Clean Tech Breakfast Series 5: 'Innovations in Transportation' September 30, 2008

Series Description:
SDForum, in conjunction with Astia, has launched its 2008 Clean Tech Breakfast Series for a third year in a row. We are pleased to announce that The Clean Tech Breakfast Series is being sponsored by Nixon Peabody and Moss Adams.

Topic Description:
What is the transportation industry doing to clean up their act? We know about many of the issues related to transportation, and this panel will explore what's new and different in each sub-sector, from vehicles to batteries and consumer internet efforts to share transportation. The most popular low-pollution fuels at this time are biofuels. Hydrogen is an even lower-pollution fuel that produces no carbon dioxide, but how to economically produce and store it? Plug-in hybrids are energy-efficient vehicles that are going to be in the mass-production.

Another strategy is to make vehicles more efficient, thus reducing pollution and waste. Electric vehicles use efficient electric motors, but their range is limited by either the extent of the electric transmission system or by the storage capacity of batteries. Electrified public transport generally uses overhead wires or third rails to transmit electricity to vehicles, and is used for both rail and bus transport. Battery electric vehicles store their electric fuel onboard in a battery pack. Another method is to generate energy using fuel cells, which may eventually be two to five times as efficient as the internal combustion engines. Another effective method is to streamline ground vehicles, which spend up to 75% of their energy on air-resistance, and to reduce their weight. Shifting travel from automobiles to well-utilized public transport can reduce energy consumption and traffic congestion.

Panel: "Innovations in Transportation"
Dania Ghantous, Lion Cells
David Horning, Palo Alto Investors
Paul McGrath, RideSpring
Moderator: Derek Dowsett, Moss Adams

Members: $25, Non-Members: $30.

Official Website: http://www.sdforum.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Calendar.eventDetail&eventID=13220