State leaders hold forum on clean-tech industry growth in Fremont

Date: 31 October 2011
Source: http://www.mercurynews.com
Weeks after Fremont-based solar manufacturing company Solyndra unexpectedly shuttered and laid off more than 1,000 employees, two local state legislators hosted a forum addressing ways to keep similar companies afloat and in California.

Senate Majority Leader Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro, and Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, held the inaugural Select Committee on Green Jobs, Solar, Wind and Clean Technologies hearing at Fremont-based solar panel maker Solaria Wednesday.



The forum, entitled "Grown the Clean Technology Industry in CA: What Are We Doing? What More Can We Do?" featured speakers from several Bay Area solar and clean-tech companies, as well as administrators from the cities of Fremont and San Jose, among others.



Nearly 50 people attended Wednesday's hearing at Solaria. Corbett said she and Wieckowski have been longtime supporters of the green and clean-tech industries, and the hearing was organized to form an important dialogue about the industry.



Nancy Pfund, a founding partner of San Francisco-based DBL Investors, was the keynote speaker.



DBL Investors is a venture capital firm that features more than a dozen rising Bay Area green and clean-tech firms in its portfolio, including Tesla Motors and Solaria. Pfund said the companies in its portfolio have created some 2,300 jobs, and clean-tech companies are changing the look of Silicon Valley.



Read more: www.mercurynews.com/fremont/ci_19208154

See more news about: