Angola is a country of 482,625 square miles in western Africa, bordering Namibia to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Zambia to the east, and the Republic of Congo to the north. The oil-rich enclave of Cabinda lies north of the Zaire river.
Angola is a potentially one of the richest countries in Africa. Petroleum in the Cabinda enclave; diamonds in Lunda; and iron, phosphates, copper, gold, bauxite, and uranium in the other provinces are some of the natural resources. This year Angola’s economy is expected grow by eight percent as it becomes the second biggest producer of oil in Africa. In the capital city of Luanda, the skyline is now filled with newly-built skyscrapers and each month more businesses are beginning to populate the area. Economic growth is beginning to transform Angola into a country filled with business opportunities.
Rani Jarkas, a global well-known entrepreneur and a financial services executive with years of experience in conducting business in Africa, is especially fond of Angola. During a telephone interview, he said, “I chose Angola to do business many years ago and I am now making more commitments to the country, not only because the country provides great business opportunities, but also I like the country’s natural beauty and its people. I often find people on the streets dancing to salsa, lambada or meringue music. Their love for life, their music, dance and art, their laughter and their joy, their determined desire and their creativeness really touch me.”
“My long-term commitment to Angola is focused on helping local communities to realize the value of growth in the region and building wealth for locals. My approach strategy is to create win-win situation for local governments, companies and investors. As Angola is opening its market to foreign investors and is actively seeking partners to contribute towards its industrialisation, forward-looking investors should invest in Angola for its substantial long-term potential,” Rani added.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Monday, January 12, 2015
Rani Jarkas’ Cleantech Wisdom
As not only a trusted resource and clean-tech industry expert but also a well-regarded figure in financing industry, Rani Jarkas sees a genuine bright spot: Clean technologies are booming although the world is facing numerous energy problems – much of the world’s population has too little energy to meet basic human needs; the monetary costs of energy are rising nearly everywhere; the environmental impacts of energy supply are growing and already dominant contributors to local, regional, and global environmental problems; and the sociopolitical risks of energy supply are growing too.
Rani Jarkas believes commercializing clean technologies is a profitable enterprise and the next engine of economic growth. He expects many leading companies of the future to come from this industry as invention and innovation combine to solve the world’s increasing demand for energy and, in particular, clean power and green energy. Under his direct leadership, his firm has become a well-known boutique investment firm in action.
“To really get into the fundamentals of clean technology investments, it is important to look beyond the politicized issues and focus on the finances.” says Rani Jarkas. The fact that advancing the use of clean technologies will be good for the environment is not debatable and when it makes our current systems more efficient and cost effective, we all win.
The heat around cleantech has been stoking and an intense race to win industry leadership is well underway in the private and public sectors. The aim of funding renewable energy and energy efficiency projects is to enhance energy security, support clean and efficient energy sources and to increase private sector involvement in clean technology investments and financings. For example, China’s current five-year economic plan is well concentrated on clean energy, with a $640 billion renewable energy commitment. The plan calls for an increase in the overall percentage of power developed from renewable, especially solar and wind power. The end goal is to raise environmental standards with the understanding that if economic growth is to be sustained, a reduced dependency on fossil fuels needs to be achieved and maintained.
Despite the clamor of the global clean energy and cleantech race, many sovereign nations are struggling under increased debt and therefore available resources to support R&D are diminishing. However, partnerships with other institutions such as universities are becoming more common, picking up this slack and the industry has continued its exponential growth. Clean Edge Research has reported that combined 2010 global revenue for solar photovoltaic, wind power, and biofuels surged 30.2 percent over the prior year growing from $144.5 billion to $188.1 billion. A separate report by Analytica Advisors, the 2011 Canadian Clean Technology Industry Report, states, “global market demand for clean technology is estimated to grow to $3 trillion by 2020 based on 11% CAGR. The industry projected to rise to be the third largest global industrial sector by 2020 after electronics manufacturing and automotive”.
It looks like this macro-industry is one to keep a serious eye on as it covers so many facets of energy generation, consumption and storage.
The opportunities and uncertainties will make the coming decade a critical period for clean technology. Much like the Internet revolution, there will be winners and losers, and more than a little carnage among companies and entrepreneurs competing for a slice of the clean-tech pie. However, there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that clean technology will engender a more sustainable and highly profitable era — for business, the planet, and all of its residents.
Rani Jarkas believes commercializing clean technologies is a profitable enterprise and the next engine of economic growth. He expects many leading companies of the future to come from this industry as invention and innovation combine to solve the world’s increasing demand for energy and, in particular, clean power and green energy. Under his direct leadership, his firm has become a well-known boutique investment firm in action.
“To really get into the fundamentals of clean technology investments, it is important to look beyond the politicized issues and focus on the finances.” says Rani Jarkas. The fact that advancing the use of clean technologies will be good for the environment is not debatable and when it makes our current systems more efficient and cost effective, we all win.
The heat around cleantech has been stoking and an intense race to win industry leadership is well underway in the private and public sectors. The aim of funding renewable energy and energy efficiency projects is to enhance energy security, support clean and efficient energy sources and to increase private sector involvement in clean technology investments and financings. For example, China’s current five-year economic plan is well concentrated on clean energy, with a $640 billion renewable energy commitment. The plan calls for an increase in the overall percentage of power developed from renewable, especially solar and wind power. The end goal is to raise environmental standards with the understanding that if economic growth is to be sustained, a reduced dependency on fossil fuels needs to be achieved and maintained.
Despite the clamor of the global clean energy and cleantech race, many sovereign nations are struggling under increased debt and therefore available resources to support R&D are diminishing. However, partnerships with other institutions such as universities are becoming more common, picking up this slack and the industry has continued its exponential growth. Clean Edge Research has reported that combined 2010 global revenue for solar photovoltaic, wind power, and biofuels surged 30.2 percent over the prior year growing from $144.5 billion to $188.1 billion. A separate report by Analytica Advisors, the 2011 Canadian Clean Technology Industry Report, states, “global market demand for clean technology is estimated to grow to $3 trillion by 2020 based on 11% CAGR. The industry projected to rise to be the third largest global industrial sector by 2020 after electronics manufacturing and automotive”.
It looks like this macro-industry is one to keep a serious eye on as it covers so many facets of energy generation, consumption and storage.
The opportunities and uncertainties will make the coming decade a critical period for clean technology. Much like the Internet revolution, there will be winners and losers, and more than a little carnage among companies and entrepreneurs competing for a slice of the clean-tech pie. However, there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that clean technology will engender a more sustainable and highly profitable era — for business, the planet, and all of its residents.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
China’s Ambition to Become a Global Leader in Nanotechnology by Rani Jarkas
China’s rapid economic transformation over the last 3 decades has been remarkable both in terms of its speed and scale. However, China is not known for its highly advanced technology manufacturing. “A lot of the entrepreneurial activities around the Asia-Pacific have been great market-needs kinds of things, where people haven’t had to develop a lot of advanced technologies to be successful,” says Dr. Richard Dasher of the US-Asia Technology Management Center at Stanford University.
However, this model is slowly shifting. Thanks to heavy investments in nanotech research, public-private partnerships and developments in nanotechnology, I will say within five to ten years China will compete in every part of the industry. China’s investment has already surpassed that of any other country after the US. Since 1999, China’s spending on research and development (R&D) has gone up by more than 20% each year.
Hardly surprisingly, there is a race to become the global leader in nanoscience and nanotechnology. China is rapidly moving to reposition itself away from low value adding economic activity, announcing its ambition to become a global leader in nanoscience and technology.
However, this model is slowly shifting. Thanks to heavy investments in nanotech research, public-private partnerships and developments in nanotechnology, I will say within five to ten years China will compete in every part of the industry. China’s investment has already surpassed that of any other country after the US. Since 1999, China’s spending on research and development (R&D) has gone up by more than 20% each year.
Hardly surprisingly, there is a race to become the global leader in nanoscience and nanotechnology. China is rapidly moving to reposition itself away from low value adding economic activity, announcing its ambition to become a global leader in nanoscience and technology.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Cleantechnology Insights
A while back in February last year, I (Rani Jarkas) posted an article on my blog relating to Cleantech (http://www.briefingwire.com/pr/rani-jarkas-Cleantech-wisdom). In the days that follow, I have received many questions about Cleantech. These questions inspired me to write this blog on what Cleantech is and why Cleantech is the key and how we can get involved?
What is Cleantech?
Cleantech is any product or services that improve operational performance and productivity while reducing costs, inputs, energy consumption, waste, or environmental pollution. The idea behind clean energy is simple. It empowers us to use natural resources more productively and to do more with less: less energy, less water, less waste, less land.
Why Cleantech is the key?
Climate change and the depletion of the planet’s natural resources are the two main problems that the world is facing today. Fresh water has become scarce or poisonous in many places; Food prices are soaring at double-digit rates; Sea levels are rising while deserts are spreading; International tensions are growing over the remaining cheap oil, and civil wars are being fought over water.
It certainly is the idea that we can easily locate alternative sources of power for the globe that do not have the negative effects on the planet that classic fuels do. We now recognize that the planet we reside in just is not immune to deterioration. Oil and coal not only cause harm to the planet but to your health as well. The data behind the dangers of non-renewable fuels really are unbelievable. So massive that it is to a point where we can no longer overlook the ramifications of inaction.
Brilliant minds have looked at the challenge of classic fuels and have put together other ways to fight this matter. The outcomes happen to be nothing less than encouraging. The vision of a cleaner ecosystem and a significantly more healthy human population is now a reality as a result of clean technological advances and power that has become available for use.
How can we get involved?
While everyone ought to want to help with the process of safe guarding our environment, only the few that have the funds can make an identifiable mark in this field by investing in companies that are “earth-friendly” aware. In every stock exchange across the world, there are pockets of businesses, which are concentrated on green energy. These companies are listed under the label “green conscious companies”, and those that want to help can put money into these companies to assist them to fund projects that will benefit not only the company but the environment in general.
Power resource efficiency as well as recycling is something anyone can do no matter if you are monetarily free or not. The recycling approach is not just great for the earth but it can make you feel much better by being a part of the remedy.
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