The Cleantech Avenger

Fresh from a recent trip advising the G8 leaders on how to recycle their spandex, the Cleantech Avenger continues to right wrongs, fight the fight, and rouse rabble all around.

Typing at an incredible 435 words per second, your Avenger curiously remembered the words of Ban Ki-Moon while compiling this column.

"If my life were a movie, instead of 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' it would be 'Ban Ki-moon in the Negotiating Room.'"

DOE washes hands of clean coal

The FutureGen Alliance just hasn't been the same since the U.S. Department of Energy decided to rethink its relationship with the massive carbon capture and storage project.

The DOE said in January that it wanted to play the field, leaving the alliance without its biggest dance partner, and now the government has decided to make the divorce final.

There's word of a letter that was sent to the alliance, giving notice that the energy department intends to formally pull out of the group.

Of course, there's still the touchy matter of splitting up the property. Intellectual property, in this case.

The DOE was the major breadwinner in the relationship, responsible for the majority of the funding for FutureGen, which was originally supposed to be a $1 billion project, but ballooned to $1.8 billion.

No statement from either party on who gets to keep the crystal.

Cleansuits? Greensuits? How about Eco-suits?

The battle between Tesla Motors and Fisker Automotive could be heading for a conclusion soon, as the warring parties have been told to drive their electric cars to arbitration to settle their differences.

The war of words started in April, when Tesla filed a complaint against Fisker in the San Mateo County court in California.

"Fraud" and "deceit" were some of the words used by Tesla, as were the phrases "proprietary information" and "trade secrets."

Fisker used words like "nonsense," as well as "vigorously" and "defend."

The two groups used to be chummy, with Fisker performing body and interior styling work for an earlier version of Tesla's electric roadster.

But now Tesla is accusing Fisker of stealing ideas for use in Fisker's planned electric vehicle.

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide is Fisker's new friend in the electric car business, and even though Quantum was named by Tesla as a defendant in the lawsuit, it won't be a part of the arbitration.

The court said that Quantum has yet to appear in the action and so is not subject to the stay or the arbitration at this time.

More tidbits could be on the way in August when Tesla and Fisker are due to be back in court to chat about the case.

What color is your environmentally friendly parachute?

Green collar workers like to Do The Right Thing in the face of An Inconvenient Truth.

But they could end up back in a wasteful industry once the pink slips start showing up. Folks at Latham, N.Y.-based Plug Power (Nasdaq: PLUG) may be facing that prospect as the fuel cell company cuts back.

Eighty workers out of a total of 380 are being shown the door, with most of the positions being eliminated at the company's corporate headquarters.

The company hopes the move will extend its funding by 12 to 18 months, giving it time to build and demonstrate market traction.

Green house gets a Bronx cheer

It's a hard life being a climate expert. Ask Australian economist Ross Garnaut.

He's been accused of using his position as the prime minister's climate change guru to push through approval for a modern, green building in a heritage neighborhood in Melbourne.

Garnaut, a professor of economics at the Australian National University, has ruffled a few local feathers with his plans to give his house a green makeover, and build a second building at the back of the lot.

The local council said it has received at least nine objections to the plans, which include a new steel roof with solar panels to replace the existing slate.

The new building would be a contemporary design, according to submissions to the council, and would also sport a steel roof.

The case has gone to the Victorian Administrative Appeals Tribunal, where Garnaut will have to make his argument for the cleantech upgrade.

The Cleantech Avenger, who can bend steel roofs using only his wit, wonders if the second building will in fact be the sleek headquarters for a new Cleantech Supergroup.

Just remember, superfriends, good fences make good neighbors.

And don't forget to put in a cave. You've got to have a cave. Maybe you can find some geothermal hot spots while you're down there.