California Clean Tech Update 02.17.10

Three Tesla execs reported dead in Palo Alto plane crash - CEO Elon Musk not among them (Green Beat)

A small passenger plane piloted by a top executive at Tesla Motors crashed into a house in East Palo Alto, Calif. before 8 a.m. this morning, killing the pilot and two other passengers — all employees at the electric car company, which Tesla has confirmed, according to automotive blog Jalopnik. No names have been released, but the company says an official statement will be released soon.
 
Spanish solar company moving to San Francisco (SF Examiner)

Mayor Gavin Newsom announced this morning that a new Spanish solar company is moving to San Francisco, bolstering San Francisco’s reputation as the global hub for clean tech companies.  At a press conference at City Hall, the mayor welcomed GA-Solar, a new firm that has located its U.S. headquarters in downtown.
 
California rule making offers glimpse into future of electric car charging biz (earth2tech)

Among the key uncertainties facing players in the nascent market for electric vehicle charging infrastructure — companies like AeroVironment, Better Place, Coulomb Technologies, eTec, and their potential investors — is the question of how utility regulators will deal with providers of charging services. But in California, expected to be one of the earliest and largest markets for plug-in vehicles and a model for other markets, the state’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has stepped closer to answering that question in recent weeks.
 
EnerVault lands $3.5 million to make cheap, grid-scale batteries a reality (Green Beat)

With bigger name battery companies like A123Systems and Johnson Controls-Saft getting most of the attention, Enervault, a maker of flow battery technology, has been flying under the radar. Now the young company, which may have one of the most practical solutions for grid-scale storage, has raised $3.5 million in new venture funding to make a name for itself.
 
Sebastapol asks PG&E to put off SmartMeters (Press Democrat)

The City of Sebastopol is asking PG&E to delay putting wireless meters inside the city limits while state regulators and the utility conduct studies on the meter's safety.