Bay Area Climate Collaborative and Prospect Silicon Valley Join Forces

BACC becomes part of Prospect Silicon Valley organization with increased strategic linkages to catalyze clean energy deployment in the San Francisco Bay Area

SAN JOSE, CA, USA, January 22, 2015 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Bay Area Climate Collaborative (BACC) and Prospect Silicon Valley (ProspectSV) announced the integration of BACC into the ProspectSV organization. BACC and ProspectSV programs will continue as they do today with strengthened linkages between the respective programs, creating a unique organization that links support of technology commercialization and market acceleration toward the development of sustainable, clean, high-tech cities.

The BACC was launched in 2009 by San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, then San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, and then Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, to accelerate implementation of clean energy solutions in the region. Since inception, BACC market acceleration programs have worked with over half the local governments in the 9-county Bay Area resulting in 100 million lbs. of CO2 reductions committed over the next ten years.
"Innovation and clean technology are hallmarks of San Jose's Green Vision," said San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed (2007-2014). "The Bay Area Climate Collaborative and Prospect Silicon Valley joining together as a team will help us meet our Green Vision goals by providing even greater support to entrepreneurs and forward-looking agencies throughout the region."

BACC programs include facilitating the two largest electric vehicle (EV) fleet deployments in the country with 140 EVs to over a dozen municipalities; the Bay Area Next Generation Streetlight Initiative, which has catalyzed the upgrade of over 85,000 streetlights to LEDs; and Energize Schools, supporting the Bay Area’s school districts in maximizing their clean energy investments.

"We are very excited to have the BACC join the Prospect team," said ProspectSV board chair Gordon Ho, "There is great complementarity between the programs, and ProspectSV’s partners will benefit by an even stronger pathway to scaled deployment."

ProspectSV was launched by the City of San Jose in 2014 to provide commercialization support to promising cleantech startups. On behalf of its clients, the organization provides commercialization assistance and facilities for demonstration of new technologies, develops partnerships and platforms for field trials and pilot projects, and convenes key stakeholders including investors and corporate sponsors.

BACC co-chair and Oakland Assistant Director of Public Works Susan Kattchee noted, "The close relationship to ProspectSV commercialization program will enable the BACC to have better insight into emerging technologies and to bring solutions faster to municipalities around the region."

Since inception, the BACC has been a project of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, hosted at their office and fiscally sponsored by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation, its associated 501(c)3. The Leadership Group will continue to be a strategic partner of the BACC, including direction-setting leadership via the BACC’s Steering Committee.

"We are thrilled that the BACC has entered a new stage, aimed at delivering still more value," stated Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino, "Prospect Silicon Valley is an exceptional partner and together both will accelerate innovation in the region."

About the Bay Area Climate Collaborative
The Bay Area Climate Collaborative (BACC) is a public-private initiative established by business and civic leaders in 2009 to accelerate the clean energy implementation. BACC programs have committed over 100 million lbs. CO2 avoided over the next 10 years through its market oriented initiatives. BACC initiatives include facilitating the deployment of 140 electric fleet vehicles, over 150 EV charge ports, 85,000 LED street lights, and developing innovative programs such as Energize Schools. Anchor partners include the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Bank of America, PG&E, Environmental Defense Fund, major clean energy industry partners, and local governments representing over 70 percent of the Bay Area population. For more information on the BACC, please visit: www.baclimate.org.

About Prospect Silicon Valley
Prospect Silicon Valley (ProspectSV) is the first nonprofit, Silicon Valley-based effort to catalyze the commercialization and growth of next generation energy and science technologies for emerging and established companies. ProspectSV provides technology commercialization programs and a technology demonstration, testing facilities and other critical resources. Client companies are developing technologies to reduce energy consumption and cost, reduce carbon emissions, improve quality of life in cities. ProspectSV strives to make cities smarter, cleaner and more connected through technology. ProspectSV provides a full spectrum of support to emerging technology companies, including access to a $12 million, 23,000 sq.ft. Technology Demonstration Center with working space and resources, lab facilities, specialized equipment, meeting rooms, industrial and prototype manufacturing space, and a suite of commercialization support services. ProspectSV is actively assisting entrepreneurs with innovations in vehicle technology, traffic systems, energy efficient buildings, renewable energy, and energy storage. Sponsors and partners include Wells Fargo, Hyundai Ventures, Cisco, Continental, Denso, Toyota, Siemens, Ericsson, Applied Materials, and Toshiba. In addition, ProspectSV’s key partners include Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, the University of California, the City of San Jose, the LA Cleantech Incubator, the CleanTech Open, AT&T Foundry, and international partners including the Netherlands, Dublin City University, South Australia, and the Israeli Economic Mission. See www.prospectsv.org for more information.

About the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation
The purpose of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation is to conduct and promote non-partisan analysis, study and research of public policy issues affecting California’s Silicon Valley region, including housing, transportation, environmental protection, education, land use and energy, and help to alleviate human need and suffering in the region by combating hunger, deprivation and physical affliction with the provision of funding for food, clothing, shelter, medical care and other basic necessities of life. See www.svlg.org/about-us/svlg-foundation for more information.

Press release courtesy of Online PR Media: http://bit.ly/15eRumY

Rafael Reyes
Bay Area Climate Collaborative
408-409-5534
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