Election Predictions for Cleantech and Carbon in a Post Obama World

On November 5, 2008, in Blog, by Neal Dikeman

At the risk of sounding like I’m flip flopping, here are the top 5 reasons tonight’s election results mean lots of money for cleantech investors (and, unfortunately, my pocket).

1. An Illinois President and Democratic Congress equals good odds for corn ethanol and a Renewable Fuels Standard.

2. Think massive subsidies, loan guarantees and R&D funding for alternative energy (assuming our government has any money left in it’s pocket book).

3. CAFE standards are going up.

4. We can stop worrying about losing the wind and solar tax credits, and maybe get a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard.

5. And finally, strange bedfellows - Think McCain-Lieberman leading the swing votes in the Senate and an Obama led White House delivering our climate change legislation.

Good luck and God bless us all.

Neal Dikeman is a partner at cleantech merchant bank Jane Capital Partners, CEO of Carbonflow, and the Chairman of Cleantech.org.

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About the author

Neal Dikeman

Neal is a founding partner of Jane Capital Partners LLC, a cleantech merchant bank whose clients have included the technology arms of multinational energy companies. He has served as a director of several technology companies, is chief blogger for Cleantech Blog, named one of the 50 Best Business Blogs by the London Times, and chairs industry portal Cleantech.org. He is currently the Chairman of Jane Capital’s recently acquired Greenhome.com operating company, the original ecommerce ecostore. He is a cofounder and director of venture backed carbon IT startup Carbonflow, a Jane Capital spin-out in SaaS worfklow for the carbon markets where he served as founding CEO and raised the first two rounds of finance. Prior to that he cofounded Jane Capital spin-out SC Power Systems, Inc. and its successor Zenergy Power plc (AIM:ZEN) in superconductor technology for the power grid, helped launch WaiterPad POS Systems, Inc. in wireless hospitality POS solutions, and led the spin-out of Fideris, Inc. in fuel cell test & measurement. He previously served as Director of Business Development for Globalgate, the parent company of Yellowpages.com, and as an associate at private equity fund manager Doyle & Boissiere. Before entering private equity, he began his career in energy investment banking at Bankers Trust, and has a B.A. from Texas A&M University.

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5 Responses to Election Predictions for Cleantech and Carbon in a Post Obama World

Stephen Hodgdon says:

November 5, 2008 at 1:56 pm

Not sure your corn ethanol point is something to celebrate.- steve

Reply
Eric says:

November 6, 2008 at 7:57 am

Your fifth point was a great one. Maybe Sen. McCain will go back to the man we knew and loved in 2000 and help America move forward .www.goinggreenaccidently.blogspot.com

Reply
Dennis Markatos-Sori says:

November 21, 2008 at 2:48 am

Good call, Neal- Politically, things couldn't be much better aligned (especially with Waxman taking power in the House Energy & Commerce Committee today). But the low price of oil (just fell below $50) will be tough to compete with for REs for the next several months. Some consolidation and slicing of all fat will hopefully make our sector fitter in late 2009 when our global economy will hopefully be ready to deploy them. Other exciting news: US GHG emissions are poised to drop 2.5% in 2008! See details at http://setenergy.org/2008/11/13/a-banner-year-for… Dennis of Sustainable Energy Transition http://www.setenergy.org

Reply
Dennis Markatos-Sori says:

November 21, 2008 at 2:48 am

Good call, Neal- Politically, things couldn't be much better aligned (especially with Waxman taking power in the House Energy & Commerce Committee today). But the low price of oil (just fell below $50) will be tough to compete with for REs for the next several months. Some consolidation and slicing of all fat will hopefully make our sector fitter in late 2009 when our global economy will hopefully be ready to deploy them. Other exciting news: US GHG emissions are poised to drop 2.5% in 2008! See details at http://setenergy.org/2008/11/13/a-banner-year-for… Dennis of Sustainable Energy Transition http://www.setenergy.org

Reply
Dennis Markatos-Sori says:

November 21, 2008 at 2:48 am

Good call, Neal- Politically, things couldn't be much better aligned (especially with Waxman taking power in the House Energy & Commerce Committee today). But the low price of oil (just fell below $50) will be tough to compete with for REs for the next several months. Some consolidation and slicing of all fat will hopefully make our sector fitter in late 2009 when our global economy will hopefully be ready to deploy them. Other exciting news: US GHG emissions are poised to drop 2.5% in 2008! See details at http://setenergy.org/2008/11/13/a-banner-year-for… Dennis of Sustainable Energy Transition http://www.setenergy.org

Reply