San Diego woos cleantech

Trying to position his city as a cleantech hub for the West Coast, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders announced April 11 the formation of a new Cleantech Initiative. Mayor Sanders plans to develop a cluster of cleantech companies that would both complement the city's other technology sectors (biotech and high-tech) and provide products and ideas to help the city become more energy efficient.

“Clean technology is a cutting-edge industry that is growing in California and we want to take advantage of San Diego’s wealth of resources to cultivate the industry cluster here, which will not only create more jobs and investment in the region, but will ultimately enhance our quality of life,” said Jim Waring, San Diego's deputy chief operating officer for land use and economic development.

Waring is spearheading the Cleantech Initiative, working with the city's Economic Development Division and the University of California at San Diego. The group is commissioning a cluster analysis on the cleantech industry in the San Diego area, joining the board of the Cleantech Venture Network, and hiring a Clean Technology Program Manager. The program manager will be charged with forging and promoting strategic alliances within the cleantech sector and government agencies.