Cleantech Investor

“Forget water wars: think about water peace.” - David Lloyd Owen

The Sound of Thirst: Why urban water for all is essential, achievable and affordable, by David Lloyd Owen, published by Parthian Books in June 2012.

by Anne McIvor

Dr David Lloyd Owen has written many academic books on water – but The Sound of Thirst is, as he puts it himself, “written for anybody concerned”. However, he believes that even “soft books” need some statistics. He drops in those statistics with ease to relay some uncomfortable truths about our attitudes to water and sewerage services.

“Water is the next frontier” – Richard L. Sandor 

Good Derivatives: A Story of Financial and Environmental Innovation, by Richard L. Sandor, is published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (2012)

by Anne McIvor

Richard Sandor is an unsung hero of innovation. As he points out himself, like Luca Pacioli (‘father of accounting’ and inventor of double entry bookkeeping), he won’t become a household name like Henry Ford or Steve Jobs. But Sandor played a key role in the ‘invention’ of financial derivatives – an innovation which has transformed the financial services industry.

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Consulting Editors, Matt Bonass and Michael Rudd; featuring a preface by Governor Gray Davis, 37^th governor of California; published by Globe Law and Business.

by Anne McIvor

‘Renewables – A Practical Handbook’ is the impressive result of a project steered by MattBonass and Michael Rudd. When Matt invited me to review the fruits of their labours, I must admit that my heart sank, just a little. Both Matt and Michael are lawyers, so I expected a legal text book. But  I agreed to read it and – thankfully – I was in for a very pleasant surprise.

This is a genuinely fascinating read for anyone involved in – or considering entering into – the clean technology and renewable energy industries, either as an operator, investor or advisor. Chapters which do focus on legal issues avoid legal jargon and are easy to read. There is extensive coverage of financing and structuring issues which, combined with the legal context, contributes to making this a truly ‘practical handbook’ for the renewables industry.