OCTANe Presents SoCal Automotive Cleantech Forum

Posted on 20. Oct, 2009 by Ben Upham in Clean Tech, Entrepreneurship, Events

In terms of reducing greenhouse gases, no advance will be more important than how we run our cars. Pollution from automobiles constitutes about 35% of overall emissions of carbon dioxide, the primary contributor to global warming.

A steady drumbeat of announcements from automakers about their new hybrid, electric or hydrogen cars suggests the question is not “if” but “when” the industry makes the switch to low or zero emissions vehicles. Meanwhile, complicated issues concerning which technologies will have the advantage in what markets, and how the infrastructure necessary to shift away from gasoline, are all still playing out. All of this means there is immense opportunity and uncertainty in this emerging market, and a need for quality information is paramount.

In that spirit, OCTANe, the Innovation Development Corporation of Orange County, presents the Southern California Automotive Cleantech Forum, at UC Irvine October 28. The forum will bring together business leaders and scientists in automotive clean tech from across Southern California to discuss the future of the industry, and emerging business opportunities in it.

Speakers include representatives from General Motors, Honda and Mitsubishi, leading venture capitalists, and the head of the UCI National Fuel Cell Research Center. In all, ten industry leaders will speak in a densely packed four hour program.

For more information, click here. OCTANe is a media partner of Opportunity Green, which is proud to support this forum.

Tags: Fuel Cell, Honda, OCTANe, OCTANe OC, Orange County, Toyota, UC Irvine, UCI, Zero emission

One Response to “OCTANe Presents SoCal Automotive Cleantech Forum”

Mike Flynn

21. Oct, 2009

Just to be clear, the emissions for “zero-emissions vehicles” are certainly NOT zero. While the car itself doesn’t produce exhaust gasses while running, a power plant has to produce electricity to charge the battery or supply the hydrogen for the fuel cell, plus electric power/oil is expended in mining, manufacturing and distribution of the car and all its components. Hopefully that power comes from mostly wind or solar! But today, it’ll typically come from coal, all the more reason to push for renewable energy now, and to drive less if possible.