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E2+NRDC Present: Toyota/CalCars/Tesla at Microphone and in Parking Lot
Aug 30, 2006 (From the CalCars-News archive)
CalCars-News
This posting originally appeared at CalCars-News, our newsletter of breaking CalCars and plug-in hybrid news. View the original posting here.
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In alphabetical order, this already sold-out Sept. 20 event will feature:
Martin Eberhard, CEO, Tesla Motors
Roland Hwang, Vehicles Policy Director, NRDC
Dean Kato, Managing Counsel, Toyota Motor Sales
Felix Kramer, Founder, California Cars Initiative
Dan Sperling, Director, Transportation Studies, University of
California, Davis
Paul Zorner, Sr. Director, Business Development, Diversa

This could be a significant event. It's the first time since a Commonwealth Club event in May 2003 http://www.workit.com/­events/­event_pop.cfm?event_id=7600 that CalCars shares a panel with Toyota. It's a chance to hear the latest views of the director of ITS, the "parent" group of Andy Frank's Hybrid Center, which does research in many areas, but for solutions has largely focused on hydrogen in recent years. It represents a further step toward a positive consideration of electric propulsion by the Natural Resources Defense Council, a leading national environmental group that until now has concentrated on efficiency, hybrids and biofuels as its energy/transportation agenda.

We'll hear the latest news about enzymes needed for cellulosic ethanol. Plus it's a chance for many influential Silicon Valley leaders to see and drive CalCars' PHEV Prius and Tesla'a Roadster. What's said here may have implications for Air Resources Board's Zero Emissions Technology Symposium in late September. http://www.arb.ca.gov/­msprog/­zevprog/­symposium/­symposium.htm. And

We're delighted that Environmental Entrepreneurs has taken the lead in putting together the event. (See more background on E2 in our June posting at http://www.calcars.org/­calcars-news/­458.html.) Among the benefits of joining E2 is that members hear first about events like this and are able to attend, along with their guests and prospective members.

We hope to provide a report afterwards, perhaps an audio or video stream, and a transcript, thanks to our loyal team of volunteer transcribers.

Here's part of the announcement. Environmental Entrepreneurs and the Natural Resources Defense Council invite you to participate in an EcoSalon How Alternative Technologies are Changing Transportation <participant list, subject to change> Wednesday, September 20, 2006 Special Vehicles Preview begins at 5:30 pm featuring the Tesla Roadster, Th!nk, and Cal Cars' plug-in hybrid at the offices of Cooley Godward LLP in Palo Alto, CA E2 thanks Cooley Godward for generously underwriting this event. Speaker/panelist list is preliminary and subject to change. Neither invitations nor RSVPs for attendance are transferable for this event.

Cleantech is now an economic reality. In 2005 alone, cleantech startups received over $1.3 billion in funding. Transportation is among the most acute problems facing the U.S. due to rising gas prices, nationalization of oil fields, and increasing demand for oil from developing nations such as India and China. Join us for a discussion on how the cleantech sector is working to develop alternative fuels and vehicle technologies that will revolutionize both what we drive and how we power our vehicles. We will also look at the role California Proposition 87 can play in moving our transportation sector into a cleaner, greener future.

About the organizers:

Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) is a national community of business people who believe in protecting the environment while building economic prosperity. Working with NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), E2 serves as a champion on the economic side of good environmental policy by taking a reasoned, economically sound approach to environmental issues. E2 works at both the state and national levels through its bipartisan efforts. Please visit our website at: www.e2.org.

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is the nation's most effective environmental action organization. NRDC uses law, science and the support of more than 1.2 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all living things. Founded in 1970, NRDC now has more than 1.2 million members and online activists. For more information visit: www.nrdc.org.


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