Global Clean Energy Market

U.S. Energy-Tech Investments Grow to $2.4 Billion in 2006, Representing 9.4 Percent of Total VC Activity. According to a new report released last week by Clean Edge, global clean-energy markets are poised to quadruple in the next decade, growing from $55.4 billion in revenues in 2006 to more than $226.5 billion by 2016 for four benchmark technologies. As highlighted in the report, a number of factors are contributing to this extensive growth including an influx of venture capital (VC); a new level of commitment by politicians at regional, state, and federal levels; and significant corporate investments in clean-energy acquisitions and expansion initiatives.

Major Findings

For the second year in a row, the global biofuels market was slightly larger than both solar and wind, reaching $20.5 billion in 2006 and projected to grow to more than $80 billion by 2016. Clean Edge projects solar photovoltaics (modules, system components, and installations) will grow from a $15.6 billion market in 2006 to $69.3 billion by 2016; Wind power installations will expand from $17.9 billion in 2006 to $60.8 billion in 2016; The markets for fuel cells and distributed hydrogen will grow from $1.4 billion in 2006 to $15.6 billion over the next decade. Clean Edge, in collaboration with Nth Power, a leading energy-tech VC firm, also released the firms’ annual energy-tech venture data.

This year’s findings show that VC investments in energy-tech start-ups rose 262 percent to $2.4 billion in 2006. These investments, primarily in transportation and fuels, distributed energy, energy intelligence, and power reliability, eclipsed the previous high-water mark set in 2000 for energy-tech investing by more than $1 billion. The figures represent 9.4 percent of total US venture capital investments in 2006.

“Clean Energy Trends 2007” also names five key trends that are shaping the clean-energy landscape this year. They include: Carbon Finally Has a Price - and a Market Biorefineries Begin to Close the Loop Advanced Battery Makers Take Charge Wal-Mart Becomes a Clean-Energy Market Maker Utilities Get Enlightened