As Rod Oram wrote in his Sunday Star Times column of August 24, the world has begun “historic shifts in technology, economics and politics” to deal with the impacts of climate change and one spin-off is the emerging market for clean technology.
A handful of fledgling local clean technology players were on hand at last week’s Climate Change and Business conference in Auckland to outline the opportunities that exist in this industry. Their ambitious plans for clean technology and reflections on the science of alternative energy production are summed up in the podcasts below.
PODCASTS:
Crest Energy
Crest Energy director Nick Eady on harnessing tidal power in the Kaipara Harbour using his company’s marine turbines.
[audio:https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/wp-content/upload/2008/11/crestenergy1.mp3]Lanzatech
Lanzatech founder Dr Sean Simpson outlines technology that takes flue gases from factories and uses bacteria to turn it into ethanol for biofuel. Lanzatech recently won $12 million in government funding to undertake research and development.
[audio:https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/wp-content/upload/2008/11/lanzatech.mp3]
Aquaflow
Aquaflow’s Nick Gerritson on converting wild algae harvested from sewage ponds into biofuels and the challenges of finding capital as a research-intensive start-up.
[audio:https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/wp-content/upload/2008/11/aquaflow.mp3]