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Last week in Amsterdam, the first of 1,200 households installed energy-saving systems aimed at cutting their electricity costs. Additionally, Dutch banks ING and Rabobank provided access to financing for the purchase of energy-saving light bulbs and efficient roof insulation. Actions like these are the beginning of a concerted effort to make Amsterdam’s infrastructure smarter, greener, and more eco-friendly.
Following in the footsteps of other governments, which have set aside billions of dollars to set in motion the creation of “smart cities,” Amsterdam has already begun implementation of its greener infrastructure, and aims to complete its first-round investments by 2012, making it the world leader in infrastructure revision. In total, the city, energy outfits, and private companies are expected to invest over $1.5 billion into Amsterdam’s smart city projects through 2012.
At this point, it seems like trendsetters such as Amsterdam have paved the way for a worldwide green revolution, and the conjoined efforts of the energy industry, governments, and companies can make it happen. Expect to see many entrepreneurial endeavors aimed at profiting off of this green revolution, or at marketing ideas to energy corporations. The international businessperson has an opportunity to take advantage of this phenomenon, and is uniquely poised to profit from the cross-border knowledge sharing required to take the green revolution global. Amsterdam is only the beginning!
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