Showcase of New Technology Highlights Texas’ Green- and cleantech Future AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The inaugural Clean Energy Venture Summit drew an eye-opening 400 attendants, making it the largest clean-tech summit to be held in Texas. It was sponsored by the Clean Energy Incubator and Austin Energy. Top green- and clean-tech visionaries from across the country discussed new technologies and explored efforts by local companies to make Texas the renewable energy leader for the 21st century. Summit topics included the utility of the future, green buildings, clean transportation and the smart grid. Speakers included James Woolsey, former director of the CIA, who discussed clean transportation solutions such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and Gary Cowger, group vice president of General Motors. He talked about the Big Three automakers’ participation in the United States Climate Action Partnership and how businesses and environmental organizations have come together to pressure the federal government to enact legislation to require reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson presented statistics on the future of windmills in the Gulf of Mexico. He outlined how the near-constant breezes and access to excellent power transmission lines create an almost ideal situation for producing renewable electricity with no carbon output. “The overwhelming support of this conference highlights the public and private efforts to find solutions for America’s dependence on foreign energy and growing carbon footprint as Texas enters a new age of energy leadership,” said Joel Serface, director of the Clean Energy Incubator and conference organizer. “These technologies have global applicability and are of great interest to consumers, utilities and investors.” An exciting first for the industry was a competition in which 20 start-up companies presented their products and services for an opportunity to be accepted into the Clean Energy Incubator, a chance to collaborate with Austin Energy, Austin’s electric utility, and garner venture funding from a group of leading venture capitalists in attendance. “There is a lot of interest in conservation, clean-tech and reclaimed building materials as a way to reduce overall consumption costs,” said Tom Watson, founder of AccuWater. “The summit allowed some of the best new technologies the opportunity to present to industry leaders and leading investors. It has also been a way to get the attention of end consumers.”
