Investing in Emerging Markets with Consumer Protection in Mind
May 18, 2015 4 min. read

The concept of the fair market and protection for consumers is based on the idea that inefficient and corrupt practices by large private companies and wayward government officials increases the cost to the consumers and the public.

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Siemens Says: No New Nukes
September 19, 2011 2 min. read

Siemens, the German industrial giant, is, like the installation they created, picture above, a superstar.  Peter Löscher, recently reappointed as CEO, has been driving the renewables end of their business relentlessly, seeing nothing but upside. Siemens has made a big move in announcing its total withdrawal from the nuclear power business.  Siemens Abandoning Nuclear Power […]

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Al Gore Speaks (Some) Truth to Power
June 28, 2011 7 min. read

There’s been a fair bit of fur flying as a result of Al Gore’s recent article in Rolling Stone:  Climate of Denial.  Most of the controversy centers around the fact that Gore calls out President Obama for not doing enough on climate change – not using his “bully pulpit.”  More about that tack in a […]

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Big New Renewable Energy Initiatives
October 26, 2010 2 min. read

There is yet more headline news on the renewable energy front.  On offshore wind, I’ve been noting some of the positive developments in several of the last posts.  Go-ahead for wind to generate 70,000 jobs in Britain is the word from the FT.  General Electric, Gamesa and Siemens all announced plans to build big new […]

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The Technology-Driven Economy
February 5, 2010 2 min. read

In a story yesterday in the “NY Times” about the Europeans upgrading their factories – and saving jobs while doing it – a Siemens operation in Berlin was highlighted.  Because of the commitment by this 163-year-old company to sustainability, they have spent $700 million to develop new, low carbon turbines.  The kicker for me comes […]

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Crackdown on BAE
February 3, 2010 2 min. read

Last week the UK’s Serious Fraud Office brought bribery charges against an agent of British defense contractor BAE. These are the first criminal charges to be brought against a company that has been under investigation for more than five years. The status of BAE is highly contentious. Unlike Siemens, another major company accused of bribery, […]

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Those pesky Americans
January 13, 2010 3 min. read

There was a time when a bribe to obtain a driver’s license was corruption, but a bribe to obtain a contract was just business. No longer. Companies around the world are now paying attention not just to the practices of their own employees, but to those of their subsidiaries and partners. And most of the […]

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More State of Play – Renewables and Efficiency Division
November 19, 2009 3 min. read

Several recent posts here have looked at the state of play leading up to the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).   I’ve been generally optimistic about prospects – although the title of my last post may belie that.  There are several reasons why I’m […]

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Solar Notes
October 17, 2009 2 min. read

I’ve been irremediably optimistic about renewables for some time.  Here are just a few more reasons why: Army to Build Out 500 MW of Solar in the Mojave – I recently pointed out where the world’s solar hotspots are.  No surprise to find the Mojave is among them.  So, as Reuters reports here, the US […]

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A Rushing Mighty Wind
March 16, 2009 4 min. read

“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”  I don’t mean to get Biblical on you, but that describes the sensation I’m getting these days.  If you prefer Bobby Dylan, then how about “You don’t need a weatherman to […]

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