This St. Paddy’s Day, the iQ 360 team is highlighting companies with green initiatives that are making a difference in their communities and in the global fight against climate change.
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
San Francisco, CA
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Climate Tech Finance (CTF) program increases access to capital to accelerate climate technology development and adoption to ultimately reduce greenhouse gases. This unique model allows entrepreneurs to access debt financing so that they can commercialize emerging technology faster. The latest CTF loan guarantee recipient, Gridscape Solutions, has developed a distributed energy resource management system that optimizes microgrid assets and supports backup power and islanding.
Elemental Excelerator
Honolulu, HI
We have 10 years to halt the most damaging impacts of our changing planet. Elemental Excelerator is on a mission to redesign the systems at the root of climate change. Each year, Elemental Excelerator invests in entrepreneurs and companies that break down climate tech innovation barriers and find market-driven solutions to this global crisis. Applications for its 10th cohort are open through April 16.
Hawaiian Electric
Honolulu, HI
Hawaiian Electric is spearheading the effort to realize a green energy future for Hawaii with a number of programs and initiatives. We've listed a few below:
- Hawaiian Electric is modernizing the electrical grid, which will improve reliability and allow the state to better utilize variable and intermittent energy from renewable energy sources.
- Community-based renewable energy will allow customers who cannot put solar panels on the roof of a single-family home to participate in the renewable energy movement and save money.
- The electrification of transportation is essential for reducing our need on imported oil and promoting a clean energy future. Hawaiian Electric is installing the necessary infrastructure and offering incentives to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles.
Pulama Lanai
Lanai City, HI
Since its inception, Pulama Lanai has made preserving and protecting Lanai’s land and resources one of its top priorities. In 2019, they partnered with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation on Kuahiwi a Kai, a large scale, multi-year conservation project that will protect and enhance the island's coral reefs, native plants and animals, endangered Hawaiian petrel habitat and sensitive coastal cultural sites. Over the next few years, the program is expected to expand and further facilitate restoration and conservation efforts on Lanai.
