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.

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.

拉尼.亚卡斯（Rani Jarkas）：绿色纳米技术在太阳能电池中的应用

绿色纳米技术是清洁技术的发展，“使用更环保的纳米产品代替现有产品，通过生产和使用纳米技术产品以减少对环境的破坏并降低对人类健康所造成的威胁。”许多科学家正在寻找方法来开发清洁、廉价和可再生能源，以较少对环境的破坏并尽可能地减少污染。

目前正进行的一个主要研究是如何把纳米技术应用到开发更高效的太阳能电池。太阳能电池的效率更高，而且是可再生能源。许多研究人员正在着手研究能减少能源浪费的高效太阳能发电。

[caption id="attachment_203" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Solar Panels [ranijarkas.wordpress.com][/caption]
斯坦福大学的研究人员发现了一种在有机太阳能电池中捕获光的方法。这个想法的原理很简单，光在太阳能电池中停留的时间越长，其所产生的电子将越多。研究人员发现，把比光的波长更薄的有机层夹在太阳能电池的反射镜和粗糙层之间，能使光在太阳能电池中停留更长时间，从而激发更多的电流。

密歇根理工大学的研究人员发明了一种独特的3D蜂窝结构石墨烯。这种新型且并不昂贵材料可替代太阳能电池的铂金材料，而且转换效率并不降低。这种3D蜂窝状石墨烯具有优良的导电性与高催化活性，因此它们能够用于储能及能量转换。配有3D石墨烯对电极的可将7.8%的太阳光线转化为电力。

美国洛斯阿拉莫斯国家实验室的研究展示了使用薄膜铜铟镓硒太阳能电池模组。它比传统玻璃做的硅片电池模组更加轻薄，且完全无含毒镉的成分。

美国麻省理工学院的研究人员研制出一种在柔性石墨烯片上涂覆纳米线的新方法。这种方法可以生产出低成本、透明以及柔韧性佳的太阳能电池，能够在窗户、屋顶以及其他物体的表面使用。

Green Nanotechnology in Solar cells by Rani Jarkas

Green nanotechnology is the development of clean technologies, "to minimize potential environmental and human health risks associated with the manufacture and use of nanotechnology products, and to encourage replacement of existing products with new nano-products that are more environmentally friendly throughout their lifecycle” As the growing needs to protect our environment are increasing, many scientists are looking into ways to develop clean, affordable, and renewable energy sources, with a smaller environmental footprint and minimise pollution.

[caption id="attachment_203" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Solar Panels[/caption]

One major project that is being worked on is the development of nanotechnology in solar cells. Solar cells are more efficient as they get tinier and solar energy is a renewable resource. A group of researchers are making solar power significantly more efficient by scooping up more of that wasted energy.

Researchers at Stanford University have found a way to trap light in organic solar cells. The idea is that the longer light is in the solar cell the more electrons will be generated. The researchers found that by making the organic layer much thinner than the wavelength of light and sandwiching the organic layer between a mirror layer and a rough layer the light stayed in the solar cell longer and excited more electrons.

Researchers at Michigan Technological University have developed a honeycomb like structure of graphene in which the graphene sheets are held apart by lithium carbonate. They have used this "3D graphene" to replace the platinum in a dye sensitized solar cell and achieved 7.8 percent conversion of sunlight to electricity.

Researchers at Los Alamos National Lab have demonstrated a solar cell that uses a copper indium selenide sulfide quantum dots. Unlike quantum dots containing lead or cadmium the copper based quantum dot is non-toxic as well as low cost.

[caption id="attachment_202" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) image of 3D honeycomb-structured graphene. [ranijarkas.wordpress.com][/caption]
MIT researchers have made major strides toward developing solar cells that are inexpensive, efficient, flexible, and transparent using a design that combines two special components: nanowires and graphene. Tests with assembled solar cells showed that incorporating the nanowires pushed up device efficiency and that there was no performance penalty for replacing a conventional high-cost, brittle electrode with their version made of abundant, inexpensive carbon.

对环保清洁技术的一些见解 - 拉尼.亚卡斯（Rani Jarkas）

今年二月，我在博客发表了一篇关于环保清洁技术的文章（http://ranijarkas.wordpress.com/2014/02/24/rani-jarkas-cleantech-wisdom/）。接着我收到了很多读者对环保清洁技术的问题。这些问题启发了我写这篇博客：到底什么是环保清洁技术？为什么环保清洁技术如此重要？我们又应该如何参与其中？

什么是环保清洁技术？
环保清洁技术是指任何能提高经营绩效和生产力，同时降低成本、投入、减少能源消耗和废物或减少环境污染的任何产品或服务。环保清洁技术的理念很简单。它能够帮助我们更有效地使用自然资源。简单的说就是少花资源多办事：使用更少的能源和土地、节约用水、减少浪费。

为什么环保清洁技术对我们如此重要？
全球暖化和天然资源日益枯竭是当今世界面临的两个主要问题。很多地方淡水已逐渐稀缺甚至有毒；食品价格以双位数的速度飞涨；沙漠蔓延；海平面上升；为了争夺剩余的廉价石油而令国际紧张局势不断加剧；还有些国家为了争夺水资源而不断引发内战。

我们很想能轻易找到能替代“电”的能源，而这种能源又不会伤害到我们所居住的星球。在经历了多年的尝试后，现在我们才意识到，我们所居住的这个星球是经不起伤害的。石油和煤炭不仅伤害地球，而且还伤害你的健康。不可再生能源所造成的巨大伤害简直到了令人难以置信的地步。而这种危害的严重性令我们必须正视并寻找解决的方法。

有远见的人早已看到了传统能源所带来的负面影响并积极地寻找可代替品，环保清洁技术应运而生。清洁生产技术的进步和推广无可置疑可以保护生态系统并减少环境破坏对人类健康所造成的消极影响。

我们如何参与其中？
虽然每个人都应该为保护我们的地球出一分力，却只有少数人可以把资金投入到一些具有环保意识并致力于发展清洁技术的企业。在世界各地的证券交易所都有很多标签着“绿色能源”的企业。如果您想参与保护地球的行列，请投资这些企业，以帮助他们发展新技术并实现环境优化的经济发展。

但是无论你有钱与否，我们其实在日常生活中也可以通过别的方式来保护环境，比如节省用电或者资源回收再用等。地球是我们人类赖以生存的家园，保护地球，保护环境，就是在保护我们自己，我们要从生活中的点滴入手，为这个共同的家园贡献一份力量。

Cleantechnology Insights

A while back in February this 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.

BRIEFINGWIRE: Rani Jarkas’ Insight into Rare Earths Elements

BRIEFINGWIRE: Rani Jarkas’ Insight into Rare Earths Elements.

BRIEFINGWIRE: Rani Jarkas at African Business and Investment Events in Hong Kong 2013

BRIEFINGWIRE: Rani Jarkas at African Business and Investment Events in Hong Kong 2013

BRIEFINGWIRE: Rani Jarkas’ Cleantech Wisdom

BRIEFINGWIRE: Rani Jarkas’ Cleantech Wisdom.

Rani Jarkas at African Business and Investment Events in Hong Kong 2013

[caption id="attachment_80" align="aligncenter" width="652"] Africa Day 2013 (ranijarkas.wordpress.com)[/caption]

Rani Jarkas, a global well-known entrepreneur and industry-recognized leader who has years of experience in conducting business in Africa in the field of asset management and financial advisory services, was invited to co-sponsor the Africa Day 2013 – Business and Tourism Forum and the corresponding Gala Cocktail Event in Hong Kong on 20th May 2013 and 22nd May 2013 respectively. The two events were hosted by the African group of Consulates-General and Honorary Consuls in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to celebrate the Golden Jubilee 50th Anniversary of the African Union.

[caption id="attachment_93" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Africa Day 2013-Pic (ranijarkas.wordpress.com)[/caption]

The objective of the events was to promote the investment climate, exciting projects and tourism in Africa to global investors and business people alike. The events were attended by dignitaries, government delegates, distinguished African company executives and preeminent investors. The guest of honor at the gala cocktail was Mr. Gregory So Kam-leung, GBS, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Government of the HKSAR, who delivered a keynote speech.

Sponsorship of events like these exemplifies Rani Jarkas’ on-going commitment to facilitating business and capital flows to emerging markets, including the world’s two fastest-growing continents, Africa and Asia, specially the Greater China region. Rani's approach is always based on a win-win strategy for investors worldwide in conjunction with local people and companies in each region. Rani is aware that, in Africa, creating job opportunities, enhancing efficiency and building wealth for locals are highly sought-after outcomes and important elements in defining a ‘win’.

Rani Jarkas said, “We look forward to establishing trusted partnerships with local governments and companies in Africa. As direct investors ourselves and advisors to tier-one investors around the globe, we also look forward to exploring a wide range of investment opportunities in Africa, particularly those in our areas of expertise, which include technology, natural resources, energy and clean technology.”

Rani Jarkas’ Views on Why Boutique is Better

Rani Jarkas is an effective and reliable executive with abilities of overcoming complex business challenges and making high-stakes decisions using experience-backed judgment, strong work ethic and irreproachable integrity with over 20 years of financial service industry experience. “In my opinion, going to a bulge bracket firm is just not the ideal and most effective option for everyone. When you read the story below, you might find the answer,” said Rani Jarkas.

A famous engineer was called to look at a malfunctioning piece of manufacturing machinery. One fourth of a city block in size and completely encased in a shell of concrete, repair of the machine would require breaking through the barrier wall – a correct diagnosis was imperative before work could begin. The engineer set his price for coming to look at the machine at $100,000. The owner of the plant thought that a very high price, but the machinery was vital to his operation and this man was reputedly the very best available, so he agreed to the terms. Having arrived, the engineer walked slowly around the encasement, listening carefully to the workings of the machine inside. At long last, still listening carefully, he took a red Sharpie out of his pocket and drew a small X on the wall. “Tell your mechanic that this is where the problem is”, he said to the plant owner. “What is this?” screamed the owner, “I paid you $100,000 for you to draw an X on the wall?” “No”, said the engineer. “You paid me $100,000 for knowing where to draw it”.

Rules are presumably put in place to protect the investor, but as always, it is the unintended consequences that are the ones that you need to watch out for.

When uncontrollable events take place that cause specific market sectors to fall, whether caused by market failures, acts of God or some other intervention, a well-intentioned money manager has to have the liberty to move assets to those areas that are on the way up, or at least get out of the way of the ones that are falling. Many people lost their pensions and other savings and investments during the 2008 crash due to restrictions to do just this.

One safe haven that was not open to many money managers in the last financial crisis was the option of moving to cash. The stigma of moving assets to cash is based on urban myth, propagated by institutions that have insisted that investors entrust their money to those who were going to actually invest it – any lay person could hold cash! But this is faulty logic. Investors are entrusting their savings to experts who know where to draw the X on the wall. Investors want money managers who know when cash is king and when and what to buy and sell.

Knowledgeable investors have been frustrated by limited alternatives available in the market and passive investors are unaware of the conundrum that exists.

Investors today are looking for independence. They want to employ money managers who have the freedom to make investment choices that are focused on long-term growth and the preservation of wealth, regardless of geographic boundaries, industry segments or asset type. Investors are looking for fund managers who use a variety of research sources to gain their information – without solely relying on a centralized internal research department that provides all company fund managers with the same information, commonly resulting in collective buying and selling and potentially impacting price and performance execution. Investors are also concerned about the bottom line – how the fund actually performs in terms of real gains or losses, not how it performs against a benchmark. Beating a benchmark by 5% is great, unless of course the index was down 50% itself. And finally, over-dependence on fundamental analysis and portfolio size could mean a delay in decision-making to avoid or cut losses or holding on to falling assets for fear of missing out on the chance of a return rally. Investors want money managers who are focused on protecting and growing capital – managers who know precisely where to mark that X on the wall.

Some say that globalization has ‘shrunk’ the world. From Rani’s perspective, the world is still a pretty big and diverse place and there are opportunities everywhere – even when the mainstream media depicts a direr story. From this viewpoint, it made good sense to develop efficient products with built-in resilience to economic environments and market conditions without limitations to specific sectors or geographical focus.

The rise of the independent boutique firm is testament to these ideas – knowing where to draw the X on the wall — by developing and using creative products based on solid constructs, exploring markets and opportunities all around the world and appropriate discretionary investing suitable to an investor’s risk/return tolerance.

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.