Over the past 16 years, I have been involved in 5 successful startup companies ranging from an energy company, to several .com companies. Now I am focusing all of my attention on creating the tipping point in the sustainability movement by pushing initiatives in government, business and the broader social landscape. 
Many people are curious, what I am doing since I left Powerset. Well, the short story is that I have decided to dedicate myself to what I call the new Green Economy and I am working on several initiatives with other leaders in government and businesses that all fall under the responsibility of non-profit that I am founding called SF Green. 
Gavin Newsom announced this week that San Francisco has put 3 plug in hybrid Prius vehicles into the city's municiple car fleet and that there is larger effort to create a bay area-wide "soft" pre-order for plug in hybrids. What is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle?
Thanks to the US Department of Energy we have the following description below:
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) can be charged with electricity like pure electric vehicles and run under engine power like hybrid electric vehicles. The combination offers increased driving range with potentially large fuel and cost savings, emissions reductions, and other benefits.Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles currently do not qualify as alternative fuel vehicles under the Energy Policy Act of 1992. However, they do qualify for incentives.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are still at a pre-commercial stage of development. Research and development efforts are bringing them closer to widespread commercialization. Learn about prototype PHEVs and PHEV conversions.
How Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles Work
Like hybrid electric vehicles, PHEVs are powered by two energy sources—an energy conversion unit (such as an internal combustion engine or fuel cell) and an energy storage device (usually batteries). To learn how hybrid systems work, see What is a Hybrid Electric Vehicle?
Ok. So What's the Big Deal SF only has 3 plug in hybrids?
Well, the big news is that this announcement is the beginning of a larger campaign to demonstrate the demand for plug in hybrid vehicles. In the press release the Mayor's office states:
"To support the regional expansion of the use of this near clean technology, the City and County of San Francisco is submitting a "soft" fleet order, committing that if plug-in hybrids were available commercially from major vehicle manufacturers, the City anticipates the municipal fleet would purchase up to 200 plug-in hybrid sedans, light trucks and vans, and up to 50 plug-in hybrid heavy trucks
This week, Mayor Newsom also will send a letter to cities and counties throughout the nine-county Bay Area to form a joint "soft" order for plug-in hybrids. By consolidating the order numbers from each of the individual municipal fleets, a large Bay Area regional "purchase order" would be assembled to garner the attention of the auto companies and lobby for the expansion of plug-in technology."
So What's My Take?
This could be a potentially fairly big deal, but for now I think the jury is still out. Later this week I am going to be taking a meeting with a representative from the Mayor's office to discuss the program in detail. While I haven't made a decision to support this initiative yet, I have to say I think it is an interesting idea.
If this initiative is successful and we take it out to the entire state of California or perhaps country-wide, we could cause change. If we restrict it only to the Bay Area, it may only be good for press. If I do decide to help out, I'll be looking for creative ways to use technology (maybe on Facebook) to sign up for the plug in Hybrids.
Let me know what you think too. thanks.