Happy 2010, folks. Figured after the break I’d kick off the year with a list of things I was hoping to see in 2009 but, sadly, didn’t see.

Might as well get talk of EEStor out of the way. The introduction of 2010 was another missed deadline for ZENN Motor, the Toronto-based electric car company that was expecting Texas-based EEStor to deliver its first commercial EESU. As readers of this blog know, the EESU is supposed to be a disruptive energy-storage device based on a new type of ultracapacitor made of barium titanate. Missed deadlines are nothing new for EEStor and ZENN, so I don’t think anyone was entirely surprised. We could just as well hear a positive announcement this week, since it makes no sense for ZENN to announce news during the holiday break. So while I’m disappointed, I continue to be as curious and hopeful as I was last year. That said, I’m more disengaged than ever with this story. Really, there’s no point in speculating. The news will come when it comes, or it won’t. Meanwhile, there’s a lot of other cool and potentially groundbreaking stuff going on in the world of energy storage and green technologies in general.

Of course, I’m disappointed that Canada is stonewalling action on climate change. Our federal government refused last year to sign the country up to the newly created International Renewable Energy Agency. It has failed to move forward on its so-called climate strategy, which itself is insufficient. It has failed to extend its successful EcoEnergy program for renewables and has not signalled its intent to do so, even though the program has run out of funding. It has left Sustainable Development Technology Canada in the dark about its future funding, which runs out early this year. It has failed to embrace the potential of geothermal power in the west. It embarrassed the country during the Copenhagen talks. And it has put Alberta’s and Saskatchewan’s fossil fuel industries — and the profits of the companies behind it — ahead of the interests of all Canadians, while at the same time failing to recognize the economic opportunities of green-energy development and energy efficiency.

I’m disappointed that Canadian banks have been more interested in looking green and less interested in supporting green ideas with their financial heft. A vice-president of operations at one of these institutions admitted as much to me – the consistent reluctance of banks to see opportunity in green-energy development projects, even when many of these projects have snagged long-term power purchase agreements and are therefore low risk. Why does a wind developer in Toronto have to rely on capital from Germany or the United States or the Middle East when the future revenue flow from a project is pretty much guaranteed by an agency of Ontario? The executive told me the one main reason: Canadian banks, already more conservative than their European and American peers, simply aren’t familiar with doing these kinds of deals, while the European and U.S. banks have gained more experience and comfort with the sector. Maybe it’s time to climb the learning curve.

The reluctance of the government — federal and Ontario — to consider the issuance of green bonds has also been frustrating. Issuing a couple of billion dollars in green bonds would give citizens a stable investment that would also raise money for local green infrastructure projects, such as an electric high-speed train from downtown Toronto to Pearson Airport, or between Toronto and Montreal. Such funds could also be set aside as loan guarantees for renewable energy developers, which have struggled to convince our risk-adverse banks (see previous point) to supply debt capital to large projects.

Finally — okay, I could go on and on, but have to draw the line somewhere — I’m disappointed that the vast majority of the planet still doesn’t get climate change, in part because of an orchestrated disinformation campaign by certain lobby groups intent on spreading confusion as a way to delay action. I’m disappointed that a 10-second radio or TV soundbite from a scientific nobody can persuade Joe and Jane Public that climate change isn’t a problem, our problem, or anything we can prevent. I’m disappointed that many people truly believe we can continue to open up the earth and release the carbon in fossil fuels without any dire long-term consequences, direct or indirect, to our species; that there’s a significant portion of the population who believe Sarah Palin more than Barack Obama on the facts about climate change. Every now and then I watch this video from Carl Sagan to remind me of what’s at stake.

Now, I don’t mean to be negative, you know. I truly believe that a lot of good happened in 2009 that will set a positive tone for 2010 and beyond, and I’m convinced we’re heading in the right direction — even if it’s too slow and half-hearted. This, to me, will be a decade of profound change — a make or break decade that will determine the future for my kids and your kids, and their kids.

Personally, I’m positioning myself to play an even more active role in effecting this change. I’ll keep you all posted as things evolve. All the best in the year ahead. Good health, and much happiness.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 at 6:06 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.