The one-day conference, to be held in Texas’ greenest city, will provide the clean tech business community with an opportunity to learn about highly advanced Cleantech technologies available in both Texas and Israel markets. “We’ve recently seen in surge in registrations by both Texas and Israel businesses and enthusiasts,” said Texas-Israel Chamber of Commerce President Greg Yavner.  “This is a clear indication of the growing interest in energy-efficient practices and technologies benefiting both consumers and the environment,” he continued.

Space is limited and seats are filling up fast, so interested attendees from the U.S. and Israel are encouraged to register now to secure their attendance. Registration fee is $75 until January 19^th, and $95 thereafter.  Special hotel rates are available at the Hilton Hotel Austin through January 28^th and out of town attendees are encourages to book now to secure their room.  Given the Renewable Energy World conference the following day, hotel rooms will also be hard to come by.

Confirmed participants include; utility companies Austin Energy, CPS Energy, Electrical Reliability Corporation of Texas (ERCOT); renewable energy generation companies such as Iberdrola, Shell, Taylor & Assoc.; smart grid companies including Graphene Energy, Pecan Street Project, Miya; water companies including Lower Colorado River Authorities (LCRA), San Antonio Water, Texas Water Board Department (TWBD), Advanced Hydro, and Texas Water Resources Institute; U.S. Investors including; Austin Energy, Sevin Rosen, Silicon Valley Bank, Texas Emerging Technology Fund, Battery Ventures , Austin Technology Incubator, Wells Fargo, Nanoholdings LLC, Mclean Group, 21 Ventures,  MDB Capital Ventures; Israeli investors Chief Scientist of Israel (Dr. Eli Opper), BIRDF, Aquagro, Israel Cleantech Ventures, Terra Ventures; law firms Greenberg Traurig LLP, Haynes & Boone, Vinson & Elkins; Israeli technology firms I.D.E, C.E.S, WindSL, Leviathan, Mapal Green Energy, AGM Communications & Control, Lesico CleanTech; and other US technology firms including Waste Management, Texas Instruments, Resources Unlimited, Applied Nanotech, cxo360, Austin Chamber of Commerce, Bextar County, GSP, Power Angels, Darwins Beagle, and San Antonio Cleantech.

Sponsoring companies include GreenbergTraurig, IDE Technologies, LTD, Waste Management, Applied Nanotech, 21 Ventures.  Organizers include the Texas-Israel Chamber of Commerce, the Austin Chamber of Commerce, and the Government of Israel Ministry of Trade & Labor

For conference updates, the conference schedule, or to register, please visit  www.texasisrael-Cleantech.org/cleanovation.

“When you consider that Texas had virtually no developed renewable energy resources just 10 years ago, and today it’s the No. 1 state in the land for wind power, it’s just staggering,” he says. “And the beauty of this transformation is that Texas seems to be connecting the dots to profitability along the way — something few states have been able to replicate.”

Here, Dickerson addresses questions about the cleantech era and its effect locally.

Q How do you think Texas is positioned to compete in the clean technology market?

A Honestly, I don’t think there’s another state in the land with as much potential as we have here in Texas.

As I travel the country, I am repeatedly asked by venture investors if I know any traditional energy experts willing to jump ship and join a renewable energy enterprise. On top of that, federal and state policymakers continue to reach out to academics at our world-class universities for help in solving the industry’s major roadblocks. For example, earlier this summer the Department of Energy asked two teams of scientists at UT for help in solving key hurdles in solar energy and the use of waste byproducts.

Q What role do you see oil and gas companies playing in the renewable energy sector? In what ways do you think they could be more involved?

A The clean technology industry is entering a phase of its development that oil and gas producers know all too well. Having proven their technologies in the laboratory, clean tech entrepreneurs are now looking to “scale up,” or move to the production phase of their development. Oil companies know this drill. They have a long track record of planning, financing and overseeing large projects — and coming in under budget and on time. There are many areas for potential technical collaboration, as well. In Europe, for example, oil companies have already begun partnering with renewable energy developers to bring their deepwater infrastructure expertise to offshore wind farms. And in just the past few weeks, Royal Dutch Shell joined a consortium to compete for government money to build the U.K.’s first commercial-scale clean-coal plant.

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