Now that we are content creators in the local economic development realm, we have a growing appreciation for our “blog buddies” who are creating original content to cultivate interest, compile facts and stories, and to weave a compelling narrative around industry-focused trends.

We’d love to introduce you some of our favorite thought leaders in different industries, starting this week with cleantech.

 

1. Cleantechnica:

Self-described as “the No. 1 cleantech-focused website in the world,” Cleantechnica organizes itself into a few major categories: Solar, Wind, Clean Energy and Electric Cars. Its home page features a rotating list of a dozen or so fresh pieces. This week, you could read about anything from a new electric “superbike” to changing methods of producing safe drinking water. Plus, it has great guest bloggers like our own Rachel DiFranco who authored a recent piece on Fremont’s sustainability efforts including EV infrastructure.

 

2. Smart Grid Library:

When the Smart Grid Dictionary was published, Christine Hertzog established herself as a go-to expert on all things “Smart Grid, smart cities, M2M, and the Internet of Things.” If you don’t know what these terms mean, then Christine’s blog is a must-read. Her recent post addresses bringing the Smart Grid to the multi-family real estate market and how to address the “unique challenges of this underserved area.” Cool stuff, and fairly understandable too!

 

3. Cleantech Open:

As the largest accelerator for cleantech startups, this non-profit has an endless supply of stories to tell about new talent and creative ideas. For example, last month the Cleantech Open blog highlighted a company called Akwamag that makes a sustainable water softener that uses powerful magnets instead of salt to prevent calcium scale deposits from forming. This must have been a good post because it ended up raising enough from its Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign to go into production!

 

4. GreenBiz.Com

GreenBiz is a powerhouse of cleantech information with a robust blog component. It has 10 featured “blog contributors,” including GreenBiz Chairman Joel Makower, along with news, networking, and research sections. Scanning through recent material, this one got our attention: “3 magic words to mute ‘sustainababble.’” We also like what GreenBiz is doing with its international VERGE conferences, which explore the intersection of tech and sustainability, with a strong emphasis on smart cities. We’ll attend their San Francisco conference again this October.

 

5. Company Blogs

Oorja, which manufactures methanol fuel cells in our Warm Springs District, has started a new blog that dives deep into its technology, and the places where it’s being deployed throughout the world. Does your company have a blog that we should know about? Please contact us!

Blogs work best with an engaged readership, so we hope you’ll join us in subscribing to some of these publications. And, keep your eye out for future blog favorites in categories such as Advanced Manufacturing, Silicon Valley Tech Trends, and Retail.