Smart Grid Gets New Player, New Green Jobs

AutoGrid, a green start-up, officially launched its smart grid data analysis software with $9 million in funding.

What is the smart-grid?

AutoGrid Systems, a "smart grid" start-up officially launched its "big data" analysis software to help optimize the electric grid.

AutoGrid also announced that it has signed agreements with 2 large customers: the City of Palo Alto Utilities and the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District.

AutoGrid has so far raised $9 million from Foundation Capital, Voyager Capital and Stanford University. It has also obtained $5 million worth of contracts from the U.S. Department of Energy's ARPA-E research agency and the California Energy Commission.

Economic Policy Institute Upbeat on Green Jobs

New report by the Economic Policy Institute paints positive picture of the green economy and green jobs.

A new briefing paper by Ethan Pollack of the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) titled "Counting up to Green: Assessing the green economy and its implications for growth and equity", paints a positive outlook for the green economy and its potential to create green jobs.

Assessing the size of the green economy and the number of green jobs remains an important issue. Various slightly different definitions of green jobs make it difficult to accurately count the number of green jobs, and size the green economy.

The US Government's Bureau of Labor Statistics published its own definition in Sept, 2010, and several Think Tanks have also published their own, most notably the Pew Charitable Trusts, and The Brookings Institution.

25 Green Startups Changing the Way We Do Business

A commitment to sustainability is becoming an increasingly important part of modern business operating models, as consumers demand products and services that are not only high-quality but that also reduce their impact on the environment.

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Recurrent Energy Continues US Hires Despite Trouble at Parent Sharp

Sharp Corp, deeply in the red, has recently announced that it will cut almost 11,000 jobs (or 18% of its workforce) around the World, and sell many assets. The asset sale may include Recurrent Energy that it bought in 2010 for $305 Million.

Rumor has it that Sharp hopes to get $312 Million for Recurrent Energy, a US solar farm developer. Recurrent is itself in good financial shape, with almost $2 billion in project finance commitments from third parties, according to Recurrent's CEO, Arno Harris.

"We continue to meet and exceed our business goals as we build out our contracted project portfolio," Harris said. The company has "excellent and long-standing relationships with the major financial institutions engaged in the energy sector," Harris added.

He expects the company to attract the interest of other financial sponsors in the event that Sharp drops out or reduces its stake. Troubles at parent companies often lead to the sale of well-performing assets, to extract a good price for them.

Recurrent seems to be one of these well-performing assets, as its CEO affirmed. It continues to hire for US-based positions, and has currently 12 open positions, including 9 posted in Sept. 2012.