Why Clean Tech

“Clean Tech” (aka “clean technology”) has been described as a range of products, services, processes and techniques that employ renewable energy sources and materials, reduce the use of natural resources (and, particularly, fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources) and reduce or eliminate harmful emissions or wastes. More specifically, and particularly now that the “climate change” and “sustainability” movements have gained momentum, Clean Tech now generally is used to refer to the following:

• Renewable energy sources – wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower and biofuels
• “Energy peripheral” matters relating to energy storage, transmission and other infrastructure, including matters such as high efficiency power transmission cable, “smart meters,” internet-connected home appliances, utility networking systems (e.g., demand/response and automation distribution technologies) and other “smart grid” devices and facilities
• “Green transportation” – electric, natural gas, hybrid and other “clean” vehicles and initiatives
• “Green building” – the use of environmentally friendly and/or energy saving building materials and design and construction techniques
• “Green chemistry” – the development of new processes and technologies for the manufacture of consumer products that produce non-toxic waste materials, or even beneficial by-products, rather than hazardous waste

Clean Tech projects can touch upon a wide range of traditional legal issues, including project finance, intellectual property and corporate governance. However, because of the unusually critical and complex issues relating to the permitting and siting of Clean Tech facilities, the environmental impacts of such projects, the relatively higher risks and costs and longer times frames for commercialization and “scale up” of “clean” technologies, and the unusually intense level (and importance) of government involvement in both the regulation of and funding for these projects and technologies, issues relating to environmental law, government affairs, and government contracting (particularly the grant application process!) have become paramount.