The new eco-millionaires

[eridani]

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/082007EB.shtml

Mankind's response to climate change will shift how the world gets its energy and is already making "green barons" out of early investors in renewable energy, clean technologies and carbon trading.

Reuters spoke to four entrepreneurs who are cashing in on the energy revolution and who say there is more money to be made.

Bruce Khouri, co-founder of Solar Integrated Technologies, based in Los Angeles, has at the age of 48 made $5 million by cashing in shares in the company.

He still has a $11 million stake in the company, which makes lightweight solar panels for commercial roofs. He saw the opportunity while running his own industrial roofing firm.

Q: How did you get rich?
A: "It hasn't been easy but we transformed an old-world roofing material into a renewable energy technology. It's a miracle Solar Integrated is still here but a pioneer charging across the prairie is bound to get hit by a few arrows."

As long ago as the early 1990s Khouri saw a market for flexible solar panels which could be laminated on to large roofs, such as warehouses. He did not found Solar Integrated until 2001 once tax and subsidy incentives made the market more attractive.

[lvx35]

1. Ah! How nice to seem some millionaires who deserve to be rich. nt

[AndyTiedye]

2. LEDs Have Doubled in Efficiency in the Past Year and Their Cost Has Dropped

They are now more efficient than CFLs. Last longer, and no hazardous material disposal issues.

Soon LEDs will be replacing other light sources for practically everything.

There will be a lot of money made retrofitting stuff for LEDs,
and even more designing all new lighting to use them.