ENERGY/BIOFUEL
Sapphire Energy's high-powered CEO talks about his $200 millon gamble

While so much education can tend to sequester such brainiacs into laboratory settings, Sapphire CEO Jason Pyle is a gregarious ambassador of drop-in algal biofuels, as well as an experienced and savvy business innovator. In fact, Dr. Pyle was named Innovator of the Year in 2006 by the global market research firm Frost and Sullivan. Considering he’s running a $200 million algae gamble by our government, in partnership with two high visibility private investor groups, this is a good thing.By David Schwartz

ENERGY/AGRICULTURE

California growers get creative with everything from walnut shells to onion juice

Using everything from cow manure to onion juice to walnut shells, many of the state's forward-thinking farmers are turning what had once been considered waste into a renewable energy solution for use on the farm and beyond. Dairy farmer and environmental attorney David Albers turns the manure produced by his 2,600-cow dairy in Fresno County into biomethane, a renewable natural gas. By Christine Souza

ENERGY/CONSERVATION

Four Western states make huge energy efficiency strides

California held onto the top spot for the fourth straight year in the 2010 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Oregon, at No. 3, was the only other Western state in the top 10. But the Scorecard also found that Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Alaska were the top four most-improved states in the nation. By Lisa Ryckman

ENERGY/INVESTMENT
U.S. West dominates cleantech finance

The Western U.S., lead by California, continued to dominate national cleantech investment in 2010. The Mountain Region, Pacific Northwest and California collectively completed 154 deals equaling $2.76 billion in 2010. The Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the US jointly secured 74 deals, which amounted to $625.79 million. By Ernst & Young