Catalyzing Innovations that Matter
This is Part II of a multi-part series on why we should get serious about launching a green bank in Georgia. If you missed Part I, you can find it here.
Green banks are specialized not-for-profit organizations dedicated to funding the growth of businesses leading the low-carbon transition. The name “green bank” is misleading as they operate much more like community development financial institutions (CDFI). Created in 1994 by … read more
At Invested Development, we invest in companies with products and services aimed at solving global energy poverty as access to energy impacts almost all other aspects development. Below are recent articles highlighting the role that energy plays in the development of emerging markets. Microgrids Life Villages Out of Dark Age by Megha Bahree on Nikkei Asian Review Our portfolio company, Simpa Networks, based in India, is playing a crucial role in bridging the “power … read more
As solar falls in price, innovators see opportunities to create off-grid energy solutions for the millions without access to power. Entrepreneurs have identified ways to leverage these technologies to build businesses addressing energy access in emerging markets. This week’s articles take a look into recent developments in the market. Why solar costs will fall another 40% in just two years by Giles Parkinson on Renew Economy The World Energy Future Conference took place in Abu … read more
Access to clean, affordable energy for the rural poor is an issue that we are actively trying to solve. Solar power is a great solution, but solar products often have large up-front costs and the rural population can be skeptical about purchasing technologies they know little about. Entrepreneurs are taking the initiative to overcome these obstacles by creating innovative financing models or technical solutions such as integrating pay-as-you-go technologies with solar products, notably our own … read more
Renewable energy solutions continue to contribute to solving the world’s energy crisis. Below are recent articles highlighting recent news and developments in the space.
Renewable Energy Capacity Grows at Fastest Ever Pace Terry Macalister on The Guardian
A recent report by the International Energy Agency revealed that renewable power capacity grew at its strongest ever pace last year and now produces 22% of the world’s electricity. More than $250 billion was invested in “green” generating … read more
Momentum gathers in Power Africa initiative on BiztechAfrica
Standard Bank Group has renewed its commitment to the Power Africa Initiative, a multi-stakeholder project driven by US President Barack Obama. The Initiative aims to double power access in Africa by accelerating investments in the sector over the next five years.
The six initial partner countries are Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Tanzania. Each have set ambitious goals to boost their power generating capacity to enhance … read more
Last week, we wrote about the importance of connectivity in education in Africa. In this post, we’ll focus on a solution that our portfolio company SolarNow provides. When it comes to education, electricity is critical for reading lights, internet connectivity, as well as for a wide variety of education technologies that schools can use to improve their outcomes. SolarNow is working to provide these key ingredients for improved education by designing PV solar systems … read more
Most of the developing world finds itself in an energy crisis, with little to no access to the grid or unreliable power supply for those with access. The portion of the world with reliable energy on the other hand wastes billions of dollars worth of watts every year. The articles below discuss each of these energy problems and outline solutions that could save money while providing more.
Of the more than 1.4 billion individuals in the world lacking access to clean energy, the majority of them live in developing countries. There are many efforts going towards developing off-grid energy solutions, but the majority require financing to scale. The following articles detail some recent developments that are attempting to address this issue.
$2m for off-grid renewable energy in Myanmar by Priyanka Shrestha on Energy Live News
The potential for renewable energy use in … read more
Over 1.4 billion people in the world do not have access to electricity, and most of them live in developing countries. Solar energy represents a great opportunity to combat energy poverty by providing clean, affordable energy to all. The following articles detail recent developments, goals, and new technologies in solar energy.
Will SunFunder Unlock $1 Billion in Off-Grid Solar Venture Debt? by Justin Guay on The Energy Collective
One of the big success factors for … read more
Here at ID, we are always excited to learn about innovative developments in the energy sector, specifically in off-grid technologies. In emerging markets especially, there is a real need for efficient, alternative energy products. The following articles detail recent some developments that will help to address this issue.
Calling all energy grid startups for this Hawaiian accelerator’s next program by Katie Fehrenbacher on GigaOm
Hawaii’s Energy Excelerator announced that it will soon be opening applications … read more
At ID, we’re interested in the growing “Internet of Things” (IoT) trend, especially in the energy and agriculture sectors. In energy, IoT allows for remote monitoring and management of pay-as-you-go and other smart grid systems. In agriculture, it can give farmers fast insight on their crops and livestock without having to physically inspect them. This week, we’re highlighting examples in the news of both applications and a glimpse at the technology development.
This week we focused our reading on the benefits and use of clean energy. By 2030, the United Nations aims to double energy efficiency and renewable energy worldwide and declared this decade one of Sustainable Energy For All. Over 1.4 billion people lack access to basic electricity, 95% of which live in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. We are always looking for innovative technologies that can resolve the energy access gap.
Invested Development Invests in Growing Energy Labs, Inc. (GELI) to Move the Networked Energy Storage Industry Forward
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2013
Boston, MA & San Francisco, CA – Invested Development (ID), a seed-stage investment fund manager, has invested in Growing Energy Labs, Inc. (GELI), an innovative startup developing software for energy storage. GELI’s software integrates, networks, and economically operates energy storage, dramatically increasing the opportunity to bring alternative energy solutions mainstream.
GELI’s Energy … read more
We are always looking out for our next investments for the BSP Fund. Here are some of the stories that caught our attention in the renewable energy field this week.
The green transformation is under way by Thomas Kerr and Brindusa Fidanza on World Economic Forum
Resource scarcity and climate change are becoming more prevalent issues for policymakers, including those at the recent World Economic Forum. Policymakers are aware of the need to implement … read more
We are always keeping an eye on the latest innovations in alternative energy and waste management for the BSP Fund. Here are some of the stories that caught our interest this week.
Bloomberg Plan Aims to Require Food Composting by Mireya Navarro on The New York Times
Mayor Bloomberg is piloting food waste recycling programs in New York City. While the programs are currently voluntary, many city officials hope to make them mandatory within … read more
We are always keeping an eye on the latest innovations in the alternative and clean energy sectors for the BSP Fund. Here are some of the stories that caught our interest this week.
Tackling Africa’s power poverty with renewable energy by Kristine Pearson on The World Economic Forum
The topic of sustainable methods of alternative energy is becoming increasingly common in development talks. The recent World Economic Forum on Africa, held in Cape Town, … read more
This week we’re featuring news on energy, including breakthroughs from innovators and commentary on how this type of innovation is needed to meet the growing energy demand in Africa.
“A quiet breakthrough in geothermal power tech” by Katie Fehrenbacher on GigaOM
As we frequently mention on this blog, we like to keep tabs on innovation breakthroughs in renewable energy. Although we haven’t invested in a geothermal tech, we like to learn about those … read more
Washington, D.C. (January 4, 2013) –The United Nations Foundation today commended the United Nations General Assembly for its recent declaration of the Decade of Sustainable Energy for All, 2014-2024. The Decade of Sustainable Energy for All will make access to sustainable energy a continuing priority on the global development agenda.
“Sustainable energy is essential to achieving sustainable development and meeting our goals as a global community,” said United Nations Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth. “By … read more
As alternative energy investors, we’re monitoring trends, innovations, business models, and costs for 2013. Read on to learn what GigaOM, The Guardian, Next Billion, and CleanTechnica have to say.
“The 10 best and worst things to happen to clean in 2012” by Katie Fehrenbacher on GigaOM
Katie Fehrenbacher closes out the year at GigaOM with her list of the best and worst trends in clean tech in 2012. Some are company-specific, but are … read more
ID’s investment focus on alternative energy solutions includes not only renewable energies like solar, but also innovative ways to store energy. Energy storage technologies have the potential to radically transform the global energy landscape in the coming years, helping to solve key issues for integration and deployment of renewable energy systems. The technologies are crucial both in developed and developing markets and present an exciting opportunity for innovation. This post will discuss the role of … read more
We’re always looking for entrepreneurs who are willing to tackle the challenge of making alternative energy affordable. This week, we’re sharing news on others also looking for ways to make the cost of energy affordable around the world.
“Powering Up: Innovating to Solve the Cost of Energy in Africa” by Will Mutua on Afrinnovator
Despite the discovery and availability of oil and gas across Africa, nations are still struggling to meet their populations’ … read more
Several energy startups and entrepreneurial initiatives caught our attention this week. Here’s the round up of what we found intriguing and exciting.
“Peter Thiel, Khosla, Bill Gates back air energy storage startup LightSail” by Katie Fehrenbacher on GigaOM
Several investors have backed LightSail in a $37.3 million series D round. LightSail has designed a next-gen compressed air energy storage technology, which is essentially an air-based battery with twice the efficiency of its predecessors. … read more
This week’s headlines on energy are particularly exciting: we love to learn about innovative energy technologies. Even better, we’re glad to see that they’re earning support in the markets that will benefit the most from the innovation.… read more
The Economist, the International Energy Agency, and the World Economic Forum, and the Indian government each advocated for innovation in alternative energy technologies this week. Continue reading to find out what they said.… read more