness with which a lead in science and technology can be lost?and the difficulty of recovering a lead once lost, if indeed it can be regained at all.
That was in 2005. Again, from the New Yorker article, the Obama Administration, via the 2008 Stimulus bill “put more than thirty-eight billion dollars into the Department of Energy for renewable-energy projects.” $38B isn’t chump change, but I wonder–too little, too late?

]]> By: Paul Barsch http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-43525 Paul Barsch Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:04:21 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/#comment-43525 Ted, thank you for commenting. You said, "Since 70% of our economy in the U.S. is concerned with the manufacture, packaging and marketing consumer products, there are many things that can be done. Cutting waste, increasing efficiency and pioneering new product and package material substrates are great places to start." Your comments remind me that there is plenty of green opportunity for marketers and our companies whether it's green technology, design, manufacturing, packaging and more. There is ample opportunity for "business growth", but some companies and countries have a good headstart. It's possible to arrive at the party and find the punchbowl dry or missing. Ted, thank you for commenting. You said, “Since 70% of our economy in the U.S. is concerned with the manufacture, packaging and marketing consumer products, there are many things that can be done. Cutting waste, increasing efficiency and pioneering new product and package material substrates are great places to start.”
Your comments remind me that there is plenty of green opportunity for marketers and our companies whether it’s green technology, design, manufacturing, packaging and more. There is ample opportunity for “business growth”, but some companies and countries have a good headstart. It’s possible to arrive at the party and find the punchbowl dry or missing.

]]> By: Paul http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-43524 Paul Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:50:19 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/#comment-43524 Stephen, thank you for taking time to comment on this column. Fuel cell and battery 'design' may be coming from Western countries, but lithium/niCAD battery manufacturing in China is catching up to Japan and now accounts for 40% of world battery production. And as you know, in many regards China is making inroads in design of green technologies. You made some other compelling points about how "green technology is a complex issue." Indeed so, and a company does not jump into the green economy lightly. That said, as marketers look towards "blue oceans" of opportunity for their companies; "green" always seems compelling. That is, until they find out that someone's already been swimming in that new market space and has a significant headstart! Stephen, thank you for taking time to comment on this column. Fuel cell and battery ‘design’ may be coming from Western countries, but lithium/niCAD battery manufacturing in China is catching up to Japan and now accounts for 40% of world battery production. And as you know, in many regards China is making inroads in design of green technologies.
You made some other compelling points about how “green technology is a complex issue.” Indeed so, and a company does not jump into the green economy lightly. That said, as marketers look towards “blue oceans” of opportunity for their companies; “green” always seems compelling. That is, until they find out that someone’s already been swimming in that new market space and has a significant headstart!

]]> By: Neil Anuskiewicz http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-43523 Neil Anuskiewicz Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:35:20 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/#comment-43523 Necessity is the mother of invention: The Chinese are choking themselves on carbon. The U.S. has the innovation lead at the moment but it will require a full court press to maintain that. Frankly, that means government incentives or we are at a significant disadvantage. Industrial policy has become a dirty word but with 10% unemployment and a denuded manufacturing base, I think we might find it back in the lexicon soon. The U.S. needs to maintain its innovation edge but we also need to make things here again. Let's hope we can do this in an orderly way through the floating of the Yuan rather than a de facto rebound because the dollar drops so much. Necessity is the mother of invention: The Chinese are choking themselves on carbon.
The U.S. has the innovation lead at the moment but it will require a full court press to maintain that. Frankly, that means government incentives or we are at a significant disadvantage.
Industrial policy has become a dirty word but with 10% unemployment and a denuded manufacturing base, I think we might find it back in the lexicon soon.
The U.S. needs to maintain its innovation edge but we also need to make things here again. Let’s hope we can do this in an orderly way through the floating of the Yuan rather than a de facto rebound because the dollar drops so much.

]]> By: Ted Mininni http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-43522 Ted Mininni Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:08:19 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/#comment-43522 Paul, I'm no expert on green technology, but it seems to me numerous countries' governments are incentivizing scientist, engineers and designers around the globe to push for solutions. In Europe, for example, the Germans are pioneering many new green technologies. I like what Stephen has said in his comments. All companies and all marketers can take steps that lead to sustainability. As a package design firm principal, I write about this frequently. Since 70% of our economy in the U.S. is concerned with the manufacture, packaging and marketing consumer products, there are many things that can be done. Cutting waste, increasing efficiency and pioneering new product and package material substrates are great places to start. Operating more environmentally offices and plants also help. Every company and every household can intentionally choose to cut down on waste, cut energy use, recycle more, reuse containers, etc. What a difference purposeful thinking would make! Paul,
I’m no expert on green technology, but it seems to me numerous countries’ governments are incentivizing scientist, engineers and designers around the globe to push for solutions. In Europe, for example, the Germans are pioneering many new green technologies.
I like what Stephen has said in his comments. All companies and all marketers can take steps that lead to sustainability. As a package design firm principal, I write about this frequently. Since 70% of our economy in the U.S. is concerned with the manufacture, packaging and marketing consumer products, there are many things that can be done. Cutting waste, increasing efficiency and pioneering new product and package material substrates are great places to start. Operating more environmentally offices and plants also help. Every company and every household can intentionally choose to cut down on waste, cut energy use, recycle more, reuse containers, etc. What a difference purposeful thinking would make!

]]> By: Stephen Denny http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/comment-page-1/#comment-43521 Stephen Denny Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:12:46 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/new-markets-too-late-for-green-technology/#comment-43521 Paul: The problem with looking to "green technology" for marketers is that this isn't something one casually steps into. Perhaps "sustainability" is the better word to look at for marketers in terms of packaging, product design and lifecycle management. As for "green technology" itself, there are centers of excellence in a number of places at this point. China leads the world in solar *manufacturing,* but not necessarily PVC cell design. Fuel cells - very much a here and now decentralized technology for electricity production and grid support - is very much a US centric industry. The larger problem is that none of these technologies produce electricity even close to the efficiency of fossil fuels, and are often many times the cost per kW hour. This doesn't make shareholders happy. In addition, many have unhappy side effects that are anything but "green" - no one wants wind in their back yard, or the miles of power lines that have to cut through national parks (and that same back yard, courtesy of eminent domain), etc. Green tech is a complex issue. Brands invest when they see both the branding ("green is important to our customers and to our brand, therefore we power our facilities with ultra-clean 1MW fuel cells") and the business case ("we get 24/7 power generation at grid parity, and also re-use the solvent fumes/bio refuse/etc from our manufacturing processes, too"). One or the other rarely makes the cut. Regards. Paul:
The problem with looking to “green technology” for marketers is that this isn’t something one casually steps into. Perhaps “sustainability” is the better word to look at for marketers in terms of packaging, product design and lifecycle management.
As for “green technology” itself, there are centers of excellence in a number of places at this point. China leads the world in solar *manufacturing,* but not necessarily PVC cell design. Fuel cells – very much a here and now decentralized technology for electricity production and grid support – is very much a US centric industry.
The larger problem is that none of these technologies produce electricity even close to the efficiency of fossil fuels, and are often many times the cost per kW hour. This doesn’t make shareholders happy. In addition, many have unhappy side effects that are anything but “green” – no one wants wind in their back yard, or the miles of power lines that have to cut through national parks (and that same back yard, courtesy of eminent domain), etc.
Green tech is a complex issue. Brands invest when they see both the branding (“green is important to our customers and to our brand, therefore we power our facilities with ultra-clean 1MW fuel cells”) and the business case (“we get 24/7 power generation at grid parity, and also re-use the solvent fumes/bio refuse/etc from our manufacturing processes, too”). One or the other rarely makes the cut.
Regards.

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