Every month, GER assembles a list of the top ten players in green energy. Some of the rankings are counterintuitive, especially the players who oppose green energy initiatives. But these rankings are based on the players’ influence over green energy policy and their ability to move the debate.
Other factors in the rankings include industry and popular support for their positions, access to capital to fund innovation and the success of their ventures.
10: George Soros, Chairman Soros Fund Management
Last month, George Soros, the New York financier who broke the Bank of England (and reaped $1 billion doing it) said he plans invest $1 billion in green energy.
His spokesman told GER that he’s not starting an energy company but will likely step in as an early stage investor in ventures that he says are “profitable” (there are not a lot of those) and “actually make a contribution to solving the [climate change] problem.”
Soros is joining a growing list of green billionaires including Virgin’s Richard Branson, Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page or oil man-turned-wind-developer T.Boone Pickens. So far, Soros is keeping his cards close to his vest and not divulging where he’ll put his money. Once he does, investors will take note.
9: The State of Vermont
Vermont has always stood out for its independent streak.
For a brief time, it was an independent republic (1777-1791) and was first to send an unabashed Socialist to Congress. So it was no surprise when in May Vermont enacted the country’s first state-wide feed-in tariff system. The program officially opened last month and the response has been overwhelming.
On the first day of enrollment the state received some 200 applications, representing 172 megawatts of solar PV generation capacity, way above the 100 megawatts the state currently produces from renewables. One consultant told Vermont Public Radio that the state expected to get applications for some 12 megawatts of solar generation capacity. Read More »
