Innovation and inspiration were the hallmarks of the Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase held Tuesday at Sacramento State’s University Union. Nearly 800 attendees packed the day long conference and expo to be inspired by leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs in clean tech speaking to the conference theme, “Building on Success: New Opportunities Ahead.” The latest innovations in solar, wind, biofuel, and energy-efficient technologies were on display in the exhibit hall and on Serna Plaza. The event, organized by SARTA’s CleanStart, and presented by SMUD and Sacramento State among other sponsors, brought together the region’s most influential leaders in renewable energy and environmental techno

Congresswoman Doris Matsui is a featured speaker at the 4th Annual Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase on October 26th at Sacramento State. Organized by SARTA (Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance) as part of its CleanStart initiative, over 700 people are expected to attend this all day event. More than 40 speakers are included in the program and many of the region's clean tech companies are among the 80 exhibitors. Congresswoman Matsui will share the federal perspective during the opening session, “Bold Visions For the Sacramento Region.” Matsui represents Sacramento in the U.S. Congress and serves on the Energy & Commerce and Committee. She has crafted and helped pass legislation tha

U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui toured a Sacramento-based global leader in prismatic skylight technology Wednesday to spotlight the area's emerging clean energy industry. Matsui also used the visit to Sunoptics' South Sacramento manufacturing complex to focus on the need for federal and local support of green technology and manufacturing, and the jobs that come with it. Sunoptics' newest technology, which combines reflected LED lights with skylights, is currently being demonstrated at an energy conference at the Pentagon. Clean tech companies like Sunoptics can help the country's economy and the environment, she said. "We need the jobs to be here," she said. "With companies like this, we're goin

Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) hosted a first of its kind forum at the Sacramento State Alumni Center for local clean technology companies to explore federal funding opportunities with representatives from the Administration. Joined by prominent representatives from the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, and the Export-Import Bank, Rep. Matsui’s event highlighted Federal programs that businesses can apply for to promote the use of clean technology, bolster the clean energy industry, increase exports of American-made clean energy products, and reduce both energy consumption and costs for consumers and businesses. ‪‪ “As our regional economy continues to rec

Mayor Kevin Johnson proposed his green initiative plans to the public during a press conference Tuesday afternoon at the California Museum. The long-term goal of the plan is to make Sacramento known as the national green leader in economic and environmentally friendly usages. His vision: to transform the region into "Emerald Valley." "(California is) a state where dreams are made," Johnson said. "I strongly believe Sacramento can be the national leader in the green movement." Around 300 attendees packed the conference room and were from all walks of life, varying from media to general public. The majority of those in attendance were supportive of the plan. "I am a very economically caut

Today I introduced the Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2010 to boost the competiveness of U.S. clean technology industry in the U.S. and international marketplace.  This will have an enormous impact on the Sacramento region, and help further the region’s progress toward becoming a clean-tech capital. The bill is co-sponsored by leading Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including House Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush (D-IL), Chairman Emeritus John D. Dingell (D-MI), and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA). Currently, our nation’s clean tech industry is lagging behind many of its international competit

Who is Ted and why is he so popular? The nearly 200 people who attended Sacramento’s inaugural TEDx conference last night at Hinde Auditorium at Sac State discovered that “what is TED?” is the better question. TED is a nonprofit devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading.” It started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from three worlds--Technology, Entertainment, and Design--and now its scope has become ever broader. Since the launch of the TEDx program only six months ago, thousands of individuals have gathered to enjoy independently organized TEDx events. Last night, Sacramento made local history with its first TEDx conference. TEDx Sacramento curator Brandon Weber, co-owner of

The biggest solar power plant in the country will be built in West Sacramento, after a Spanish solar development company chose the city for its U.S. headquarters, the company confirmed Monday. West Sacramento and its port, where the plant will be located, beat Oakland to grab the new national headquarters of Otras Producciones de Energia Fotovoltaico. The company develops solar power plants and manufactures the tracking systems solar panels are mounted on. The company's subsidiary, OPDE U.S. Corp., officially began operating on March 1 in a roughly 70,000-square-foot building at 1430 Enterprise Blvd. in West Sacramento. But OPDE isn't coming here alone. It's bringing along two more subsi

Sacramento led the state in green job growth in 2008, with an increase in green jobs of 87% between 1995 and 2008, reports Many Shades of Green: Diversity and Distribution of California’s Green Jobs. This report was released by nonpartisan Next 10 and Collaborative Economics, and provides the most comprehensive green jobs accounting to date, systematically tracking the most recent available data on green companies, job type, location and growth across every sector and region of California. There are other positive indicators in the Sacramento region that we are on our way to becoming the clean tech capital of the state. In its annual CleanStart Progress report, SARTA identified over $130

U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui launched a collaboration Friday in an effort to make Sacramento the nation's clean-tech capital. The impetus: $127.5 million the U.S. Department of Energy awarded to Sacramento Municipal Utility District and local partners last fall to install a regional smart electric grid system. The grid collects electricity use information from generation to consumption and makes that available via the Internet. Local green-sector businesses, organizations, academics and government agencies now must team up to figure out how to use the federal funding as venture capital to stimulate economic growth through clean-tech initiatives and green energy projects, said Matsui, who repre

This Tuesday, clean tech players from around the region will gather to discuss the latest industry buzz at CleanStart’s PowerSurge networking mixer at McClellan Park. The event includes a tour of Technikon’s Renewable Energy Testing Center (RETC) as well as several other clean tech businesses located in McClellan Park. Featured speakers include Robert Weisenmiller,  who was recently appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger as one of the five commissioners for the California Energy Commission (CEC) and Kristine Mazzei, partner at Valley Vision, a nonprofit association working to secure the social, environmental and economic health of the Sacramento Region. "The Sacramento Region's clean techn

While winning grant monies in the private industry sector sometimes seems impossible, a number of technology companies in the Sacramento region have recently won government grants to help fund research and underwrite programs. For example, in September, Renewable Energy Institute International received a $20 million economic stimulus grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a pilot biorefinery to turn crop and wood waste into diesel fuel. In October, Insera Therapeutics was awarded a $150,000 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that they will use to develop the industry's first clot-specific catheter-based platform f

The Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase keynote speaker Daniel Sperling is an internationally-renowned expert on transportation, energy and sustainability issues. In December he co-authored the book Two Billion Cars which projects that within 20 years the number of motor vehicles on the planet will double from its current total of one billion due primarily to growth in India and China. Sperling is a Professor of Engineering and Environmental Science & Policy at the University of California, Davis, and Founding Director of the university's Institute of Transportation Studies. He also serves on the California Air Resources Board, chairs the Future of Mobility Council of the Davos World Economic